Diary extracts for Jun to September 1938

10th Jun 1938:

Planning to go to Stockholm with Mavis, travelling by cargo boat on 30th August.

15th Jun 1938:

Study for Safety Curtain for the Old Vic Competition (30x20)

17th

Finished Study for Safety Curtain and sent it off by rail to be in by tomorrow

29th Aug 1938:

Tomorrow we are planning to go on our holiday to Sweden on a German cargo boat. In the evening the political situation seemed very bad, Father came round and implored us not to go. After much argufying we consented.

30th Aug 1938:

Went up to London and cancelled our trip to Sweden. Looked in at the Redfern Gallery. Edmiston (Eddy) in a depressed mood, he says no one comes into the gallery at all. He says Germany won’t start a war till the end of next month because they haven’t got the harvest in! London is most depressing.

20th Sep 1938:

We went to get our new dog from a pub beyond Romsey. “Grock” is his name, about 12 weeks old, Dalmatian.

24th Sep 1938:

Mr. Miles (chimney sweep) coming round with gas masks! What a foolish business. We did not accept them.
He said to Mavis “War is to men what maternity is to women, begging your pardon Mum.” What stupidity.

30th Sep 1938:

In the morning we walked the streets of Southampton with posters advertising an emergency meeting called together by parsons of different denominations.
It was a great success, about 800 people turning up.