December 1, 1942
Artie married this
morning, to Hilda Mary Kane, of Glasgow. Nuptial mass was at nine o’clock,
Father Bishop officiating. Mr. and Mrs. Pullan were our only friends there
though ,of course, many people at the mass. The Pullan's returned to the house
with us for breakfast.
Later
Ted took Artie and Hilda to London, for a real meal, and some sightseeing for
Hilda. He engaged a room for them first at The Imperial Hotel, at Euston, handy
for their train, and in the early evening said goodbye to them in Piccadilly
Circus. Hilda is a nice girl. Both Ted and I like her very much. Ted gave Artie
a parting gift of ten pounds. I thought it very nice of him.
December 2, 1942
I am going to
Hammersmith after lunch and shall stay over. Mother is to be cremated tomorrow.
The ceremony is at Barnes Crematorium at twelve thirty p.m.
December 16,
1942
I am going To
Hammersmith again today. I am sorting through Mother’s jewelry with Joan. Her
will left me her opal and diamond ring and her brooch, she left a god bracelet
to Monica, a gold locket and chain to Karina, Dad’s watch and chain and rings
and pins to the boys, Son and Eric, but all the remainder falls to Joan. I have
offered to buy most of the earrings, and the keepers, also two gold brooches
and a gold necklace. Joan may or may not part with them, we shall see, any how
she has agreed to have them valued. It is certain she would never wear any of
the pieces I have asked for, so perhaps she may part with them for cash. For
cash! Mother’s will leaves in cash two hundred pounds to each of the six of us,
plus an insurance policy worth about one hundred and sixteen pounds to Gladys,
war savings certificates worth about two hundred to two hundred and fifty
pounds to Aileen, and with the exception of a few pieces of specified furniture
to Gladys and Aileen, all the rest of her home unreservedly to Joan. To Annie
is left twenty pounds, free of tax. To me, her clothes! To her son, she left
Grandpa’s portrait in oil’s. Finally after payment of above legacies, the cash
residue of her estate is to be equally divided between her two granddaughters,
Monica and Karina. Why? My boys got nothing. Aileen, Gladys, and Joan came out
the best, myself and Eric the worst.
December 20, 1942
It is three weeks
tonight since Mother died. Only three weeks, but it seems very much longer.
Number six without her is ghastly awful. All her warmth and vividness has left
it. Joan cannot diffuse the atmosphere of a home as mother created it. Mother
was too often a difficult woman, but she was a wonderful woman, and now she has
gone and she has left an awful blankness behind her. I am astonished at how
much I am missing her. I did not know I cared for her so deeply, in spite of everything.
She was indeed a unique person, one of the great vital ones and without her the
place is dead indeed. I am sad, and I cannot pull out of this sadness. The
death of my mother; now I know what that means.
December 25, 1942 - Christmas Day
Everything
extraordinarily quiet. Surprising news, Darlan has been assassinated in
Algiers. So much the better.
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