Diary 1939 - Age 17/18

This is the year the Second World War started, and also the year in which his mother died.
Solemn.

Their home address for part of this year was 35 Carsens Street, Tamboers Kloof, Cape Town.
They moved to "Stanmore" Wessels Rd, Greenpoint, then into a flat and finished the year in "Glencot" Grotto Road, Rondebosch. I remember on one family holiday driving past "Glencot" in Rondeboasch. With hindsight: I would have liked to be more sensitive to it's significance to my Dad...

There are lists of Table Tennis matches played, Money received and spent, Books read, Bioscopes - his best of which he detailed in another list:

Union Pacific
Mad About Music
Pygmalion
Midnight
That Certain Age
The Citadel

There is also, tucked into the front of this diary, an original Memorandum of Agreement dated September 1932 between H Polliack and Company Limited and his father KO Powrie for the lease with option to purchase of HMC Radio Model R7 and Transformer.

Also folded in the front of this diary: a Statement of Marks of his father Kenneth Oldham Powrie from the University of the Cape of Good Hope for the First Mining Examination, 1903.

Again rubber-stamped in each day entry: Weather, Visitors, Post, Ships In, Ships Out.
Every day has a record of what he did.

I am struck by how many times "changed my room around" occurs and "changed the furniture around" in other parts of the house - this was usually done by Pixie and Betty.

Some entries:

Sunday January 1st
Went to Church with Ma at 8am and took first communion.
Played cricket in pm.
The family, Paul and Ham went to Dorothy's (his cousin's, my mother's sister's) bungalow at Clifton in evening.
Saw mountain fire on way home.

Wednesday January 11th
Visitors: Dr Viljoen (Ma), Mrs Bletchley
Ma stayed in bed all day because the muscles of her heart were strained.
Went to cricket practice in pm.
Played chess in evening and beat Ham.

"Ma stayed in bed all day" in every day entry until January 21st when "Ma and Betty went to stay for a week or so at Fairmead. We all went there in evening" She was fetched back from Fairmead on Friday 3rd February. She was visited there every day in between.

They looked at a house "Stanmore" in Wessels Road Greenpoint and were successful in securing it for rent from 1st April for 11 pounds per month.

They went on a journey to Johannesburg in March:

Tuesday March 14th
Went shopping at lunch time and got flags, maps etc, went to P. Office.
Took wireless over to Mrs Aldrum's at 9pm.
Pixie and Paul took Kitty and Rex over to Capsticks. They also went to Steven's, Aunt Julia etc.Kriel moved out some furniture in pm.

Wednesday March 15th
Packed the car in am and left at 7.25 for Johannesburg.
Picked up Aunt Ethel (his mother's sister, my mother's mother).
Did 398 miles and arrived in Victoria West at 7.35pm and slept night 6/-
Pixie drove for about 50 miles.

Thursday March 16th
Started at 7.25am and had tea at Britstown.
Had puncture and changed whell just before Modder Rivier.
Arrived Bloemhof at 6.30pm and slept night 8/-

Friday March 17th
Started off at 7 am and sent off wires at Klerksdorp.
Called on Lucases and spent 1 hour there.
Dropped off Aunt Ethel at Dorian's at Norwood.
Arrived at Edwardes at 3pm and Mam, Pixie and Betty went on to Donovans.
Went to meet Roddy (life-long friend) in town but missed him.

They left again for Cape Town on Sunday 26th March.
He started work again on 29th March.

Friday April 7th - Good Friday
Started making number plate in pm.
Italy marched into Albania at dawn.

Tuesday April 18th
Came home to lunch.
Ma stayed in bed all day because she was not feeling too well.
Went down after work to see Uncle Walter in the Rotchester (ship).
Met Paul down there.

Thursday April 20th
Hitler's 50th birthday.

Thursday April 27th
Bough lunch and stayed in town.
Got paid today (in code 10 pounds 1/4)
Pixie took Ma to see Dr Marius in am and arranged for Mam to go to Groote Schuur on Saturday pm.
Presentation to Mr CR Burman in pm on the occasion of his wedding.

