Image My Mother’s Diaries by Andy Vining 2026
Andy Vining shares his mother’s diaries in his new podcast. Listen to these beautiful stories on Spotify.
Andy Vining’s parents were John and Peggy (later known as Be Be).
July 1948
July began unsettled, though full of movement as always. John went off to cricket on the first, while I went to Mrs St Johns for some dancing lessons for the children.
Jane and Margaret came to tea later, and I tried to do a little gardening, though the midges drove me indoors before long.
Jennifer was quite beside herself begging for a ride on Lister’s pony, who had been brought over to the farm again and so she had a ride. She was really happy.
On the 2nd July John was busy cutting vetches with the big Mower. the great green swathes falling in neat rows.
I went to tea at Beechcroft and washed Janet’s hair, I do hope we get the water laid in soon.
Ann Lister brought the pony right onto the back lawn — much excitement. Mrs Manning took John and I to look at bees going into the hive, and I was stung for my trouble. One forgets how sharp it feels.
The third brought a fine success — thirteen bantams hatched out from the eggs I thought might have been spoilt last month. A good strong number, and always satisfying to lift the broody hen gently and count them.
Mrs Howes wrote a letter to me with the tragic news of her husband’s death, which saddened the day. We had all the children up for a picnic. Elsie Abel was married. Doug and Marge West called in, and Bet and Fred as well. Andrew was not very well, and that worried me.
Rain fell heavily on the fourth — a terrible day, rain without pause. Much of the corn was laid flat, which is a farmer’s misery to see after all that work and if the weather does not turn it will all go rotten in the fields. Andrew was better, thankfully, and I prayed fervently for decent weather.
School rehearsals filled the fifth and sixth, and I then drove John to Flexford in the car but I am still very nervous driving but thankfully no other traffic on the road.
I made blackcurrant jelly as well — the fruit plentiful enough for it.
On the seventh the play at Mrs St Johns school went off very well indeed; the dances all right, no mishaps and Bet came all day. That evening we went to see Balalaika with Mr and Mrs Manning. A lovely evening out.
The eighth was quieter. I walked round to Mother’s at Beechcroft and John went again to the pictures with the Mannings. Eric and Peg Inge and family called in, and later Ernie and Phyllis Manning came for supper. The house always seems busy.
Cherries came in next — Marjory secured twelve pounds for bottling, and I set to work. Mr and Mrs Peck called in the evening but unfortunately Jennifer developed a Head cold
We had another performance of The school play again on the tenth. Mother, Bella, Nora and her family all came, and even John managed to come along as well then afterwards everyone returned back to the Hiltonbury Farmhouse for tea.
I was asked to make a pompadour wig for Judith but I achieved it with much fiddling and pinning.
My roses in the Garden were glorious by the eleventh so I picked a beautiful bunch. They have done particularly well this year. The weather, however, was horrid — cold and dull — but I did some gardening between showers. In the evening I wrote to Bob and caught up with darning. Miss Howes came and took Janet home to tea which was nice for her.
Village errands followed. We called at Beechcroft with laundry; I had my hair shampooed and set. Bet stayed to tea and Mary Sinclair telephoned to say she would arrive on Thursday.
On the thirteenth I cycled to the post office to send a rabbit to Alf all wrapped up in a parcel hope it get there all OK but one does what one must. I tidied outside the back door round the dustbin and did some needlework.
The Manning bees swarmed that day — great clouds of them rising and settling again — always fascinating and slightly alarming to watch. Mother and Auntie Bella walked up in the evening for a chat, John ran them home. By mid-month John finished picking up oats and vetches at Flexford — long hours of steady hard work trying to beat the weather.
Janet went to the church fête at Ampfield. Betty brought her friend Mary to see the farm and I cut the front lawn and weeded the sweet peas they are starting to look lovely.
Water pipes arrived on the fifteenth — great lengths of promise for bringing water to the house at last where it is desperately needed. It was a hectic day.
