Heard today that the Mayor was taken ill last night, collapsing suddenly in the Parlour, hurting his head and ribs on the fire irons.
To work as usual this morning, doing the weekly pay. Was surprised to hear in the Bank that Paxman’s [the Engineering Works] had paid yesterday, and were now having three days holiday. This seems very strange when one considers that the Government refuse to allow even the Bank holiday to be officially observed, although most shops and businesses are shutting. A good lot shut today as well. One reason of course is that they cannot get enough supplies.
This morning I had a trip round to Mersea and Layer Marney with Nott when he took the pay [to the War Agricultural Committees's farmworkers]. He was so quick I had hardly time to see anything. There have been a good few bombs at East Mersea, and some land mines, but remarkably little damage has been done, and as far as I could gather, no injuries caused. I saw where one mine fell right on the road, near East Mersea Church, fortunately without doing any damage to that building. We rushed from there to Haynes Green and Layer Wood, where derelict land is being cleared. How slow it is to clear this land which has been neglected so long. In one way it is a comfort for the future to know how many more acres there are to produce food in 1942, 1943, and the other black years that lie ahead. We were back in the town by 1.15pm.
This afternoon clearing rubbish in my paddock. Bitterly cold day. Skipping as usual on King’s Meadow. What is the origin of this?
Can anyone enlighten me as to the old tradition of skipping on Good Friday on Colchester's King's Meadow? Thanks, CP
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