After tea Sunday night. Father has just gone on patrol. It is so stormy I don’t suppose he’ll be very long. Jean is “blacking out” upstairs before settling down to finish her homework. It is rather early but so dull we have the small light (40 watt) on. Cook is writing a letter, he came after breakfast and stayed all day in spite of an invitation out to tea with one of the gunners whose wife is at Hallgarth’s.
I did not get up until 2.30 as I am in the grip of my old enemy. Am just beginning to hope it is not bronchitis too, have had enough of that. I kept off it tho’ until after the wedding for a good thing. It went off very nicely on Wed (Oct. 21st) and incidentally Father’s birthday. Rene looked very nice in her deep red satin crepe dress with navy hat and shoes and cream gauntlets with bouquet of roses, lovely ones too from G. Young’s. Jean’s pale blue dress with net frills and net cap with coloured flower petals was quite a success worn with long gloves and the white shoes she had for Ron’s wedding. Her bouquet was cream and bronze chrysanthemums. Also from G.Y’s. The cake was excellent and in spite of being short of icing sugar looked very bridal. Mr Lamb lent his own vase of flowers for the top. It was gorgeous and almost too much for the cake. Emmie lent her bells and H[orse]-shoes and she also sent camera complete with film which was greatly appreciated as there were no official photographs. It was bright and sunny so hope they turn out well. Mr. Hillsdon the best man was very pleasant but had to return on 2.15 bus as they were “flitting” on Thursday. Wedding was at 11 o’ clock.
Rene and Tom on Wedding Day with May and Bertram John Hillsdon
There were a lot of people at the church. We were a little late as Evison was late calling for me. No confetti until we got out of the churchyard and then Mrs Short was waiting with a bagful which made it seem more weddingy. We had no one but the best man to the breakfast. Had ham and tongue cooked at home and a very nice trifle. Pineapple, sp[onge] cakes pt [port] wine jelly and egg custard. Then B[rides] cake with orange wine and coffee, but Jean and I had tea as we don’t like coffee. Afterwards Mr Hillsdon sang and Jean played as Mr H bluntly informed Tom that he could not sing to his playing by ear. They sang various things, amongst them “Lord of all being”. Ron could not get after all, to our great disappointment. To-day we have had a telegram to say he is going to Yeadon on Thursday night. Hope there is a letter to-morrow. I wonder if it’s his draft leave. John Meldrum is on draft. I said I would go to Y[eadon] if he [Ron] did not get home but I shall have to improve a bit if I do. Will wait and see if he is getting home at all.
Poor Rose has had two operations and they are afraid there is no hope of her recovery. Tom goes back to work tomorrow. Rene came and cooked dinner today. She will be here as usual tomorrow I expect. Hope I am better, am weak as I was pretty bad from Thursday dinner to last night but my breathing is easier. Lot of planes last night. We just got in bed last night when bombs shook the house. We got up but no more fell near. They were at Sk[egness] and we hear there were several casualties but don’t know anything definite. We sent Ron some B. cake on Wed. and regist[ered] it as Jean sent choc. some time ago which he never got, so she said she would register cake if she had to pay for it. He got it Thurs. morning. Had a letter from Vic yesterday and also one from Sybil. Frank [Adams] is on land somewhere, she does not know where.
George Aaron Young, ex sub-postmaster, in Hogsthorpe, almost certainly supplied the wedding flowers from his beautiful garden which was especially renowned for its roses. He was a member of the Home Guard.
Mr Bertram John Hillsdon was Tom’s work colleague, at accountants Mountain and Jessop, in Skegness.
Mrs Short, here, was probably of the family who lived in one half of ‘Ashleigh Villa’ (following Mrs Mason and Miss Riggall – see 21 Apr. 1941), although there were others in the village.
John Meldrum, a friend of Ron, was serving in the RAF. The family house had been near Ashleys’ bungalows, accessed off Anderby Road, and was later the home of Walter and Eva Banks (see 21 Oct. 1941) following their marriage.
Rose, here, was May’s sister-in-law, George Hill’s widow (see 2 Feb. 1941).
The next Diary entry (1 Nov. 1942) contains more detailed reporting of the Skegness bombing on 24th October.
Have you read an introduction to May Hill & family (includes photographs) and explored ‘The Casualties Were Small’?
