Went off this afternoon to London to meet none other than dear little Mary Tovell, [formerly the bookshop assistant at the Colchester Castle] on her return from Cornwall to take up nursing at Erith in Kent.
We had tea at the station, one of the few stations in London where the tea does not taste like paraffin, and had a good talk, her father had at last let her become a probationer nurse, how dull Cornwall was for a girl like her, how Truro Museum was shutting up entirely on account of the war, though why it is impossible to say. Then she told me how the manager of the firm building militia camps [in Cornwall] had decamped with about £300 of the firm’s money, and how he had been caught, and turned out to be a man wanted by the police for some years.
I saw her off to Erith at 8.15, with promises to see her again.
This extract is published today as there is no corresponding leap year in 2010.
22nd February 1940
I got the mail-phaeton brought in [to the Castle] today. Young Smith of Boxted towed it in behind his cart. The Museum accept it as a loan, and Hull agreed in a burst of generosity, to allow the cost of cartage out of the petty cash. I put it in the Main Hall straight away, and with the hood up it certainly looks very well.
For more information on the acquisition of the mail-phaeton, see Eric's previous diary entries on 1st February 1940 and 8th February 1940.
For more information on the acquisition of the mail-phaeton, see Eric's previous diary entries on 1st February 1940 and 8th February 1940.
Barrage Balloons and Wartime Rumours
Eric was keen to record the spread of wartime rumours amongst local people, which arose in part because of the news blackout. The following notes, found amongst his 1940 papers, record a barrage balloon incident in Colchester:
One Wednesday afternoon in November 1939, a barrage balloon, partly deflated, came drifting over Colchester. I went up onto the roof of the Castle with a pair of glasses, and watched its progress across the southern part of the town. Two RAF planes were circling round it, but once it was clear of the town they turned and went west.
The balloon went on towards the east, and as it went over a line of high-tension wires there was a bright flash, so no doubt the trailing cables had touched them. I watched until the balloon became obscured in the gathering dusk, and finally vanished over the horizon some 6 or 7 miles away.
Within two hours I was told by a lady that as the balloon was actually over Colchester RAF planes machine-gunned it, and the bullets were picked up in Maldon Road; by 6 o’clock that evening persons in a bus going to Fingringhoe were heard to say that the balloon had been brought down in Wivenhoe Park, just over the river from Colchester, and that evening there were persons in the pubs of Wivenhoe and other villages nearby showing pieces of the actual balloon fabric, which they themselves had taken.
All these tales were told to me with great solemnity, in spite of the fact that I myself had seen the balloon drift out of sight far away from the town.
One Wednesday afternoon in November 1939, a barrage balloon, partly deflated, came drifting over Colchester. I went up onto the roof of the Castle with a pair of glasses, and watched its progress across the southern part of the town. Two RAF planes were circling round it, but once it was clear of the town they turned and went west.
The balloon went on towards the east, and as it went over a line of high-tension wires there was a bright flash, so no doubt the trailing cables had touched them. I watched until the balloon became obscured in the gathering dusk, and finally vanished over the horizon some 6 or 7 miles away.
Within two hours I was told by a lady that as the balloon was actually over Colchester RAF planes machine-gunned it, and the bullets were picked up in Maldon Road; by 6 o’clock that evening persons in a bus going to Fingringhoe were heard to say that the balloon had been brought down in Wivenhoe Park, just over the river from Colchester, and that evening there were persons in the pubs of Wivenhoe and other villages nearby showing pieces of the actual balloon fabric, which they themselves had taken.
All these tales were told to me with great solemnity, in spite of the fact that I myself had seen the balloon drift out of sight far away from the town.
The Centenary of E J Rudsdale's Birth: 14th February 2010
Today marks the centenary of Eric Rudsdale's birth on 14th February 1910. He was born in the New Town district of Colchester in a house overlooking the Recreation Ground.
To celebrate Eric's centenary some photographs from his journals are included below, recording different stages of his life. The entry from Eric's journal on the occasion of his 30th birthday in 1940, is given in the blog that follows this one.
Eric in the grounds of Colchester Castle Park, c1930, shortly after he had begun work at Colchester Castle Museum (Photograph courtesy of Essex Record Office)
This photograph of Eric taken at Wisbech Museum shortly before his death in 1951, has recently been supplied by Eric's family. The source of the photograph is currently unknown and I would be grateful if anyone could enlighten me. It is possibly from a Cambridgeshire archaeological publication. CP
To celebrate Eric's centenary some photographs from his journals are included below, recording different stages of his life. The entry from Eric's journal on the occasion of his 30th birthday in 1940, is given in the blog that follows this one.
Eric at the age of 4 in 1914, complete with obligatory sailor suit and a very nice teddy bear! (Photograph courtesy of Essex Record Office)
Eric in the grounds of Colchester Castle Park, c1930, shortly after he had begun work at Colchester Castle Museum (Photograph courtesy of Essex Record Office)
Eric on the excavation site for the Culver Street Library in Colchester in 1938, pointing out the intersection of the remains of two Roman Roads (Photograph courtesy of Essex Record Office)
This photograph of Eric taken at Wisbech Museum shortly before his death in 1951, has recently been supplied by Eric's family. The source of the photograph is currently unknown and I would be grateful if anyone could enlighten me. It is possibly from a Cambridgeshire archaeological publication. CP14th February 1940
My 30th Birthday. A year ago how depressed I felt at the prospect of becoming middle-aged. Now how cheerful I feel at the idea that I am now in a more senior age-group, and much more likely to be in a “reserved” job. Went down to Rose’s tonight and had a specially nice supper for my birthday and she gave me a lot of chocolates and a fountain pen, a thing I have wanted for years.
By February 1940 conscription had largely been confined to men up to the age of 27 and as Eric remained in a reserved job owing to his position as a local government official he was less likely to be called up at this stage. For more information on Eric's attitude towards conscription, see his previous diary entry for 31st December 1939.
By February 1940 conscription had largely been confined to men up to the age of 27 and as Eric remained in a reserved job owing to his position as a local government official he was less likely to be called up at this stage. For more information on Eric's attitude towards conscription, see his previous diary entry for 31st December 1939.
13th February 1940
Another very heavy fall of snow this morning, quite 9” and a frost. Roads quite impassable again. I have to take hay down to Bourne Mill using pack-pony.
12th February 1940
All pipes frozen in the Castle again. Vaughan finished the old house today, and I think it can be clearly said that he has made a very good job of it. It looks very well in the Castle, and is quite the most impressive thing we have ever had.
The weather is simply terrible again. If this keeps on, snow, and a bitter wind, I feel I shall become seriously ill. It is now impossible to get any coke, so it is even worse than need be in the Castle. Coal is short, but we can still get enough at home.
The old timber framed house from Culver Street as it used to stand in Colchester Castle Museum. It was removed when the Castle Museum was refurbished in 2013 and the timbers are in storage. For more information on Eric's rescue of the remains of this house and its reconstruction in the Castle see his previous diary entries on 9th November 1939, 2nd January 1940 and 19th January 1940.
The weather is simply terrible again. If this keeps on, snow, and a bitter wind, I feel I shall become seriously ill. It is now impossible to get any coke, so it is even worse than need be in the Castle. Coal is short, but we can still get enough at home.
The old timber framed house from Culver Street as it used to stand in Colchester Castle Museum. It was removed when the Castle Museum was refurbished in 2013 and the timbers are in storage. For more information on Eric's rescue of the remains of this house and its reconstruction in the Castle see his previous diary entries on 9th November 1939, 2nd January 1940 and 19th January 1940.
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