13th August 1943

Friday
Nothing else happened last night, and slept well until 7 o’clock.  Left at 7.45, low clouds and a SW wind.

Colchester 8.30, had breakfast at Rose’s, then to office and got lorry to go to Wormingford.  Wrong lorry sent – not big enough, and when we got onto the aerodrome the timber I had hoped for was not available.  Ball’s Farm is not touched yet, and the old barn had been demolished by pushing it over, so that there was nothing but a tangled pile of wood and tiles.  However, managed to get a few hundred feet of wood and about 500 slates.  Looked in at Harvey’s Farm, which is to go next, and am determined to save the fine moulded ceiling there.  Made several drawings of both Harvey’s and Ball’s Farms, and hope to get photos from the Air Ministry.  Rowney’s Farm went some months ago, without our knowledge.  The house was much altered and much over restored, but was partly of 16th century date.  It was very picturesque, with a fine thatched roof.  Poor Miss Bayley-Packer must be in a great way about it – first the loss of the farms to the War Agricultural Committee, now the final destruction of both land and houses, just as irrevocable as if they had been destroyed in a raid.

Busy in office until 6, then home for an hour, and out to Dedham by 8 o’clock.  Sissons busy packing, delighted at being able to go away, but Sisson of course gloomy, prophesying that either (a) there will be an invasion and they will be unable to get back, or (b) the house will be destroyed in their absence.

It is now just gone midnight, and no disaster occurred on Friday the 13th.

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