6th October 1944 - Perth

Friday

Hotel good and reasonable.  Only charged 10/6 b&b.  Pleasant room, could see swiftly flowing Tay rushing by.  Soldiers marching along river bank, singing the “Q.M.’s Store”.

To library – read newspapers - divers over Essex last night.  Saw in window Kent Herald map of divers in Kent.  Made note on shells at Ramsgate and Maidstone.  Many ancient horses in this city – curious turret stairs.  To Museum and Art Gallery.  A pleasant building but the labelling very bad.  Hardly a picture labelled at all.  Little archaeological material on view.  Roman wall plaster (painted) from near Dunkeld.  Amenities in the far North.  Print by old Macbeth Raeburn.  Saw the Acting Director, Mr Woods – has been no proper Director for years.  ARP have taken almost all the basement.  Local antiquities and archaeology closed.  A good lecture hall.  He was very kind – showed me round – gave me book on Naural History of Perth, and a pamphlet on Perth maps.  Good series of them recorded.  Told me about Gowrie House – “demolished by the Government because of what happened there.”  Read in library for an hour.  Excellent books.

Evening to cinema etc.  Talked to a girl – a few German planes even over Perth.  Street lights now are really wonderful.  Walked till 11 admiring them, glow in sky reflections in swift Tay.

Many good horses – carts painted with white edges and shaft points for night work.  Horses used on the refuse wagons.  Many 4-wheel and Scotch carts on new rubbers.

Lovely starlight night after sunny afternoon.