Andy Vining’s Podcast: My Mother’s Diaries 1948 -1976: Episode 6 — September and October 1948

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).

September 1948

September opened with the Romsey Show. Betty and I set off early on the first, taking our lunch with us, and met John later among the livestock and produce stands. It was a jolly good show. There is something about the Show — polished cattle, prize vegetables, farmers inspecting each other’s stock — that feels like the summing up of a year’s labour. John still went to football that evening, never missing if he can help it.

The next day Aunt Toss and Uncle George departed on holiday — a noticeable easing of the household atmosphere. The children spent the day with Joan Buckett. I went to Beechcroft and began the careful work of putting almond icing onto Bet’s wedding cake — smoothing and shaping, wanting it just right.

Weather turned rotten on the third — rain and wind sweeping across the fields. I rose early and scrubbed the kitchen. Margaret Haskell and Wendy Bishop came to tea, and I gave the Bishops some apples. John was busy picking apples from Flexford and The Annie Elizabeth in the orchard— autumn fruit gathering well underway.

Showers lingered on the fourth and John went to football. Marjory and Malcolm West called in and Wendy Bishop slept over with Janet.

Norah had returned from her holiday.

Bet and Fred came round on the fifth. I went with Heather to watch John playing cricket in The Chandlers ford Cricket ground, one of our fields on the corner of Hursley and Baddesley Road just a short walk from the Farmhouse. John was out for a duck — much teasing about that. Peter Matthews called in, and Les and Joan Beeton came for tea.

The sixth was full of arrangements. I rang Lowmans to fix the catering for the wedding. Bet and I went to see Nora about shoes. Mrs Green and the children, and Frank, came to tea and I finished mowing the front lawn in the evening light.

On the seventh John attended Salisbury Market and sold heifers — good to move stock on successfully. Bet drove us to Eastleigh and bought dancing pumps for the bridesmaids and I let down the hem of my skirt in readiness.

Frank took Andrew to see the BOAC Flying Boatworks at Hythe on the eighth — great excitement for a boy Andrew was thrilled and had a lovely day.

I returned to Beechcroft to continue the cake icing and took a chicken round to Marjory’s in Pine Road on the way.

We went to Southampton on the ninth — John, the children and I bought a new hat for the wedding. Bridesmaids’ petticoats were cut out and the wedding cake icing was finally completed at Beechcroft.

On the tenth I rose early to scrub and clean the kitchen. John was digging potatoes from garden and they were put down in the cellar the earthy smell rising as they came up. I continued with the petticoats and mowed the front lawn.

The ducks were laying nicely now two now nearly every day which is rather good.

The eleventh brought visitors. Marjory and Doug arrived with glasses for Bet and Fred’s wedding present and they stayed to tea along with Nora, Judith, Veronica and George. Mary Sinclair telephoned.

The twelfth was dreadful — rain and gales all day. I spent the hours sewing bridesmaids’ frocks, now nearly finished. John went with Mr Les Beeton to see his new garage at Fryern Hill, He is to become the Renault agent. Two duck eggs again today — steady laying.

On the thirteenth I was up early for washing and then I plucked and drew a chicken and sent it to Westbrooks as they had asked me to do one for them, It was a nice plump bird
Ironing was finished before lunch. Hairdressers in the afternoon, and I went on to Beechcroft where I saw Auntie Florie. Phyllis and Eric called in for a chat and I finished The bridesmaids’ frocks were at last.

The fourteenth was lovely and bright. I finished the final odd jobs for bridesmaids and myself. Bet and Auntie Flo brought Fred to sleep the night at the Farm. John and Frank Dean worked late on the car to get it ready because wedding logistics requiring reliability..we did not want any breakdowns.

And then the fifteenth — Betty’s Wedding Day.

It was a very nice wedding, and the weather turned out beautifully. We all went in force to Winchester to see them off. Lilly and Wally came up to the farm. A very happy day of pride and emotion.

Afterwards came the clearing up — washing, ironing, restoring order. Uncle Fred and Vi called in. Frank and Les White came for tea. John was back digging potatoes this time from Flexford , the farm never pausing long for celebrations.

On the seventeenth I scrubbed the kitchen again. John attended the Bar End sale. Frank Dean came up and helped John and me pick apples — baskets filling steadily. Jennifer and Janet went to stay for a while with Wendy Bishop.

Gas installers from Pardue arrived on the eighteenth to fit gas into the bedrooms. A sign of modern life creeping into old walls. John went to football. Judith and Veronica came to tea. Frank Dean played cribbage with Johnwhile I listened to Tess of the D’Urbervilles on the wireless.

The nineteenth brought more work from Pardue fitting gas they are getting on well Bella and Flo stayed for tea and supper.

In the night I suffered a bilious attack and felt out of sorts the next day going to bed early — unusual for me.