Friday April 28th
Came home to lunch and Paul took me back in Ian's car.
Got 33/- postal order and sent application form etc to H Laurance in pm.
Hitler's speech at 2pm.

His Ma was in hospital all the time until 18th May and visited every day.

Monday May 8th
Stayed and worked through lunch.
Went down to RNVR (Royal Naval Vonteer Reserve) Base in evening and met George Hogg and went for medical examinarion etc. Passed all right.
Mr EJ Green arrived from PE in Athlone Castle to be chief accountant here.

Wednesday May 10th
Bought lunch and stayed in town and booked seats for next Wednesday night.
Pixie, Betty and I went over to see Mam in evening.
Said she would be out next Wednesday.

Tuesday May 16th
Bought lunch and went and ate it at Pixie's office.
Went down to RNVR Base at 8pm and we had lecture etc to go again on 30th.
Betty worked until 10.30 in evening.

Thursday May 18th - Holiday - Ascension Day
Pixie and Betty went to communion at 7am
Pixie, Betty and I went and fetched Mam from hospital at 10am and she went to bed here.

He worked steadily on a model ship.
He mentioned periodic news items of the intensifying war.
Each Tuesday he went to the RNVR Base and learnt a little more.
The family drives and walks continue with those who were there.

Tuesday July 4th
Came home to lunch and had half day because of Mr Duff's death.
Went to the Alhambra in evening to see "Stand In".
Also 1st African Mirror in sound.
Pixie and I drove Aunt Joyce to the station and she left for Johannesburg at 7.15pm with Philippa (my mother, his cousin)
Brought Paul back here and he and I went to RNVR Base.
Had instruction about compass.

Saturday July 15th
(In code "Sat next to girl friend in bus coming home")
Started on the book about the System of the Accounts Department.

Monday July 24th - RODDY'S BIRTHDAY
Pixie, Betty and I took Mam to Volk's Hospital at 10am and then left car on Parade.
Pixie and I came home to lunch in it.
Servant girl Freada left us in evening.

Tuesday July 25th
Stayed and worked through lunch hour.
Pixie Betty and I went to see Mam in evening and then they dropped me at RNVR Base where I received Web equipment and Rifle No. C271.

Wednesday July 26th
Stayed and worked through lunch hour.
Took periodicals to Pixie for Mam in am.
Wen to jewellers after work about my watch.
Pixie, Betty and I went to see Mam in evening.

Thursday July 27th
Mam went in for operation and 8.30am and passed away peacefully under anaesthetic owing to the heart being too weak.
Pixie and Betty went up to Volks Hospital in am and sent for me.
Father Thompson and Mrs Hardwick (undertaker) came up too.
Pixie and Paul went to Standard Bank and we all had lunch here.
Took Rex and Kitty to Capsticks and then went to Fairmead to stay.
Got paid today (In code 10 pounds 6/3)

Friday July 28th
Took the car to Stanley Porter's Garage with Johnston in am and he put two new Goodyear tyres on and overhauled car.
Went to fetch it after work and had to wait late for it.
Stayed and worked through lunch hour.
Got a new Union Castle Sports Club badge in pm (13/6)

Saturday July 29th
Got up at 1am and Pixie, Betty, Paul and I left for Johannesburg by car at 1.27am.
Had breakfast near Prince Albert Road at 7am.
Had a sleep outside Bloemhof at 11pm because we were too early.

Sunday July 30th
Had a sleep on Potch/Jbg road from about 5 to 6am and then carried on arriving K'dorp at 7am where Paul and I had a bath at Varley's Hotel.
Arrived at Donovan's farm at about 8.15am.
Went into town by car and spent day with Edwardses.
Went for a drive around suburbs and Roddy and I went rowing on Zoo Lake.
Paul and I went over to Aunt Millie's and slept the night there.

