7th February 1942

Got half ton of hay from Canning this morning, and 10 bundles of straw from Pulford at 2/- each. All safe for a few weeks, at any rate.

Still more snow, and freezing hard. Rose gave me a black cat today, which I took round to the Rallings this evening. It was left behind in the flat above Rose’s by a woman, who locked it in to either starve or be rescued by neighbours as chance would have it.

6th February 1942

Terribly cold. Had to go down to the Hythe this afternoon to see Pertwee’s. The River was full, with the tide coming in. Only three barges in, one just sailing, going round the bend by the swinging-berth under auxiliary engine, steam and fumes rising from the stern, and the dinghy bobbing behind in choppy yellow-grey water. I went round by the Distillery. The Laundry is now entirely rebuilt, and there is nothing left to remind of the tragedy that dull autumn day in 1940. The style of the new building is not very impressive, in plain red brick with numerous buttresses. The familiar laundry smell drifts out of the place.

An account of the bombing of the Old Heath Laundry in Colchester on 3rd October 1940 appears in EJR's book.

Called at Cannock Mill. No hay at all. Straw 2/- a truss. Fed the horses, and went to tea at the Regal. The beautiful little blonde came in with another girl, and sat talking at my table until almost 8 o’clock. She is married (of course!) and her husband is a captain in Persia. The strange thing is that she has lived in the town all her life, yet I never saw her until a few months ago.

Intense cold. Roads like glass. Back to Holly Trees at 10, and Poulter told me that Miss Oldfield is leaving [the Castle staff] to join the ATS, in fact she has gone today, without notice or any arrangements being made. She is such a strange child, never speaking, never giving any idea what she was thinking about. I fear she will not be missed, except in fire watch rota. Hull is as usual unperturbed and uninterested in Museum affairs.

5th February 1942

They were carting snow down to East Bridge today, with Howard’s and Young’s horses, and tipping it in by the “White Horse”, where the old ford used to be. Great caked lumps of dirty snow splashed into the fast running grey water, the tide ebbing, and floated away like little ice bergs.

There is a serious hay shortage, as lorries cannot get to the farms. I need some badly.

Went to the Rallings' this evening, [the Ralling family lived opposite the Rudsdale family in New Town, Colchester] and they showed me several interesting photos of the town between 1870-1880, with a few earlier ones about 1860. Some of the Castle are very good, and I shall have a dozen copied and enlarged as soon as I can.

More snow during day.

E.J. Rudsdale and his parents rented one half of 'Gordon Villas' in Winnock Road, Colchester, which is situated between New Town Road and Wimpole Road. They had moved there in 1917. The Ralling family lived opposite the Rudsdales in Winnock Lodge. Winnock Lodge has since been demolished and replaced by flats. E.J. Rudsdale had always lived in the New Town District of Colchester. He was born in Harsnett Road and his mother's family had all lived in Wimpole Road. CP

4th February 1942

Snow and intense cold all day. Every limb aches, and it is quite painful even to feel my clothes on them.

3rd February 1942

Tremendous snow fall during the night. Banks 2’6” deep against the Castle door. Roads are in a terrible state. Coal-carts coming up from the station to Magdalen St. with two horses. There was some snow all day until the afternoon, when it began to thaw again.

Went to the cinema this evening, being suddenly tempted, when I ought to have been working.

2nd February 1942

More snow last night. Birch Park looked incredibly lovely when we went over for the [War Agricultural] Committee today. It was like some fanciful snow scene in a child’s book, to see the great elms, the ancient church, and the Hall, all snow covered amidst the dazzling expanse of the Park. Nothing much done at Committee.

This gallery of photos on the Birch Parish Council website shows views of Birch village today. Sadly Birch Hall was demolished in 1954. CP

1st February 1942: Agriculture in Invasion

The following notice appears in EJR's Journals for 1st February 1942, following the visit of J.C. Leslie, Executive Officer of the Essex War Agricultural Committee, who addressed farmers in Colchester's Corn Exchange on 31st January 1942 on the subject of wartime agriculture.

‘CONFIDENTIAL
AGRICULTURE IN INVASION

If invasion comes farmers should never on their own initiative destroy their crops, their stock, or their equipment. Conditions here are different from those in other countries. This country is small and there is no question of abandoning any part of it to the enemy. The invader will be repelled and will not be given time to make use of our agricultural resources.

Our present food needs are great but they may well be greater during and after invasion. Nothing should be destroyed unless orders are given by a responsible military officer. What destruction has to be done has been planned and will be carried out by the Military Authorities. The country’s productive resources must be preserved as far as possible, since our power to strike back will depend on them. The enemy, through repelled, would have partly succeeded if he induced us to carry out a large-scale policy of destruction by burning ricks, crops and buildings and slaughtering cattle.

But farmers and farm workers must do all in their power to hinder the enemy. They must hide food, feeding stuffs and other stocks, put their vehicles out of action and try to prevent the enemy from laying hands on anything that might be useful to him.’