These are the August entries for Sheilah Doherty’s diary, from 1918. You can learn more about how I came to have this diary here.
| 1st August, 1918 |
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| Kathleen suddenly came this morning. Mother drove to Dunmow this morning. I cleaned the plate. After dinner I went & slacked in the garden. After tea I drove down to the station & fetched Kathleens bag. Then I drove up to Lauds (?) & bought a goat for 30/- |
| Note: Kathleen (1855-1943) is her mother’s eldest sister. |
| 2nd August, 1918 |
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| Kenneth wrote to day & gave me up. I’m truely[sic] thankful. This morning I messed about & read my book. After dinner I went to fetch my goat but it wouldn’t move so I’ve got to get it in the cart. Uncle Willie came this evening. The train was an hour late. O God, send me my boy |
| Note: Uncle Willie (1855-1938), father’s younger brother William Pemble Doherty. |
| 3rd August, 1918 |
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| I was busy some of the morning. I bought some material to make a skirt & blouse. Kathleen will show me how to do it. After dinner Mum & Kathleen went out in the trap & got soaked with rain. After tea went to station |
| 4th August, 1918 |
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| Anniversary of beginning of war. This morning I went to Sunday School & Church. After dinner sat at my window & read. Aline came down. There was a United Service at the Chappel (sic) & we all went. Aline & Tommy came too, it was very hot. |
| 5th August, 1918 |
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| This morning I hadn’t much to do. We had our first dish of summer beans to day. I am making my skirt. After dinner. I sat in my window & read. After tea I took the cart & fetched my goat. |
| 6th August, 1918 |
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| I had a letter from Terence this morning & this morning. He is in Jerusalem & is going to have a pet monkey. I didn’t do very much to day. Aline came down & we arranged about the time to go to market tomorrow. I wrote to Connie Ireland (?) to day. I hope she is at home. |
| 7th August, 1918 |
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| I went to market this morning. I took one rabbit. So did Aline. The prices have gone down tremendously. I only got 4/- for mine & I ought to have got 10/-. There were simply tons of people in the market. The munition workers had got a holiday |
| Note: Evelyn (1862-1940) is her mother’s youngest sister (she had 4 sisters and 2 brothers). |
| 8th August, 1918 |
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| This morning Evelyn suddenly arrived & Kathleen had to go home in the afternoon. We were astounded to see Evelyn. After dinner I took the goat for a walk. Then after tea I took Kathleen down to the station & we nearly missed the train |
| 9th August, 1918 |
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| This morning I took nanny goat down to the Bury & tied her up there. After dinner I did some of my skirt & went for the butter. After tea I went for a ride on Tag. I went up to Aline & coming home he bolted with me. |
| 10th August, 1918 |
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| This morning I was busy. After dinner I sat in my bedroom & turned the heel of my sock which I’m knitting for Bill. After tea I saw Aline. Then I went down to the station on Tag. Thomason went down with the cart so I thought my Shillaker was coming. |
| 11th August, 1918 |
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| This morning I went to Early Service. Then I went to Sunday School & Church. After dinner I wrote to Terence & Peggy. Mr & Mrs Rand came to tea & after, I went to Church with them. The Stebbing ringers came & rang our Church bells. |
| 12th August, 1918 |
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| This morning I was busy. After dinner I moved the rabbits & cleaned some out. Then I went into Dunmow to have tea with Miss Stooke. Joan Gibbons is engaged to Lieut Downey. Lucky girl. After I came home I fed the rabbits & fetched the goat up. |
| 13th August, 1918 |
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| This morning I sat in the garden & made a skirt. After dinner I drove up for the butter & got 1lb. Then I messed about & got the tea. After tea I rode up to Aline on Tag. Went for a gallop in a field. He shies very much now. He is frisky. |
| 14th August, 1918 |
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| I had a holiday to day. This morning I sat in the garden & read & knitted. This afternoon I drove up to Smiths. Then I went to tea with Evelyn to Miss Vaizys. Then I went for a good ride on Tag. He is awfully frisky & went beautifully. |
| 15th August, 1918 |
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| This morning I was busy. Had a letter from Stanley a family one. After dinner I practised my new piece of music. After tea Aline came & I went for a ride on Tag. I galloped about in a meadow. |
