The Oxhill News

This months News

Contents

This is the first of a series of extracts from the 1944 diary of the Rector of Oxhill, as transcribed by Ann Hale.

Saturday, 1st January          Fine day. Inclined to be cold.

We had a parcel from Auntie Katie¹ containing a Plum Pudding, a Cake, Shortbread, Chocolate, and other good things.

Received quarterly cheque from Eccl: Comms. Wrote letters in Study in aftn. E.² did some wood-cutting.

Sunday, 2nd January           Fine, but Wind rather Cold.

Took M. and H.C. at Oxhill at 11. (7). Walked to Whatcote for Evensong at 3. Dinky³ & Betty Rouse cycled. We had for lunch the second of the Christmas Plum Puddings. Started to read "Kidnapped" to D.

Monday 3rd January           Very Mild Day and Windy.

We were fairly busy. E got in some Red Cross money for Mrs Griffin who was ill. Wrote letters in aftn. Parcels from Auntie Katie for the boys arrived to be forwarded.

Tuesday, 4th January          Lovely day.

We all came by 10 `bus to Stratford, & E. & D. accompanied me by 11/30 `bus to Birmingham. We had lunch at Woolworth's & they returned 2/15. I came on by `bus to Wolverhampton, & then at 4/26 to Kingswood, & walked to Leabank.⁵ Mother and V were interested in all news. Miss White was at tea.

Notes -

¹    Auntie Katie would possibly have lived in Canada or the United States. She sends food parcels of things not available in wartime Britain.

²    E was Hewins' wife, Elsie, never given her full name in the diary. She was later the author of a book of reminiscences called "Through the Years", published in 1971. She also wrote a poem, still to be seen on the wall of Whatcote Church, written after the church was damaged by a bomb in 1940.

³    Dinky was Hewins' daughter, Dorothy then aged 10, usually referred to as D. in the diary. Betty Rouse was the daughter of Reg Rouse, (who ran the village bus service), and his wife, Nellie.

⁴    This is the only reference to "the boys", which would indicate more than one son, though none now live at home. Teddy, whom I take to be a son, or at least a close relative, visits occasionally and sends presents. His 21st birthday on 21st May is recorded, with congratulations. There is no further reference to any other son.

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Last modified: September 03, 2007