Monday July 31st
Paul; and I went over to Donovan's in am and he and Pixie went to K'dorp and then J'bg to see Dudley Maynard etc.
We all went to Mam's funeral at 3pm from Mortons.
Pall bearers Uncle Tim, Uncle Bobbie, Raymond, Owen Dorian.
Uncle Tim and Auntie Millie came to tea at Donovans and then took Paul and I over for night.
Uncle Tim showed Paul and I over Reduction Works at West Rand and also Sports Club.

Tuesday August 1st
Left Ransoms at 9.20am for Cape Town.
Said goodbye to Owen at Rftn.
Took over at 6pm and drove through night.
Had our left hand front windscreen shattered by a stone thrown up by a passing car 15 miles this side of Wolmaransstad at 1.45pm.
Lost a hubcap near Britstown.

Wednesday August 2nd
Handed over at Matjiesfontein at 6am.
Arrived Cape Town 11.20am and went to Fairmead where we dropped Paul and brought bedding over.

Thursday August 3rd
Stayed and worked through lunch hour.
Went to see Aunie Winnie after work about flat.
Pixie Betty, Paul and I went to RNVR Base in evening and I got all my uniform except 1 pr boots.
Pixie, Betty and I then went to "Fairmead" in evening and picked Paul up on way back.

Friday August 4th
Stayed and worked through lunch hour.
Went to see Stanley Porter about window on way home.

Saturday August 5th
Hamilton and I tried on RNVR uniforms in pm and had photo taken.
Lent him a suit.
We all took Aunt Julia home by car at 8pm.

Sunday August 6th
We all went to Communion at 8am.
We all went over to "Fairmead" for pm dinner and evening.
Pixie and Paul went up and fetched Kitty and Rex 17/6.

Tuesday August 8th
Stayed and worked through lunch hour.
Went to RNVR Base for 1st Parade in uniform,
Changed cap and also got pair of heavy boots.

Sunday August 20th
Pixie and Betty dropped me at RNVR Base and I did some .22 shooting 89%.
Finished at 3.30 and went to Forum too see James Cagney and Margaret Lindsay in "Frisco Kid"
We all went to Auntie Winnie's for evening.
Pixie went to Church in am.Cleaned car in am.
We all went down and visited the Saby's at "Craae", Fish Hoek in pm.
Went and had dinner and spent evening at "Fairmead".
Saw decorations in town on way home.

Tuesday 29th August
Bought lunch and walked around town at lunch time.
Went down by car in am and gave Phil and Joyce a lift.
Took car to Plate Glass and Bevelling Co and had left windscreen put in (30/-)
Went to RNVR in eveing and learnt how to sling a hammock.

Wednesday August 30th
Came home to lunch.
Went and paid Stanley Porter 6 pounds after work.
Played table tennis after work. Beat Marshall.
We all went and dropped Miss Sicker by car in town in evening.
Picked up Paul. Fetched packing cases from his office.
Betty and I went to see "Love Affair" at Colosseum (Irene Dunne and Charles Boyer)

Friday September 1st
Bought lunch and walked around town at lunch hour.
Kriel moved rest of furniture in to flat in am.
Pixie got day off.
Came home to new flat.
Germany invaded Poland in am.

Sunday September 3rd
BRITAIN DECLARED WAR AGAINST GERMANY AT 1PM (SA TIME)
Went to Communion service at 8am.
Fixed up my room in am.
Marked my uniform in pm.
Pixie Betty and I went for a drive round Sea Point, Kloof Nek, top to Signal Hill in pm.

Tuesday September 5th
Went down to RNVR Base at 9am with Hogg and thence to docks, where we boarded Minesweeping gear on "Africana" and "Disa".
Hogg had to go on sentry duty.
Finished at about 6pm.
Went to parade in evening and staerted learning semaphore.
Hertzog resigns. Smuts new Prime Minister.