By the twentieth I was up early again for washing. Dried and ironed before lunch. I cut the front lawn and John was late second cut hay making at Flexford — late work to secure what remained before the weather closed in on us again. I peeled the plums we had picked and bottled twelve jars.

On The twenty-first I went to school to help with dancing. Met Mother and Flo on the way home. John attended his Growmore meeting in Fairoak and I spent the evening mending.

The twenty-second brought the first frost. It killed all the dahlias and begonias — such a sudden end to colour nature seems to be so cruel sometimes.

I washed the white paintwork in the hall and Mother and Bella came for tea. Later we went to supper at the Coates in Southampton and they told us about St Probus School in Salisbury where their son Peter was going to attend. and we brought back an armchair Phyllis Coates gave us.

A little gardening was done on the twenty-third. Margaret Haskell came for tea. Betty returned from honeymoon full of beans — full of stories and they had had a wonderful time.

On the twenty-fourth we went to tea at the Hoskins up Hursley Road so I tried to dissuade Toss and George from returning on Wednesday, but to no avail.

Bet and Fred called in. I ordered bulbs from Toogood’s plants — already thinking toward spring and wishing the winter away.

The front garden was getting messy by the twenty-fifth, weeds pushing through everywhere. John went to football and then on to the Flicks.

On the twenty-sixth, Sunday we went with Bet and Fred Bet and Fred to Church Brook Farm to have a look round it is a very nice place indeed. The girls went to Norah’s; Heather to Beechcroft. Andrew came with us and we enjoyed our day out.

We were not late getting back as Mr and Mrs Hoskins and Uncle Rotherway were coming for tea.

The twenty-seventh was exhausting. Up early for washing. South & Co arrived at nine and took down the wall over the fireplace, replacing the burnt beams with a cement one. Dust and noise everywhere but a big job that had to be done properly as there was always the fear of a fire. I did my I ironing in the pantry and evening I was worn out. Beth Matthews came to tea with the girles, she is a nice child.
Rain fell heavily on the twenty-eighth morning but cleared later. I went to the Hall for dancing and Bottled some pears that we had picked from the orchard.

Auntie Toss and Uncle George are due back tomorrow — and I was dreading it.

The twenty-ninth dawned beautiful, almost summer again. Leslie Willis sent Andrew Nicholas’s bicycle — great excitement Andrew was really pleased.
Then George and Toss returned — less excitement.

On the thirtieth I walked to Beechcroft. Mother and Bella came back later with me to the farm for a paper to be signed. John Buckett’s nephew and his fiancée called in it was nice to see them.

And so September has carried the farm gently from harvest into autumn. Heifers sold at Salisbury, potatoes dug, apples gathered, hay secured, plums and pears bottled, duck eggs steady, frost striking flowers, water pipes in, gas fitted, beams replaced, wedding celebrated, garden tidied, bulbs ordered.

The year turning quietly.

And the farm — as ever — requiring hands steady and constant.

October 1948

October began with South finishing the plastering in the kitchen at last. The walls looked clean and new again after weeks of disturbance and the main thing the risk of fire has now gone away.

I had tea with Joan Beaton and called in on Mrs St John who is opposite Joans on Pine Road.

Mrs Sharp came to enquire about cleaning work — she seemed quite suitable at first, so we will see how it goes. Later Joan and Les Beeton called in. They are very regular visitors now.

The second was beautiful, like summer returned for a moment. Big and Little Fred came by, and Auntie’s sisters — Nel, Eve and Tony — were here as well. John went to football.

I cut the front lawn although though the season is now turning I should not have to mow it much more,Then I did some ironing and listened to a play on the wirelass.

Sunday was cooler and cloudy. We went to church. Mother and Bella came to tea and supper and, bless them, did all the darning for me.

Mrs Sharp arrived on the fourth with her child to do housework. She seemed satisfactory. I did ironing in the afternoon. The air had sharpened noticeably. John went to Masonic that evening and when he got back we listened to The Devil’s General on the wireless.

But by the fifth Mrs Sharp had given up — her husband said the work was too much for her. I really don’t understand it’s only cleaning.

I went to the Richie Hall for some dancing with the school kids.

John attended his Growmore meeting. I drew a chicken ready for dinner and did some of Heather’s “freeze” — Just small domestic jobs that have to be done in between.

Uncle George and and Auntie Toss went to Bournemouth for the day on the sixth so thet was nice to see them off for the day.

I did some digging in the front garden and a lady came for a cockerel and I managed to lose the blessed bird while we were chatting but chased it and found it and caught it behind the hen house. Les and Joan Beeton came for the evening — they are such pleasant company now.