Auntie Lily and Uncle Stan came to lunch. Mary and Jo arrived after tea. Phyllis and Eve brought biscuits which was nice of them
The sixteenth took us to Eastleigh shopping — Jo, Mary Sinclaire , Mother and the babies all in tow. Heather had new shoes bought for her; We got Bet a vacuum jug for her birthday and Mother, Bet and Auntie Bell all came to tea.
Rain returned on the seventeenth — a terrible day of it. Fred, Vi, Phil Roberts and Mrs called on their way to Milford. We bought paint for the house. John and Jo played cribbage. I drew a chicken — always something to sketch.
The eighteenth was better. Doug and Malcomb West called and we walked with Mary, Jo and the babies down along The Gallops to Ramally and The Camels Hump. Unfortunately to my annoyance both Jennifer and Andrew had lost their blazers at school, goodness knows how they managed that.
I had a long talk with Mrs Manning about bees —they are fascinating creatures, though temperamental but they appreciate that the first gladioli were out in flower.
The nineteenth was a lovely day. I made a sponge cake for Betty’s birthday. John, Jo and Cummings fetched Father’s desk from Beechcroft. I planted out begonias and tobacco plants, giving them a good watering.
Betty’s birthday was on the twentieth and we all went to Beechcroft, it was a lovely party and afterwards Jo Sinclair had to return home, but Mary decided to stay until Saturday. I went to Mrs St Johns for the dancers they are doing so well for little ones.
I listened to the play Loyalties on the radio in the evening when John went to the NFU meeting in Romsey. The children went to Milford for the Sunday School outing on the twenty-second. Heather was not too well. I kept busy bottling twelve pounds of cherries they will be lovely later in the year.
On the twenty-third the children performed their play at the Sanatorium. I went with Mary, Bet and Mother and it was really well done everything went well after all the work they had put in to it and It was very well received. Everybody came back to the Farm for tea and stayed the evening.
The following evening John and I went to see Forever Amber at the Empire later, that was a bit of an eye opener but not sure that it deserved all the publicity.
Mary Sinclair and Pete left on the twenty-fourth — I shall miss her so sorry to see her go. Joss Roffey and family called in on their way back from holiday and we heard that Fred Rash had a heart attack, which was bad news.
In the evening listened to The Constant Nymph on the radio very good.
South came on the twenty-fifth to speak with John about cowpens as they really need to be enlarged as the herd is growing and we need more modern equipment.
He hopes to begin works to bring water to the house on Wednesday it has been long awaited and I went too Beechcroft to washed the girls’ hair and in the evening I began sewing rick-rack onto the girls’ striped frocks.
The heat built steadily. Heather was fractious — teething perhaps. John cut out the wild oats in the corn at Flexford trying to keep the crop clean but it’s a big problem.
Bob Chalton telephoned — coming tomorrow and in the evening I finished the striped frocks for the girls.
Mrs St John sent me a lovely book for helping with dancing at school and Ben Clifford came to tea.
John brought home two ferrets — useful creatures for rabbiting and they were put in a small hut by the garage.
Now they were cutting winter oats at Flexford and that day one hare, two leverets and some rabbits were shot and brought home — the land never stops giving food.
The heat persisted into the twenty-eighth. Mother and Bet came to tea and Mother did some needlework.
Jennifer and Janet went to Southampton to the flicks to see Bambi. The children broke up on the twenty-ninth. For their summer holidays so they were all pleased
Mr Harvey came about the buildings at Flexford to see what had to be done with them. I interviewed a Mrs Prime from the camp about working here in the house — she seems decent enough and suitable for the job.
Betty came for the last time on the thirtieth. I shall miss her as she starts her new job. The summer heat was intense really hot the children nearly naked all day so I spent time altering some green shorts for the girls.
The month closed with visitors again —Big Uncle Fred, Vi and the others all turned up and although Fred was better he must rest.
Nora and Stanley brought us some beautiful tomatoes from the nursery and Bet and Fred saw the vicar regarding the wedding and banns reading tomorrow. We listened to Shop at Sly Corner on the wireless in the evening.
