SCOTS Project - www.scottishcorpus.ac.uk Document : 1421 Title : Diaries of William Young: 1952 Author(s): William Young Copyright holder(s): Mary J Price Text JANUARY New Year finds us at the home of my wifes family, 4 [?]Kilgour[/?] Avenue. We are waiting until our house at Balsusney Rd. is repaired. Weather quite mild & we spend the New Year quietly. New baby doing fine. 1 TUESDAY Rain & sleet today. I stay in with Kiddies after visit to Dad in forenoon. R.R beat E. FIFE 1-0 at Methil. 2 WEDNESDAY To R.R.V. Q of South draw 0-0 after fine game. 6 SUNDAY Go to see Mary O'Leary at South St. She is very grieved over Nellie's death. God be with her. 11 FRIDAY Scullery floor lifted & re-laid. 12 SATURDAY Cath & Mary with very heavy cold Mary has touch of bronchitis. 13 SUNDAY Baby baptised Caroline Elizabeth Young today by Fr. Docherty in St. Maries Catholic Church 14 MONDAY Start to paint new upstairs bedroom at home Pa Hep. supplies paint a nice cream. 15 TUESDAY Still painting. 16 WEDNESDAY Still painting. Mary better. 17 THURSDAY Painting. 18 FRIDAY Painting. Am I tired? Weather very cold. 19 SATURDAY A very busy morning. Now the drains are lifted what a mess. 20 SUNDAY To eight mass Painting again all day. Freezing hard all day & no heaters. 21 MONDAY Painting 2nd coat front Room. No heat. 24 THURSDAY Snow today heavy. Finish painting meantime D.G. 25 FRIDAY Again snow heavy in morning. Heating plugs fixed D.G. 26 SATURDAY Snowing heavy in morning but Scottish Cup-tie goes on. R.R V. Hibernian. A draw 0-0 Raith miss many chances. 27 SUNDAY All of us down at house today feels like home again. Snow all over. Plumber the hold-up. 28 MONDAY Snow & plenty of it. We get a blizzard at 1:pm. 29 TUESDAY Bathroom fixed. Hope to get home Thursday. Get bill from joiners £200 now for the pay out if we've got it! 30 WEDNESDAY Bath still out although cistern fixed looks like week-end before we are down. Plumber held up through burst pipes. 31 THURSDAY Bath in place. Home tomorrow Deo Gratias. FEBRUARY 1 FRIDAY We are back Thank God. Cath & kids move down in afternoon. 2 SATURDAY Plenty work to do in house today. Curtains fixed: bath cleaned. Door repaired etc. etc. And plenty work for months to come! 3 SUNDAY To 10 Mass then back to getting house tidy. Group Committee in evening. 4 MONDAY To Lathalmond. Snow & ice still holding but signs of a thaw. Raith beat Hibs 4-1 in Cup replay at Tynecastle. 5 TUESDAY Fail to get ticket for Hearts V Raith Cup match. Jimmy R. comes to rescue with one for me. Thawing rapidly. 6 WEDNESDAY To Lathalmond. Thawing here. News of death of King George VI reaches nation. R.I.P. 7 THURSDAY Country in mourning. Thaw continues but hush of hail in evening. 8 FRIDAY Proclamation of Queen Elizabeth II. Long live the Queen! 9 SATURDAY To Tynecastle with J.R. to Hearts V Raith. Hearts won 1-0 after scrappy game. We are nearly crushed to bits first 20 mins of game. Tynecastle no more for me! Trains are good and J & I have good dinner at B. R. canteen. 10 SUNDAY To 8 Mass & Communion. Weather still frosty. 3 pm Benediction with Catherine. She loses gloves. To Mary C's at night. Nice talk. 11 MONDAY To Lathalmond. Still cold. 12 TUESDAY In house at night. Can't get on with jobs somehow. Jessie down. 13 WEDNESDAY Do small jobs in house. 14 THURSDAY I am lazy in house. Wish I had more time & a tool shed or work room. 15 FRIDAY King George VI funeral today R.I.P. 22 at Scouts. The attendance is still good. 16 SATURDAY I pay Littlejohn & most of Bogie & Nicol. Now we are broke! 17 SUNDAY To 8 Mass & Communion. Much milder today. The bairns enjoy a walk in forenoon to Ma Hepburn in afternoon. 18 MONDAY To Lathalmond. Weather still mild. N.B. Phone Weir. 22 FRIDAY 21 present. Good meeting. 