| Note: Stanley Gartside Doherty (1886-1928), her half-brother, her father’s youngest son by his first marriage. He lived in Vancouver. |
| 16th August, 1918 |
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| This morning I got up at half past 6 & took the goat down to the field. After breakfast I messed about. After dinner I cleaned out the rabbits & weaned the baby ones. After tea I went for the plums & then for a ride on Tagabus |
| 17th August, 1918 |
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| This morning I was very busy. After dinner I read & knitted. Mr & Mrs McCombie & Miss Vaizy & Miss Hampshire came to tea. I went for a ride on Tag after they had gone. I gave the children rides too. Aline has had my bicycle for three days. |
| 18th August, 1918 |
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| 10 past 10pm just heard raid warning. Guess there(?) going to be some shindy. This morning I went to Sunday School & Church. After dinner I wrote to Stanley & printed photos & knitted & read. Mrs Eland came to supper with us. Went to Church. Mr Farrow home on leave. |
| 19th August, 1918 |
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| This morning I didn’t do much. After dinner I read & knitted & printed photos. Then I went down to the station with Uncle’s & Evelyn’s cases. After tea they went home & I went to Dunmow & got a pot of jam. Kenneth comes home tomorrow. No raid last night. |
| 20th August, 1918 |
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| This morning I was busy dress making. I went finished my skirt at last. After dinner I rested in my bedroom & went to see Miss Vaizy. Went up for the butter. It was all squashed. Going to market tomorrow. Kenneth is home. |
| 21st August, 1918 |
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| I went to market this morning. I took 17 rabbits. I only got 1/8 for the g. & 1/- each for the little ones & 1/6 for the 2 little brown ones. It was dreadfully hot in the market. I made 25/- altogether. |
| 22nd August, 1918 |
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| This morning I was busy. After dinner I mated the black doe with Bucko It has been boiling. I went up to Burroughs after tea. Also I was fitted for my blouse. I lay on my bed this afternoon. |
| 23rd August, 1918 |
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| This morning I had nothing to do, so enjoyed myself. After dinner I finished Bill’s socks all but ending off the toe. After tea I went up to Burroughs for the butter. I saw Hettie Burne this evening too. |
| 24th August, 1918 |
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| This morning I was partly busy & partly not. After dinner Marjorie Sishe? came to tea. After tea we took Tag & went out riding. Tag went very well. I’ve read the Test which Kenneth recommended. I hope I shall not see him. |
| 25th August, 1918 |
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| This morning I went to Sunday School & Church & to Early Science. After dinner I read. There was no bell ringing after tea because there is noone to ring now. I went to Church & it rained very hard. Morgan’s asked me to tea. |
| 26th August, 1918 |
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| This morning I was busy. I finished Bill’s socks & washed them. I also bought him some Abdullen fags 6/- I didn’t got to tea. Mr & Mrs Holmes came to tea. After he came & gave us a regular lecture. |
| 27th August, 1918 |
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| This morning I was busy working. After dinner I went down to the Morgan’s & stayed to tea. I played the pianola & games. Then I came home & to my horror I saw Dr Tench’s car but luckily I didn’t see Kenneth. I don’t think he was there. |
| 28th August, 1918 |
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| This morning I was partly busy & partly not. After dinner I went out for a ride on Tag & Kathleen, Mr McCombie’s niece came too on Billy. Billy threw her & I let go of Tag & they both bolted home. I didn’t get hardly any tea. |
| 29th August, 1918 |
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| P come. This morning I was busy quite well. I sent off Bill’s parcel. I slept all the afternoon. After tea I rode Tag down to the station to see the proper time. Going to London tomorrow. Stay till Saturday night. |
| 30th August, 1918 |
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| Am at Wimbledon. I came up to town this morning with Daddy. Went to Uncle Willie’s bank. Spent afternoon in Paternoster Row. Then came here. Had dinner. Then Uncle Willie & Daddy & I went out to a cinema. Went to bed late. |
| 31st August, 1918 |
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| I’ve met Harold. He kissed me & I love him. Came up to Rosamund’s Wedding in the morning. Then we all went to Picadilly Hotel & enjoyed ourselves. Oh how I love Harold. All my other loves were nothing compared to this. |
Ready for some more? Read September’s Diary Entries or go back to July’s Diary Entries.
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