July has been heavy with work — vetches cut, oats gathered, hay rescued from rain, wild oats cleared, ferrets arrived, rabbits shot and bantams hatched, cherries bottled, bees swarming, water pipes delivered, fences and cowpens planned. Weather against us one day, blazing the next. The land forever demanding attention.
And still the house full — visitors coming and going, children performing, birthdays marked, weddings planned.
The farm moves forward in July whether one feels tired or not into.
August 1948
August opened warm, though not quite as fierce as July. The girls — Jennifer, Janet and little Heather — took their tea down to Monks Brook, paddling and perching by the stream as children should in summer. I did small bits of mending and Joan Buckett telephoned.
The weather shifted on the second. Mrs Prime started work — very speedy and willing, and she seemed quite suitable and very good at the job.
John took us to Hursley for the Hunt Gymkhana, Mother kindly looking after Heather. It was something of a wash-out because the weather turned but we enjoyed it all the same.
At last South began trenching for the new water pipes up the drive on the third. The ground was opened up in long muddy scars all the way up the farm drive but the promise of running water soon was worth the mess. Andrew spent time with the workers cleaning their shovels and was paid for his efforts.He was very pleased.
I walked round to Mother’s but Heather cross and fractious, teething I believe. I managed to cut the front lawn before the rain returned. Unfortunately Mrs Prune left as quickly as she had come — her husband had found rooms elsewhere. Short and sweet.
Mother came with Big Uncle Fred to get some papers signed by Uncle George and Joan Buckett and her family came to tea. John telephoned the Labour Exchange about finding another woman for the house. Janet and Jennifer wheeled Heather up to the village in the pram.
I painted the black cupboard in the kitchen, white — determined to freshen things up.
Jennifer fell ill on the sixth with a bad throat and earache so I kept her in bed all day. Betty came and cleaned the kitchen which was nice of her and that evening John, Auntie Bella, Mother and I went to the pictures and saw Sitting Pretty, which was very good.
The doctor came on the seventh to see Jennifer and John fetched pills from the chemist as prescribed for her and Jennifer seemed to improve by evening, but the rain was relentless will it ever stop.
The eighth brought heavy rain again, but John had reason to be very please with himself as the spring oats down at Ramalley won first prize in the Growmore Farm competition. Bet and Fred walked upto the farm when they could avoiding the showers and rain. . Jennifer remained in bed but seems to be improving .
Les and Joan Beaton called and we had a long chat with them and after they left II put a second coat of cream paint on the kitchen cupboard.
The doctor called again on the ninth and ordered Jennifer to remain in bed until Wednesday and not venture out until Friday. I went to see Mrs St John about further dancing for the children and Bet came round and helped out in the house.
I was given some New ointment for Jennifer to use and hope it helps.
By the tenth the men were progressing well with the water pipes, though everywhere was a horrible mess of soil and boards.
Jennifer was “up” in her bedroom. I tied up the gladioli — tall and splendid now — and cut the front lawn again. I moved cupboards about in the kitchen and it all looks much better.
The eleventh was a great day — Bet’s wedding cake was made. I mixed it here and took it to Beechcroft for baking. We had a proper chinwag — Nora, Bet and Ma — about the wedding arrangements. Den Hoskins came round in the evening.
Better weather at last on the twelfth. I finished tying the gladioli up in the vegetable garden; they look magnificent. I took two rabbits to the lady who had found Jennifer’s missing blazer. John went to his Growmore meeting. I painted the cupboard once more.
By the thirteenth John was cutting the oats at Flexford at last in good weather. The children went out to tea at Bishops and I painted the Welsh dresser.
On the fourteenth Bet called and we went shopping together while John remained busy at Flexford. Mother and Bella came to admire the gladioli. I finished painting the dresser.
Rain returned briefly on the fifteenth. Jennifer’s earache flared again. I took Janet to church and we heard Bet and Fred’s banns read — a stirring moment.
Mr and Mrs Manning came in, and Joan and Les Beaton as well —They are becoming really good friends, I did some mending in the evening.
The sixteenth was lovely and bright. Lassie came into season. Bet arrived with the news that it would indeed be a white wedding — hooray! John finished cutting oats at Flexford and began cutting oats on Hill Field that very evening. I planted more pinks.