23 SATURDAY Cath gets a present of £200 from Dad! God is good after all! I get cupboard nearly finished. MARCH 5 WEDNESDAY Fathers of Scouts meet. A Good Meeting & most fruitful. N.B. 1 p.t. milk. 12 WEDNESDAY Whist Drive 5th H.Q. 7.30. pm. 19 WEDNESDAY Mothers of Scouts meet. Not so good as fathers do. 22 SATURDAY No fishing yet. Working all day on flooring upstairs. 23 SUNDAY To St Columbas for Mass & Communion. Mary O' not present. Laying linoleum in evening. 24 MONDAY The rooms are finished upstairs, now for the furnishings! 29 SATURDAY Scouters meet Kinghorn. N.B. ask about Raith. Not a bad meeting. Meet new D.C. seems a decent sort. - Mr. Nicholson. 30 SUNDAY Snow & sleet showers all day & bitter cold. APRIL 3 THURSDAY Anniversary Day of our Wedding. Four years of happiness. 4 FRIDAY 24 present at Troop. Must get Young assistants for summer time. 5 SATURDAY Welsh gives me idea of money to pay on house app £200 yet. 6 SUNDAY Cath ill with a wrenched back. Comm with Scouts morning. To Park in afternoon with Catherine & Mary. 7 MONDAY Off work to help in house. Feel frustrated because Dad seems to be doing all the work in the house. Doctors verdict rest with pills & ointment. 8 TUESDAY Again at home. Cath a little better. Her Mum & Phem down in afternoon. Plant some seed potatoes. 12 SATURDAY All day filling in holes & making bathroom ready for painting. To Easter vigil in church in the evening. What a splendid ceremony. I enjoyed it fully and felt strangely light & reborn again. 13 SUNDAY A grand day for weather. I paint the baththroom. 14 MONDAY At last we move upstairs. Fine to know that we have acheived our objective. 16 WEDNESDAY To Links Market in evening. Not bad. Too see Joe. Mary O' left. What a disappointment. 18 FRIDAY Small turnout at Scouts only 14 but all P.L's missing. 19 SATURDAY To Links Market with Cath Catherine Mary & Dad. They do all the roundabouts. Mary gets a fright on the bumper cars. Catherine unperturbed goes to circus with Grandad. We help in fainting case at least Cath does. A good day. 20 SUNDAY No word of camp site so wash down scullery after dinner. Finish at six. Out at night & contact youngsters to help with food. 21 MONDAY Rain showers this morning. Start to paint scullery. 29 TUESDAY Phone Butler 30 WEDNESDAY London Philharmonic Orchestra - Halls. Excellent. Dad & I. Sir Adrian Boult conducts. MAY 3 SATURDAY To E. Camp (P-Ls)? 2 PLs & 2 Seconds go to Falkland I go up with them. It is most cold. I doubt if they will enjoy it. I walk over hill road to Leslie & get sore feet! 4 SUNDAY Communion Day. Not a good turn out. 5 MONDAY Painting scullery. 7 WEDNESDAY Fishing? 9 FRIDAY Feel fed-up with Scouts. They are all very young & need a lot of discipline. PL's falling down again. 10 SATURDAY A.G.M. District. A fine meeting leading to a very successfull social & dance in Drummonds. Only wish Cath had been there. 11 SUNDAY Confirmation. Cath is confirmed today. I watch the family. It is a pleasure. 12 MONDAY Get tackle ready for Tiel. 13 TUESDAY Fishing Tiel tonight. Cast keeps on getting mixed up. Am real Ham-handed to begin with. 14 WEDNESDAY Lovely weather. Summer is here and life is good. 15 THURSDAY Again a grand day. 16 FRIDAY W. Gowans down to give a hand with Scouts. 17 SATURDAY W. E. camp (?) Up Loan with Hawks to coach them for Forsyth Trophy. [?]Dan[/?] [CENSORED: surname] won't come. What a queer fellow he is to be sure. 23 FRIDAY A good turnout of Scouts. Willie Gowans good with them. 24 SATURDAY [NOTE: First line scored out] Visit RAF (Leuchars) (?) Forsyth Trophy. We come in last as usual but not much between Troops. 30 FRIDAY To Pathead Sands. Both Jimmie & Willie present & give a fine hand all round. 31 SATURDAY Patrol to Falkland Seagulls. Fine day. Clean out Hut afternoon. What a lot of junk! JUNE 1 SUNDAY Communion Scouts. Heavy rain today. Patrol at Falkland washed out. 2 MONDAY Holiday Go fishing to Cullaloe. Again no fish and I am a wee bit disheartened after all the trouble. 5 THURSDAY [NOTE: line scored out] Holiday (Fishing?) 