6th May 1943

Thursday

Still feeling unwell.  Cloudy and cold morning.  Got the trap wheels loaded onto my trap before I left, so that Joy can take them over to Nayland.

Mr. Lofthouse called this morning, from Layer Marney, to complain that his horseman had left in a rage at a moments notice, leaving the horses on a gang of harrows, in the middle of a field.  The man had gone straight to the Labour Exchange and had been given another job at once.  In cases of this sort the Ministry of Labour will always support the man against the master.

Chairman came in, and signed bills.  Lunch at Rose’s.  Came out through St. Mary’s Churchyard – people sitting on the tombs in the sunshine, and the organ playing.  Met Gunton in Balkerne Lane, had a long talk with him about Hull, the Museum, and the Committee.  He was sympathetic, but said he could see no way out.

Had a letter from Joanna this morning, in which she referred to her baby as “young Tritton”.  She is sure it will be a boy, and she is going to call him Oliver after her dead brother.

The Fire Brigade were washing out rooks nests on the Castle Ramparts today.  Most effective, and much more satisfactory than shooting.  Eggs and young birds all destroyed, and now it is too late for the old birds to build again.  Rooks are a terrible pest in this district, because it is no longer possible for farmers to employ children to scare them, as was done in the old days.

Poulter went up to London again today, for another overhaul, to make sure there is no recurrence of the disease.

In the “East Anglian” this week was reported a murder at Diss, and a rape and robbery at Eye, both done by Americans, and when I got back tonight I was told that a girl was assaulted and raped by a Canadian near North Station last night. 

Late tonight I made a new will, in which I definitely excluded Colchester Museum from any benefit.  The whole of my archaeological material shall go to the British Museum.  So I join the ranks with Pollexfen, Laver, and Poulter.