The seventeenth was a milestone: threshing at Flexford was completed — eighty-five sacks and one hundred and eighty-one bales of straw. A good tally. Rain interrupted further cutting in the afternoon. South and his men continued their work on the water, leaving everything churned and muddy.
Wet weather held work up on the eighteenth. John finished cutting Ramalley by Jennifer still did not seem quite right. I cut out a frock for Heather to wear at the wedding.
On the nineteenth the sun returned. John cut wheat at Flexford. We went to Malcomb’s wests party.
Best of all and the most amazing thing we have running water in the house at last! Such a simple luxury, but transformative we can at last start to live properly,wash hair and have proper baths instead of using kettles and hot water in a bath tub in the kitchen, luxury indeed.
Bet came to try on her wedding veil and she looked beautiful.
Jennifer was well enough to travel to London with Bet and Mother on the twentieth to buy wedding finery and at she was at last able to get the jodhpurs she wanted so much.
Nora and family came to tea and brought Gwen Gibbon with them — lovely to see her again. Harvest was continuing with John was cutting oats on the Hill Field and at Ramalley.
Rain came again on the twenty-first so John went to football as harvest was stopped. We walked to Mother’s for tea in the rain with the children and they were soaked through.
We admired the wedding finery that was all now at coming together.
John later attended the Eastleigh Show. The doctor put Uncle George on a special diet that Toss herself would have to prepare as I put my foot down on the matter. In the evening we listened to White Oaks on the wireless.
The twenty-second was fine. My suggestion that Toss do her own cooking did not go down well, though we shall see. We went to the show at Fleming Park. John and the children went on to the Bucketts for tea. John Buckett had lost a pig — never easy. That night, in the moonlight, we moved the black pullets into their ark in the field and shifted the cockerels. It was late and strangely romantic, the birds settling under silver light.
The twenty-third was cold and windy but dry. John finished picking up oats at Flexford. Bet came all day and cut out the bridesmaids’ frocks. Auntie Toss agreed to manage her own cooking — for now.
On the twenty-fourth Bet and I went to Fortunes and picked sixty pounds of plums. The afternoon was spent bottling them and putting them in the cool of the pantry
The Evening turned drizzly and dull.
The twenty-fifth was another poor morning weather-wise. Bet came all day. I finished my week’s darning. John went to football. I went to Beechcroft to wash my hair.
The twenty-sixth was glorious. John cut barley on Hill Field. Auntie and Uncle were off on holiday the following week — three cheers indeed. I telephoned Ethel about shoes. Nora rang.
On the twenty-seventh I mowed the front lawn while John picked up wheat at Flexford. Fifty pounds of plum jam were made — the kitchen thick with steam and sugar.
The twenty-eighth stayed fine. Harvest progressed well. Flexford was nearly finished save for one load. Bet borrowed the lawn mower.
On the twenty-ninth I helped John turn the barley sheaves on Hill Field, hoping desperately the weather would hold. I had a bath — a real treat now that water runs properly. We talked long with the Beatons. Joan Buckett telephoned, asking for the children for the day Thursday.
The thirtieth remained fine. John nearly finished picking up the barley. With Betty finished in the house, I resumed the housework myself. I worked further on the bridesmaids’ frocks. Frank White helped John and came in to tea.
Cloud gathered on the thirty-first. Wind rose and rain returned — curse it — with the Romsey Show tomorrow. But John had just finished the harvest in time, thank goodness. Frank White was in again to tea.
August has been the month of harvest in earnest — oats cut and threshed, wheat gathered, barley sheaves turned by hand, eighty-five sacks and one hundred and eighty-one bales stacked, water finally brought into the house, plums picked in quantity, jam boiled in great weight, pullets shifted by moonlight, ferreting and rabbiting continuing, pigs lost and calves tended.
Weather our constant adversary. Work relentless. Weddings planned. Children growing.
And the farm — despite rain and curse and mud — brought safely through another harvest.
Leave a Reply