"Met Colin Dougherty on my way home, he asked me for a date. I said no."
Mum's diary from September 1962
After my dad died in 2010, my sister was clearing out his house – the house we grew up in – and found a small suitcase in the loft.
The case was full of stuff that Mum, who died in 1999, had saved, but had never mentioned. Letters, cards, postcards, photos, programmes from shows, even things like dry cleaning receipts from when she lived in America in the early sixties.
I’m going to write about it all.
Mum’s 1962 Diary
Saturday 1 September 1962
Gaumont with Mo to see Bon Voyage then Safari for coffee. Went back to Phyl’s.
Harry came down a few minutes after I left.
Sunday 2 September 1962
Harry called at 1.30pm, came back after dinner and we went for a run on the scooter.
Stayed in.
Monday 3 September 1962
Gaumont with Harry to see Big Red and Dumbo.
Can’t imagine my dad going to see two Disney films with no kids! Also I remember the first time I saw Dumbo - at Butlins. Had to be carried out cos I was so upset. (See also: Watership Down)
Tuesday 4 September 1962
Stayed in.
Wednesday 5 September 1962
Ted phoned.
Stayed in at Harry’s.
Thursday 6 September 1962
Met Colin Dougherty on my way home, he asked me for a date. I said no.
The Boathouse with Harry, then down to The Ship.
Friday 7 September 1962
Country & Western club with Mo. Vic gave us a lift home.
Saturday 8 September 1962
Bought a pair of shoes.
3.30 Hairdressers
8pm Had a drink in the Bootlace, then Melody Inn with Harry, Kath and Alan. Great.
The Grove Hotel once stood on the corner of Grove Road and Wallasey Village and was built in c1908. The first Local Directory entry for the hotel appeared in 1909 when the manageress was given to Miss Emmaline Landless. The hotel advertised "Billiards and High-Class Catering".
The trade increased dramatically when the last section of Wallasey's tram system, which connected Wallasey Village with the other areas of Wallasey, was opened on 7 February 1911. It continued as a Hotel until the 1920's when it became known as 'Grove's Cafe'. It was then owned by S. Reece and Son's.
The front of the building was Reece's Confectioner's shop - noted for its cream cakes. The Reeces were a well known local family. At one time they lived at 'Highfield', a large house in Mill Lane. In the 1950s the upstairs at the hotel became the Melody Inn Club and in the 1960s the hotel was badly damaged by fire and lay empty for many years before being demolished. The site of the hotel is now an open space.1
Sunday 9 September 1962
Stayed in.
Monday 10 September 1962
Gaumont with Harry to see James Mason and John Mills in Tiara Tahiti.
Tuesday 11 September 1962
Kay came in the office with Marie. Went to the El Cabar with Kay, Marie, Toni and Ramon for coffee.
Met Kay, Tim, Ramon and the Doctor after work and went on board the Monte Anaya.
I can’t find any record of El Cabar or the Monte Anaya. Also I do not know Ramon or the Doctor. Sounds like The Love Boat.
Wednesday 12 September 1962
Boathouse with Harry.
Thursday 13 September 1962
Stayed in.
Friday 14 September 1962
Phoenix with Mo to see Calamity Jane.
Saturday 15 September 1962
4pm Hairdressers
8.45pm Harry arrived with Lillian and Harry in the car, over to Birkenhead to Eddie and Jane’s reception, then to a party.
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She had quite a busy social life, your mum! Yes, Dumbo was/is harrowing! I remember the first time I saw it, too!
Keri’s, this is wonderful! Dumbo is pretty trippy (Pink Elephants!), and also traumatizing.