Monday October 2nd
PAUL AND PIXIE'S WEDDING DAY
Went to Newland etc and fetched Miss Malard, Aunt Theresa, Aunt Joyce, Peggy and Mrs Grant (Cake)
Went to Church with Pixie in Miss Carnegie's La Salle.
Was the one to give Pixie away at wedding.
Everyone came here for tea afterwards.
Pixie and Paul left for honeymoon by car about 12.30pm.
Hamilton and I went to Plaza in pm to see "Andy Hardy Gets Spring Fever" (Mickey Rooney, Lewis Stone, Cecilia Parker, Fay Holden, Ann Rutherford)
Miss Duffet, Betty, John and I went to Colliseum in evening to see "The Sun Never Sets" (Basil Rathbone,Doug Fairbanks Jnr)
People who came to tea after wedding: Aunt Theresa, Aunt Joyce, Aunt Ethel, Peggy, John, Philippa, Marjorie, William, Ulick, Don, Dorothy, Aunt Julia, Miss Malard, Mrs Grant, Leslie, Hamilton, Auntie Winnie, Uncle Arthur,, Mr and Mrs Wiegel.

Thursday October 5th
Pixie and Paul arrived back in pm from Mossel Bay etc.
Went To RNVR Parade in evening and did flashing.

Friday October 6th
Came home to lunch.
Pixie and Paul went down to see about buying a car in pm.
Paul cleaned car in am.
Fixed up electric clocks in evening.
96% for general signalling test.

Friday October 13th
Came home to lunch and Paul and I went down to Docks to see Shropshire.
Paul got 1936 Austin 10 from Stanley Porter for (in code 90 pounds). 15,000 miles.
Pixie, Betty, Paul and I went to Colosseum to see "Dodge Sity" in evening (Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Ann Sheridan)
General signalling test 96 1/5%

Sunday November 5th
MY BIRTHDAY
Pixie took me up to Kloof Nek by car and I walked along to PWSS at 8am.
Regualr watches all day.

Thursday November 30th
Laid up in port all day for repairs.
Fixed up dodger.
Came into town at about 3pm with L/S Horn (1/-) who dropped me at Woodstock.
Betty and I went in Paul's car to Colosseum to see "Batchelor Mother" in evening (Ginger Rogers, David Niven)
Pixie wrote first aid exam.
Paul took some things over to "Fairmead" in evening.
Russian troops invaded Finland.

Thursday December 14th
Went out for DEMS ... test. (Can't read - maybe gunlaying? guhlaying?)
Zwartberg towing ship.
We fired 91 rounds in 70 minutes.
Pixie Paul and I went to see a house in Grotto Road at 7pm and then went to Parow to see landlord after supper.
Betty went to Canteen in evening.
Naval action off S America between Graf Spee (German Ship) and Achilles, Ajax and Exeter.
Damaged and went to Montevideo.

Thursday December 21st
Cooke and I came up by car at noon.
Went into town by car with Pixie, Peggy and Phoebe in pm.
Dropped me and I called in office and got 2 pound advance.
Went to Colosseum afterwards to see "The Four Just Men" (Hugh Sinclair, Griffith Jones, Francis L Sullivan, Frank Lawton, Anna Lee.)
Changed wheel and took Barrie's car to his house in evening.
Commander of Graf Spee shot himself.

Monday December 25th
CHRISTMAS DAY
Pixie and Betty went to Church in am sand also picked up Aunt Julia.
Went and had tea at Barrie's and then we went down to Simonstown at 11am.
Spent afternoon on board.
Mace was drunk.
Went over to Canteen in evening.

Friday December 29th
Went down with Walter at 6am.
Went out sweeping with Bluff at 8am and came back about 3.30pm.
Paul came out with us.
Moored to buoy in bay for night.
Moved into new house "Glencot" Grotto Road, Rondebosch.
Our car's differential went wrong.

When I think of my seventeen year old father losing his mother I feel shocked.
When I see no record whatever of how he felt I feel very sad.
When I think of him preparing for war I feel appalled.
When I see how he and his sisters stuck together I am grateful.
When I am reminded over and over of the extended family network I am touched.
When I realise Dad never talked about his challenges and hardships I am respectful.
When I read of the solidness of his young life I feel indebted to him and those who went before him - I have a steadfast foundation on which to build my life.
I feel strengthened in my determination to bless my family by "going and doing likewise."