12th January 1943

Tuesday

High wind, and rain beating against the windows at 7 o’clock this morning.  Rather late starting, and did not get to the office until 9.15.  Tremendous hurry all day to get the 1943 Cropping Forms off.  Managed to get some 500 posted but about 100 were held up by lack of forms, to send with them.  We phoned Writtle, and the Managing Clerk was very rude about our failure to get the whole lot posted on one day, although it is entirely the fault of Headquarters that insufficient forms were sent.

Dull all day, and rain at times, but for some reason I did not feel nervous.  It was in point of fact an excellent day for an attack, yet I felt no sense of alarm.  Why is this?

Out at 5, and called at Boasts’ to see a little trolley.  It is not very good, but I thought I might as well have it at £10-10-0.  I think it will come in quite useful for me.  Also bought an old chaff cutter from some gypsy dealers in a yard next to Boasts’, for Eileen Grubb.  Agreed to give them £1 for it, after offering 15/-

Got back to Lawford early.  Drizzle starting.

It is said that bombs yesterday morning fell at Heybridge, killed 3 or 4 people, and damaged the church, but how seriously I do not know.  Hope to get information later.

In a recent book on post-war reconstruction, G.H. Cole wrote very slightingly of British corn growing.  Parry took great exception to this, and wrote to him, offering to send him a loaf made from best English wheat, to let him see how good it is.  He replied gratefully, and said he would be glad to try a loaf made from “old-fashioned flour”.

Parry got a biography of Arthur Young today, called “Sheep & Turnips”, by A. Defries.  Began to read it tonight.

Heavy rain during the evening, and the wind very wild.