19th January 1944

Wednesday
Fine, not very cold.  Telephoned Ken Young about the Museum firewatcher, as it was understood he had been a carter for Young.  Ken Young said that he had only worked for him for 6 months, and had been thoroughly unreliable.  Refused to say why he left.  This man was appointed fire-watcher at the Holly Trees without any references, and was the cause of Poulter threatening to resign last autumn.  One of the more puzzling things about local government is that men who run their own businesses with success seem to lose all sense of responsibility when they are in charge of public affairs.

This afternoon thick clouds came over and it began a fine drizzle.  Went home to tea.  Father had had his haircut by Miss Payne, a thing he would never have allowed Mother to do!  He seems to be getting on very well with her, and becomes quite anxious about her wearing her heavy coat when she goes across the road.

Very dark night, and raining hard, but cycled to Langham, to a meeting of the Farmer’s Discussion Group in the village hall.  It was so dark I had great difficulty in finding the place at all.  Tonight there was no lecture, but a show of films, the first of which, on thatching, showed old George Wise of Wingfield, Berkshire, hard at work.  Have not seen him since he thatched the “Old Farm” for me at the Windsor Royal Show in 1939.

I talked to the film operator, and he offered to show the film “The Crown of the Year” which I saw at Bangor last year, so I was able to enjoy it again.  There is room for more films like this – one on horses for instance.

The show was over at 9, and I went to Higham in 30 minutes.  Culley told me today that he had seen some catkins.  The weather is remarkably mild, and it does not look as if we shall get any real winter now.  Great pity, as it would stop all aerial warfare.

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