Shorthand transcription 1936

[Greensleeves]

Thanks LS - I'll amend that.  I had intended to go and have another look at that but forgot.  Strange that I can read the shorthand better than I can the longhand!   

[londonscorpion]

Here is May 31st to June 27th.

[Greensleeves]

Good morning everyone.  Here's the transcription of Week 1.  A few gaps, so I'd appreciate it if RT or any other shorthand writers would like to have a go at filling them in.

31st Sunday - Dennis came to tea.  Went to Communion.  Went for a walk with Dennis about six miles all round Mill Hill.  He left about 8.30.

1st June Monday -  Went and saw Paul Lukas & Heather Angel in the "Three Musketeers" and Dick Foran in "Song of the Saddle".  Dennis came round while I was out and asked me to go up to the heath to the fair.  So rang him up and went to his house.

2nd Tuesday -  Dennis not coming up this week at all.  On holiday from  ..........  Meet at Charing +

3rd Wednesday - Ring Noreen.  Maurice at home when got back from ringing.  Took us for a spin, had a friend with him, Frank.  Went to Hertfordshire.  Had a good time.

4th Thursday - Ring Madge.  Rang Dennis up, told him about previous night, did not seem too pleased about it.  Wrote to him.

5th Friday - Imps Flannel Dance, Brent B.  Meet Madge 6.15 at Charing +.  Cancelled.  Meet Noreen, M & B at 8.15.

6th Saturday - Going to see "Follow the Fleet" with Dennis.  Meet him at Lido at 3 o'clock.  He came back today.  Had marvellous time.  Jerry came over.

[groom]

Could the fair at the heath refer to Hampstead Heath?

Why doesn’t she tell Maurice to get lost? Poor Dennis, as soon as he is away Maurice appears!

[redtonyt]

I think the name of the friend (on the 3rd) could be Frank.  Apart from that I'm struggling with it too.

I said Maurice would be back as soon as she found someone else to interest her.


7th Sun - Went to Church in evening, then for a walk with Mummy.  Met Ruth from Imps.

8th Mon - with Dennis.

9th Tues - with Dennis.  Ring Noreen.

10th Wed - with Dennis.

11th Thurs - with Dennis.  Noreen coming round.

12th Fri - with Dennis.

13th Sat - Went to Watford in morning with Peter and Bubbles.  Called Dennis.  Had a marvellous time.  Went to Dennis' place for tea.  Also had a marvellous time there.

[Greensleeves]

I think the name of the friend (on the 3rd) could be Frank.  Apart from that I'm struggling with it too.

I said Maurice would be back as soon as she found someone else to interest her.
.

I did, after much deliberation, transcribe the name as Frank, then saw that she, Noreen "M & B" met up on Friday 5th, so assumed that this was Maurice and  same friend.  Consequently left a query on the friend's name on 3rd. But on reflection, she could have been with Noreen, Bubbles and Maurice on the 5th since good old Maurice seems to be playing them off against each other.

[Greensleeves]

Just realised what one of the gaps is in Week 1:

3rd Wednesday - Ring Noreen.  Maurice at home when got back from ringing.

I had thought it said 'ringing' but was thinking of bell-ringing which seemed unlikely as she hadn't mentioned it.  And then a moment of clarity - they probably didn't have a phone in the house and had to go to the public phone box at a pre-arranged time to phone the other party.  I remember hanging around phone boxes in my early teenage years, waiting for phone calls. But that was in the 1960s, not the 1930s!   

[groom]

Just realised what one of the gaps is in Week 1:

3rd Wednesday - Ring Noreen.  Maurice at home when got back from ringing.

I had thought it said 'ringing' but was thinking of bell-ringing which seemed unlikely as she hadn't mentioned it.  And then a moment of clarity - they probably didn't have a phone in the house and had to go to the public phone box at a pre-arranged time to phone the other party.  I remember hanging around phone boxes in my early teenage years, waiting for phone calls. But that was in the 1960s, not the 1930s!   

That makes a lot of sense, I was wondering why she keeps putting reminders to ring people, if she had a phone in the house she’d just call at any time. I did the same GS, and wasn’t it frustrating if you got there and there was a queue? You never knew whether the other person would wait. Then of course there were the times when you called and a stranger answered.

[Greensleeves]

Here we are now with Week 3:

14th Sunday - blank

15th Monday - with Dennis.  Madge ringing.

16th Tuesday - with Dennis. Committee meeting.  Rang Dennis up in afternoon.

17th Wednesday - with Dennis.

18th Thursday - with Dennis.  Dennis came.  Met him at Leicester Square at 6.15.  Went home with him, he came to my place   after dinner went for a walk.

19th Friday - with Dennis.  Going to see Wilf.  Caught in storm.

20th Saturday - Going to have ........  Meet Jackie at Vic 9.30.  Tennis Party Noreen's Place 2.15.  Did not go.  Dennis going to Tattoo*.  Had a letter from Dennis.


*  This could have been the Aldershot Tattoo which was on at the time.  Here's a clip from Pathe News about it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLuQxpzjDsg