Tag: Alec

Where do we go from here?

On By Sue JenkinsIn FewingsLeave a comment

Now that the daily diary entries have ceased, there’s a bit of a gap in the proceedings until we start the 1959 letters on 24 May – and from then on posting will be irregular until eventually we start dealing with the 1918 diary.

There is method in this madness. If we can tie an existing document in to a particular date and post it then, that’s what we’ll do.

In the interim, there’s a chunk of research material that Alec generated when – towards the end of his life – he started delving into his family history. He got to a certain point with the Atkins line and then hit a brick wall; later research indicates that he had been given flawed information by a ‘professional genealogist’, for which he no doubt paid handsomely, and it sent him off in the wrong direction. In short, he was looking in Northamptonshire when his ancestors were in Somerset all along.

As a result, Alec changed tack and started delving into his mother’s line – the Fewings family – and was briefly the acknowledged expert on the name. He did consider setting up a one-name study group, but was put off by the amount of bureaucracy it would require at a time when his health was already beginning to deteriorate. However from 1992 to 1999 he and a couple of distant relatives produced a twice-yearly ‘Fewings Newsletter’ exchanging information about their findings. Only about a dozen copies of each one ever went out, at their own expense, and most were printed on Alec’s (t)rusty old dot matrix printer.

Much of this information is already out of date, having been gleaned from databases which are obviously in constant flux and becoming more comprehensive all the time. (I unblocked the ‘Atkins’ logjam very quickly, with proper access to online sources which were not available to Alec at the time.) However, some of it may well be worth passing on.

His approach to the information was rather peculiar, though; he was only interested in basic dates – births, marriages and deaths, and maybe changes of address. Anything that approached social history – what an individual did for a living, for example – was completely irrelevant to him. He ‘collected’ ancestors in quantity, but stubbornly refused to learn anything about them as people.

I’m still scratching my head about that one, to be honest.

Next post Monday 22 April at 06.00 UK time.

But there’s more …

On By Sue JenkinsIn 1944 DiaryLeave a comment

Although there are no further daily entries in Alec’s diary there is other miscellaneous information present. For example, turning the book upside-down reveals that a section has been torn out. Some pages are headed up with station/depot names, to wit:

Bull’s Pill, Cadoxton, Cardiff, Carmarthen, Cathays, Cheltenham, Chester, Chippenham, Crewe, Didcot, Dudley, Exeter, Felin Fran*, Fishguard Hbr., Gloucester, Hanwell B[roadway], Hayes & H[arlington], Hereford.

*Felin Fran is at Llansamlet, Swansea.

Elsewhere there is a list of Bowling Results from 1951 recording matches against Harlington, Watford, 1st and 2nd Floor, Streatham Vale, Wembley R.A.F.A., Audit, Harlington (again), Slough, Lensbury, Old Actonians, Hogarth, Signalmen, Hoares Bank, Hewson Mec (possibly http://www.hewson-consulting.com/) and B.O.A.C.

There are two pages of money calculations which appear to involve estimated and actual pay, although it’s impossible to tell for what year.

Lastly, on the ‘Gloucester’ page, the following appears:

Docks Branch Up & Down Road. 3 Roads Double End Up Side. 4 Roads Stop Blocks. 4 Roads Double End Down Side. Pilot Both Ends. Trips Engines first to Down Rd – Back Out to Up Road. Serves Honeybourne, Banbury and Colliery Rds to Lydney Drybrook Coleford Etc. Also 7.50 p.m. Glos. Rogerstone 8.45 p.m. Glos to Llanelly [sic]. Sidings on Docks. Castle Meads. Llanthony Sdgs. On Up Road to Docks – Dn Rd to Over Sdgs.

And that, as the saying goes, is ‘all he wrote’ – although there is plenty more written material in existence this, temporarily, is where we leave Alec.

Next post Saturday 20 April at 06.00 UK time.

Sunday 16th April, 1944

On By Sue JenkinsIn 1944 DiaryLeave a comment

Alec’s diary continues:

Cycled to Yatton in morning, caught 8.15 a.m. train to Bristol did work on transfers till 12.0 nn then caught 12.40 p.m. Arrived home 2.0 p.m. Did not go out in afternoon. To Salthouse with John in evening then home to bed 10.30 p.m.

On this anticlimactic note the diary ends, and at a later point the following note has been added:

No further Diary entries for 1944.

Part Diary for 1945, Complete Diary for 1946 and Part Diary for 1947 and 1948 in existence somewhere.

This would be nice if true, but no trace of these additional diaries has ever been found – nor are they likely to surface now, alas.

Wednesday 12th April, 1944

On By Sue JenkinsIn 1944 DiaryLeave a comment

Alec’s diary continues:

Caught 6.30 a.m. train. Gordon on same. Picked up Sid at West Depot thence got as far as East Depot by 3.40 p.m. Saw Hill then home on 5.15 p.m. Donald waiting at station so came home with me. Made myself smart then Doug called round. Last Day for him now as far as I am concerned so decided to go for a drink. Sold out at the Salthouse so left Doug who has an appointment in the London [sic]* and cycled up to the Old Inn at East Clevedon. Had a couple then went to see what sort of a mess Mr Ching has made of my bike (motor). Rather good. From there we went to see Gordon but he was out so went home for an hour then I went to bed.

*This sounds as if it’s a pub, hotel, or cafe, but I’ve been unable to trace it so far. It certainly couldn’t be an appointment ‘in London’ or the wording would have been different. (‘who had to catch the X o’clock train’, for example.) And it was clearly the last day Alec would be seeing Doug, rather than Doug’s actual last day.

Tuesday 11th April, 1944

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Alec’s diary continues:

Caught 8.0 a.m. train for Bristol T.M. Found No. 13 at Wapping and likely to leave so had cup of coffee with the lads and caught 9.0 a.m. back to West Depot. No. 13 not about so rang up Mr Ritchins who says now not likely to leave Wapping for some time. Caught light engine to Ashton Sidings and walked from there into Wapping. Relieved Sid Derrick, thence to Depot with Canons M. Arrived 1.25 p.m. at signal 3.45 p.m. in Yard. Guard refused to take train any further so engine to shed and Alec to Centre for 4.15 bus. John and bro. round in evening but felt so tired could not do credit to the music. They left about 9.0 p.m. so read book for a bit and then went to bed.

Monday 10th April, 1944

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Alec’s diary continues:

Donald came round at 9.30 a.m. so we set out for Portishead to see Mr & Mrs Pearce. Called on them at Angle House, Slade Road. Mr & Mrs Combshaw there as well. Had quite a chat till 11.30 a.m. then went down to boating pool to see Mr Pearce. Cycled back home arriving 1.30 p.m.

In afternoon Donald and I faked up a three speed toggle for the bike from one of his old trouser clips, a piece of brake cable and a spot of solder. It works OK although it misses in top now and then.

In evening cycled out to Congresbury calling at the Bridge Inn. Came back across the moors from Yatton, quite a good ride and dead straight roads. Had chin wag for an hour or so then bed.

Sunday 9th April, 1944

On By Sue JenkinsIn 1944 DiaryLeave a comment

Alec’s diary continues:

No Home Guard in morning being Easter Sunday. John and Bro. to Bristol to see show. Donald came down in afternoon but I was on my way for a game of tennis with Basil. Had quite a good game. Mine has gone to pieces after badminton. Do not feel a bit stiff. Got home about 6.45 p.m. Did not go out in evening.