On the seventh I went round to Beechcroft for a chat and ordered blackcurrants, raspberries and roses from Letts — thinking ahead again. John finished digging the potatoes at last, and they had all been put down in the cellar store where i can easily get them.

On the eighth I went shopping in Winchester. Jennifer needed vests; Andrew knew cords. Mother and Bella minded the children. That evening John and I went to Eastleigh to see Quiet Weekend at the flicks — a joll good film.

The ninth was foggy in the morning but warm again, strangely like summer. Andrew went alone to the barber in the village — quite an adventure for a five-year-old and the kids all went to Derek Buckett’s party in the afternoon in Allington Lane.

John attended Hursley Lodge and Mother, Bella and Norah came to tea.

On the tenth we made the most of the fine weather and did gardening. John sold Dad’s old car for Mother for £200 — a good sum and a tidy conclusion to that chapter.That would be nearly £10,000 today in 2026.

By the eleventh the weather had finally broken. Rain all evening. I managed to get washing dry and ironed nonetheless. The children went to Paul Gibson’s party on Baddesley Road.

On the twelfth I went to the Richie Hall for dancing. Eric Coates came for pullets — they are moving to a new house in Southampton tomorrow. I telephoned the Sinclairs — we are going up to see them on on Friday for the weekend.

The thirteenth I had my hair shampooed and set. Mother and Bella went to visit Betty. Mr and Mrs Haskell spent the evening with us and we had a lovely time they are such company.

Preparations for the weekend began in earnest on the fourteenth. I took food and the cot round to Mother’s and sat up until the small hours darning.

On the fifteenth we got the children settled and caught the 10.10 train to London. Lunch, shops, a news film, and we reached Hadley Wood by tea time. We talked late into the night — such a novelty not having to rise at dawn.

Saturday was wet and unpleasant. We sorted their chickens in the morning and went to see Spring in Park Lane — jolly good indeed. Tea at Chris and Charles’.

Sunday we stayed indoors. Chicken for dinner. Mary and Jo telephoned — a baby girl arrived the previous Wednesday. We also rang Mother as well and Heather has been troublesome at night.

On the eighteenth we went up to town again. Lunch at Aniston. I bought things for the children at Hamleys and we went to see Annie Get Your Gun —it was splendid.

We got home by 8.15 pm and called at Mother’s on the way but Heather was in bed asleep so we left her there.

On the nineteenth I walked to Beechcroft to fetch Heather and the children home for lunch. Did ironing that evening. Bill Cummings our tractor driveris ill and off work — which puts more strain on John.

The twentieth saw John busy driving the tractor as Cummings was still unwell. I took Bet’s bicycle to the station for her. We had dinner out with Joan and Les Beeton and returned to their house afterwards — a thoroughly pleasant evening.

John was drilling oats on the twenty-first — autumn sowing under way. I planted a few forget-me-nots. Joan Beaton brought a frock for me to try — lovely but too tight.

On the twenty-second Candy came into season so we have to be careful and I planted more in the front garden and fetched additional plants from Beechcroft. Betty telephoned and we had a good natter.

Mother and Bella went into Southampton to see Pirates of Penzance.

The twenty-third was lovely again. The Bazeley family came for tea. Mother and Bella for the evening. John went to football and then on to the pictures.

On the twenty-fourth we planted forsythia in the front garden and wallflowers too. The weather was still fair but colder.

The twenty-fifth was miserable. I brought the washing in dripping and hung it on the rack in the kitchen to dry. In the afternoon I polished all the brass and silver until it shone. It was Cold tonight.

A frosty morning on the twenty-sixth. Dancing at the Richie Hall.

I walked into the village and bought a coat for Mary’s baby. John drilled wheat at Flexford and went to Growmore. I ironed.

The twenty-seventh brought another frost. Janet slept at Jane’s and I planted Madonna lilies and washed and ironed my striped dance frock ready for Friday.

On the twenty-eighth Joan Beaton minded Heather while Mother, Bella and I went to see The Red Shoes. A super film.

The twenty-ninth was the NFU Ball in Romsey. Joan and John Buckett, and Joan and Leslie Beaton went with us. A jolly fine time was had by all it was a wonderful evening.

John was home on the thirtieth for a change, cleaning the combine drill. He cooked supper for us and later drove Mother and Bella home. It felt almost restful.

And the month ended with Joan and Les Beaton here again for the evening — such good friends now. The children spent the day at Hatley’s Sawmill on Baddesley Road, riding their donkey and coming home very happy but tired.

October has settled the year. Potatoes stored. Oats and wheat drilled. Combine drill cleaned. Frost touching flowers. Bulbs planted. Gardens prepared for winter. Chickens sorted. Pullets moved. Brass polished. Gas fitted. Friends steady and frequent.

The farm quieter now — but never still thanks for listening and I hope you will be here next week as we go into November and Christmas and all that has to offer.