5th November 1939

No bonfire celebrations this year.  I’d be too tired to go anyway.  My boss Mr Hardy says I’m doing alright though and I’m making good progress.  I just need to speed up a bit.  I have a new friend I think.  Joan works in the buffet and she’s always ready for a chat.  When she found out the I was alone in Worth she was ever so sympathetic, and she says that I can go out with her and her landlady and housemate the next time that they go dancing!

30th October 1939

I can’t remember ever being as tired as this before.  Didn’t sleep properly last night – this bed is hard.  My bedroom is at the front of the house and I could hear the station noises all night – much busier than home.  Today at work was tiring too – so much to remember.  I’m sure I’ll be alright when I settle in.

29th October 1939

My first night in my lodgings.  I miss Mum and Dad and my own bed.  I even miss Susan even though she doesn’t live at home anymore.  For two pins I’d run off home again.  But I can’t go back now.  I don’t really want to.  But I miss home.  Mrs Kelly doesn’t seem very cheerful but she cooked a nice tea.  This room is quite small – no room for a desk so I’m having to write this sat on the bed with my knees up.

28th October 1939

This is my last night in my own bed and in my own home. Mum started crying this afternoon and hasn’t stopped yet.  Dad keeps popping his head round my bedroom door to offer me advice.  All my things are packed up ready for the move to Mrs Kelly’s tomorrow, then work on Monday morning – early!   Now it’s come I feel a bit nervous.  I hope it’s all going to be alright.

21st October 1939

What a week!  Mr Wilson telephoned Dad and told him that I could have a job at the ticket office on Worth Station, where they’ve just lost half of the staff to the forces.  He must have been very clever with his words because Dad has agreed that I can go!  Mum isn’t talking to him but he doesn’t seem to mind.  So the rest of the week and this was a total whirl while he got me some lodgings sorted out and I made lists and went shopping.  Dad has been lecturing me on what to expect and what I will be doing every night since we found out.  I’ll be glad to get away and make a start – next week!  It felt marvellous giving Mrs Clay my notice.

I’m going to be lodging with a Mrs Kerry.  She’s a widow and she lives near the station – just two streets away so very close to work.  I’m not going to say much else because she looks like the sort that might read your diary.

11th October 1939

Mrs Clay was a bit off with me today.  A bit sniffy because she thinks that I think I’m too good for her job.  Well I am sure that I’m definitely wasted there but it’s been alright to start me off working.  No news yet.

10th October 1939

I’m so tired I can hardly keep my eyes open to write this.  But everything went well today, I even got cornered by a couple of soldiers on the train home.  One was nice looking but the other was all spotty.  I was a bit nervous when I got there, but I spoke to a Mr Wilson who was very friendly and said that they needed lots of young ladies like me to hold the fort.  He says he’s going to speak to Dad quite soon.  I was glad when it was all over though and I went round some shops in Leeds and bought a new smart skirt to celebrate. 

9th October 1939

It’s tomorrow!  I’m catching the 9.30 to Leeds.  In the end I had to tell everyone.  First of all I had to ask Mrs Clay for the day off and then of course she wanted to know why.  Then I thought I’d better tell Mum and Dad before it got back to them and of course Dad will probably see me get on the train.  Nobody seems really pleased about it and Mum’s not happy at all.  Why don’t they understand that I want to do something to help?  I soon got round Dad though.  I told him that it was because of him that I wanted to serve the LMS and what better way to do my bit than to help the LMS out in its hour of need.  He saw my point and has agreed that I can go to the interview.  But I am to accept nothing without consulting him first, after all I am still under age.  I shall have to keep working on Dad’s LMS loyalty.  My clothes are all out ready for the morning and I have bought a new powder compact.

4th October 1939

I’ve been summoned! For an interview with the LMS!  They’re paying for my ticket to Leeds!  I haven’t told Mum and Dad yet.  I don’t know if I should or not.  I’m so excited I can hardly keep it to myself.  Mrs Clay ticked me off today for getting the flours mixed up.  I nearly told her to whistle for her job because I’m sure that the LMS will give me something.

I saw Edith yesterday, she said that now she was safely married she could tell everyone her news.  She’s four months gone and she said that she was sorry if she seemed a bit low at the wedding but she’s having terrible sickness – all day and all night!  I asked her how she was getting on with her in-laws.  She just shrugged and said that they were alright but it would all be better when the baby arrived. 

19th September 1939

Still nothing back from the LMS.  Mrs Clay keeps going on and on about her lad Bob, who says that he’s joining the navy.  I’ve not seen any uniforms yet.  Perhaps I ought to take a trip to Worth, there’s bound to be some there.

16th September 1939

Edith Turner’s wedding today. Her dress was quite loose around the waist- lots of frothy flouncy bits to disguise her figure so I reckon that my guess was right.  Her new mother-in-law didn’t smile once so I’d like to be a fly on the wall in their kitchen.  Poor Edith.  I feel a bit sorry for her now. It’s not her fault she’s a bit dim.  The wedding breakfast was quite nice, although something or other kept repeating on me all day.  I had a dance with Jim Henderson, but he didn’t ask me again and I spent most of the time sitting and talking to people that I hardly knew at school.  When I went to say goodbye to Edith she looked a bit tearful.  I’m glad nobody wants to marry me.  Correction HAS TO marry me.