7th February 1945

Wednesday

Very late again, not up until 9.  Nice warm morning, but a light drizzle.  Very nasty look from Mrs. Shepherd for having breakfast at 9.15.

Set to work to arrange a special exhibit for Lever’s Grammar School class in the Library this afternoon – a few Romano British pots, the Venus from Lincoln, a few coins, plough coulter from Towcaster, etc.  About 12 old Doble and his son came in, so showed them round the museum.  Then lunch.  Back at 1.30, and then did not go outside the building again until 9.30 tonight.  Lecture went very well, class of 20.  Have never talked to children before.  Lever seemed very pleased.

Miss Thompson gave me a cup of tea, and I ate some tarts I bought, then settled in the Library for the evening.

Looked through the maps and atlases.  We have, besides the Ptolemy’s, Speed, Blau, Mercator, a Dutch “Zee Atlas”.  In the same case is Cook’s plates of his South Sea and Alaskan voyage, with the wonderful pictures of the Polynesian dancing, so like modern ballet, yet out of another world.  Found also “Wild Wales” and “Lavengis”, and looked up G.B.’s reference to the great Marshland Shales.  Much amused to think what a ruffian G.B. really must have been, a sort of Regency Wentworth Day.  Dear old Carredoq sometimes referred to me as “Sious Borrow yr ail”!

Letter from Penry Rowland today, saying there have been no ‘divers’ or rockets at Colchester all last week.

Tonight, in bed, reading Compton MacKenzie’s “North Wind” with great enjoyment.  Had imagined that this would be one of his best books when the reviewers sneered at it and reviled it.

Lying in bed, could hear the sound of drunken singing in the town very late.  Curious how often one hears the sound of voices or the starting of motor cars in the Crescent and Museum Square as late as one in the morning.

Hope poor Ann is feeling better.

In the “Daily Telegraph” today is a report that one T.R. Humble has devised a plan to destroy all the fine Regency Squares and terraces at Hove.  A piquant thought that, while many citizens of Hove “firewatched” at the risk of life and limb to save these buildings for posterity, the Borough Engineer’s Office, was working out a scheme to destroy every house that the Germans left standing.