23rd May 1944

Tuesday
Dull, but fine later. 

Called at home.  Father definitely better.  Went to bank and drew some money for him.

Heard that Jimmie Cox, who used to live in Old Heath Road, died in Singapore last year.  He was about 40, and left CRGS just about the time I went.  We were very friendly with the Cox family, and Mother was especially friendly with Mrs Cox, who was Nellie North, the daughter of old North, the first Headmaster of Barrack St. School, under whom my Father served when he first came to Colchester in 1897 or 1898.

Excavations at St Botolph’s enlarged, and the foundation of the precinct wall can be seen quite clearly under the edge of the footway, and stretching behind it, towards the E., was a band of mortar rubble a foot to 15 inches thick, 2 feet below present ground level, no doubt representing the demolition of this wall.  Still no sign of pottery or other finds.  Water is welling up at 6 feet down, and at the bottom 2 feet of the trench is a black, peat-like substance, with dark gravel mixed in it.

Called at North Station, and found that only about 3 trains remain running to London, and no guarantee of any back after 6, so shall not risk going to Burlington House tomorrow, much as I should like to.  Noticed 6 cattle trucks on the By-Pass, hurrying east, and wondered if this meant that cattle were being evacuated from some coastal area or other.

Cloudy tonight.  Noticed that most of the guns seem to have gone – only a few left on the Abbey Field, and the battery in Severall’s Lane has gone.

Boxted at 10.30, very tired.