6 FRIDAY Carfin today. A grand day. 7 SATURDAY Cut hedges morning to Park afternoon with kiddies Cath joins us with Caroline. 8 SUNDAY Annual Pilgrimage Dunfermline St. Margaret. A grand day & a fine example. Scouts to the fore everywhere. 14 SATURDAY County Flag Cup Working Patrol ages not to exceed 90 yrs of 6. Garden Fete. To Charlie Grant's wedding not to mention Pat Fealy We enjoy ourselves. Kids a treat. 20 FRIDAY Feel groggy all day. 21 SATURDAY Raining cats & dogs. Jimmy Willie & I go to Cupar to fix up camp site & Traders all ok. Nice tea Station Hotel. 22 SUNDAY Again feel bad after 10. am Mass. Take to bed in afternoon. 23 MONDAY Stay in bed & call Doc. Diagnoses after effects of flu - Rheumatic Pains too bad. 24 TUESDAY Still feel as if I had been hit with a sledge-hammer. 25 WEDNESDAY Cath wonderful. She must be tired running up & down stairs but she never complains. 28 SATURDAY Family Holiday to Elie. We postpone holiday till Monday. I go & see Doc. in evening. He says I can take another week. Gives me O.K. to go to Elie. Fix work! 29 SUNDAY Quiet day. We are busy packing in evening. 30 MONDAY To Elie with 2.16 train. A nice run. Kids excited. Baby likes the journey like an old 'un. Cottage adequate without being pretentious. JULY 1 TUESDAY On Sands all day. Weather fine but a little windy. 2 WEDNESDAY Raining a little. Not a day for sands. So off we go to Elie & Anstruther. Nice walk around, & home for a late supper. 3 THURSDAY A good day. Building harbours & lazing. 4 FRIDAY Another grand day. The kids enjoy the donkeys. Walk to Kilconqher in evening. 5 SATURDAY Sands morning. Shopping in Elie afternoon. 6 SUNDAY Dad Phem Jan & Elizabeth arrive. Elizabeth mad on water. I travel home after a good week. 7 MONDAY Doc gives me all clear: I spend the day clearing up housing inspection with Burgh C. 8 TUESDAY To work. Feel fine but not to keen for heavy stuff yet. Miss Cath. 9 WEDNESDAY House is quiet without youngsters. Scouts in evening. 10 THURSDAY Take a special bus from Rosyth to Elie get off at Kilconquhar walk rest. Kids surprised to see me. Home with Mum & Dad Hep. 11 FRIDAY Scouts present in full force preparing for Camp. 12 SATURDAY Go along to collect family. Thank God we are all together again. 19 SATURDAY Annual Camp. Arr. Cupar 11 am. Lunch & tents up by 2. pm. Camp nearly complete by 4. Boy takes pains in stomach. Have to send for doctor. He says no danger. 20 SUNDAY To 9 Mass. All at Communion. Doc calls. Boy OK. Begin Raft afternoon. Boy goes home to Bowhill. Frs Payne & Docherty arr. with Miss Kennedy. 21 MONDAY Grand day for weather. Again the raft in morning. Wide Game afternoon. Found £6 in wallet in evening. 22 TUESDAY The raft is completed in morning. To Sugar Beet factory in afternoon. No time to try out raft. 23 WEDNESDAY Prepare camp for visitors. No bathing. Visitors arrive a beautiful day. Sports go well. Mr McCabe calls evening. 24 THURSDAY We try out raft. A great success only snag no photo of same. To St. A. in afternoon. Good fun at Step Rock. 25 FRIDAY Nature hunt in morning. No time for bathing. Free in afternoon. Collect 12/- reward from Police for [?]homeless[/?] wallet. 26 SATURDAY A terrible day. Our new recruits show up here. No idea of breaking camp. Even older ones are lazy. Eddy & I get it all to do. We arrive home an hour late after missing 2 trains. 27 SUNDAY Feel aches & pains today but otherwise 1st class. 28 MONDAY To work. I dodge around house. 29 TUESDAY Camp Profit may be about six pounds. AUGUST 1 FRIDAY To Tiel for an hour. No fish but explore burn up to Hole Mill - excellent. 2 SATURDAY First day off Bank Holiday - - Terrible day We are marooned by a cloud burst in afternoon. Cath & the kids take it well. 3 SUNDAY To 8 Mass. I take Catherine on ferry. Burnt - Granton. She doesn't like it at first but recovers to enjoy the trip. 4 MONDAY Again a bad day. Cath takes Catherine & Mary to Burntisland in afternoon while I take baby for a walk. To Picture show evening. 5 TUESDAY A full day beginning work. To St. Margarets. Sands Camp in evening. 6 WEDNESDAY To Parochial Rooms. Only 8 turn up. Come home early. 7 THURSDAY Cath at Pics. Stay in house, play Piano latest gift from Dad to the girls. 8 FRIDAY Visit to Camp at Balbeardie rained off. Dumfs troop have to pack up. S. M. ill & rain in torrents. 9 SATURDAY Norman & Bett here from Bedwyn. Meet them & go to Methil with Norman & Dad Hep. to see E. Fife V. Q.O. South. Raining elephants. We can't get into Stand so we sit in Cafè watching T.V. but rain keeps on. 10 SUNDAY To 8. Mass. We go to see Chipperfields Procession of 16 Elephants through town. Kids highly delighted. Clean up in garden in evening. Cath busy cooking. 11 MONDAY To Lathalmond. 23 SATURDAY Raith V Dundee League Cup Match. Raith lose 2-1 after hectic game. General opinion that ref. lost the game for Raith. 25 MONDAY Dad Hepburn goes to Bridge of Earn Hospital for operation for rupture. 27 WEDNESDAY To Pics. The Card at the Rio. We get the "dinero" del Pueblo. 28 THURSDAY To Carl Anderson - to ask about Piano Lessons. He accepts but doesn't hold out a lot of hope! Here goes to confound the critics. SEPTEMBER 1 MONDAY Start Piano Lessons 12 FRIDAY 15 present. Fr. Byrne brings news that a party of French Scouts are in town. Would like if we could make move to entertain them. 15 MONDAY We contact French Scouts at Smeaton hut Fr. Frank. Tommy & self very hospitalibly entertained. Bond of Faith as well as Scouting obvious. 17 WEDNESDAY To presentation to new Priest 1st from Kirkcaldy Fr. McKee. French Scouts arrive & create a great impression. They enjoy dance - we come up the road. 18 THURSDAY Singing French marching songs in line abreast. Troup entertains. French late by half-hour. 19 FRIDAY Programme haywire. We try our best but I feel our welcome is inadequate. Probably imagination. 20 SATURDAY Day with family. I see Dad Hepburn home again after being in Hospital. He is looking well. 21 SUNDAY A Happy day. Dunkirk & St. Maries Troops at Mass together. 22 MONDAY We visit Kinnoul Monastry by bus taking Fr. Bellus French chaplain. We enjoy ourselves in a very cordial atmosphere. 23 TUESDAY Cath & I entertain the leaders to supper. Last night. A splendid evening. Fr. Frank comes along to make this an outstanding success. 26 FRIDAY Bid goodbye to Dunkirk Scouts. Thanks for providing an interesting, entertaining & educative interlude. 27 SATURDAY To see Raith V. St Mirren. Terrible show. Raith beaten 1-0 and we pay 2/- admission fee from now on. Like things in general. More money for poor quality goods. 28 SUNDAY A nice walk in the country with Cath & the bairns. We pick blackberries and eat them! 30 TUESDAY Dad is presented with a nice fireside chair from workmates. He retires Friday. OCTOBER 1 WEDNESDAY P.L's present. Good show on Scout test work. 3 FRIDAY 22 present despite Potatoe picking. We arrange Wide Game for tomorrow. 4 SATURDAY Dad Retires today Wide game X for [?]Amazon[/?] a great success. Three Patrols battle for possession of point X (Three Stones). Good Scouting work seen here. Troop is improving. 16 present. 5 SUNDAY Troop Communion Sunday. 4 present & 5 Cubs. This is a bad show & contrasts with the large attendance yesterday. 7 TUESDAY P.L's on Wed. a success. Videc not present. 8 WEDNESDAY Tragic rail crash on Tues 7th at Harrow. 105 Dead in Triple Train crash. 10 FRIDAY 24 Present at Troop. This is fine. 11 SATURDAY Usual crowded Saturday. To football. R.R V Dundee in afternoon. Weather very mild and sunny. 12 SUNDAY To 10. Mass. Out with Cath & children afternoon. We have a rare walk. How proud I am of them. Weather colder. 14 TUESDAY Bad toothache. dewdrops Frost overnight. 15 WEDNESDAY 3 P.Ls & 6 recruits present all pass Tenderfoot with exeption of Whipping. Deo Gratias. 16 THURSDAY Weather still mild. Rain early today. Show troubling us in Group. 17 FRIDAY Teeth again troubling. Invest 6 tonight. Good show after 3 weeks in Troop. 18 SATURDAY To dentist have molar removed. Plaster front wall in afternoon. Get cold in gums. Have to retire for two hours in agony. Recover for Supper. Ought to have known better. 19 SUNDAY To 8 Mass. Catherine & Mary demonstrate Sailors Horn Pipe seen at dancing display Adam Smith Halls. 20 MONDAY East wind. Not cold. Cloudy. 25 SATURDAY To meet 3 PL's on hike give them instructions. Cath not well so come back & take children out. Children at Playground delighted with Caroline. Rain comes on so home with Catherine carrying Caths umbrella. 31 FRIDAY Get Ken for show. Must try to get new songs. NOVEMBER 1 SATURDAY Mass at 8 & Communion. Stay in & paint kitchen cupboard. Cream paint doesn't take but by afternoon the failing light makes it all one! 2 SUNDAY Day retreat for Scouts by Fr. Leonard - very good man. A real success this. Silence not observed but boys will be boys. 3 MONDAY Prepare for Newcastle trip. McAll. says it will only be a day's job. 4 TUESDAY To Newcastle for survey job at Helburn on Tyne. Raining on arrival - good journey. Fix up at Hotel nice place - homely. Plenty of commercials. 5 WEDNESDAY Job at Helburn goes with a swing. Scotsmen at Hotel keep the fun going. 6 THURSDAY Are held up by rain; here till Saturday. To New Theatre tonight with Commercial from Huddersfield. 7 FRIDAY Get the job finished satisfactorily I hope. To Cathedral for evening service. Big place. 8 SATURDAY Buy presents before leaving 11.20am. Comfortable, easy journey. 12 WEDNESDAY Dad ill with stomach trouble. Rehearsal poor. 13 THURSDAY Doc gives Dad a chemist shop to himself. 14 FRIDAY Dad easier. 24 at Troop. Quite a good night. Youngsters keen. 15 SATURDAY Usual Saturday morning rush. To RR V Motherwell 1-1 a good game. Raith inside men terrible. 16 SUNDAY To 10 Mass. Dad worse today. Call Doc. No food for a day or two. Stay in with him all day. 17 MONDAY Catherine showing off gym dress. She is getting big. Lathalmond today. 18 TUESDAY A good day. Not a lot to do. DECEMBER 19 FRIDAY Gang show. Not a large audience but they enjoy it. 24 WEDNESDAY Mary & Caroline in bed with Bronchitis. Cath bad as any. 25 THURSDAY Midnight Mass packed out. Quiet Christmas with kiddies in bed. 26 FRIDAY A House of illness. 27 SATURDAY Mend scullery door & attend to children. Help Cath. 28 SUNDAY Cath takes earache pretty bad with it. See Doctor as soon as poss. 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Information about document and author: Text Text audience Adults (18+): Males: Audience size: 1 Text details Method of composition: Handwritten Year of composition: 1952 Word count: 3260 Text publication details Part of a longer series of texts: Name of series: Series of diaries from 1940s to 1980s Text setting Private/personal: Text type Diary: Author Author details Author id: 1032 Forenames: William Surname: Young Gender: Male Decade of birth: 1910 Educational attainment: Civil service (technical inspector qualification) Age left school: 12 Upbringing/religious beliefs: Catholicism Occupation: Civil Servant / Technical Officer Place of birth: Kirkcaldy Region of birth: Fife Birthplace CSD dialect area: Fif Country of birth: Scotland Father's occupation: Linoleum Worker Father's place of birth: Kirkcaldy Father's region of birth: Fife Father's birthplace CSD dialect area: Fif Father's country of birth: Scotland Mother's occupation: Housewife Mother's place of birth: Kirkcaldy Mother's region of birth: Fife Mother's birthplace CSD dialect area: Fif Mother's country of birth: Scotland Languages: Language: English Speak: Yes Read: Yes Write: Yes Understand: Yes Circumstances: At work / at home Language: Scots Speak: Yes Read: Yes Write: Yes Understand: Yes Circumstances: At home