WW2 Home Front Diaries and Peggy Jane Skinner’s Diary 1940-1949
As part of the World War Zoo Gardens project, we assembled a selection of personal handwritten wartime diaries.
I have slowly been transcribing and making them available online: https://ww2homefrontdiaries.wordpress.com/
Some sections were published with our permission in Duff Hart-Davis’ book Our Land at War on WW2 and the countryside 2015
Doreen Kippen, evacuated to / working in Tenbury Wells 1941: https://ww2homefrontdiaries.wordpress.com/doreen-kippens-wartime-diary-1941/
Josephine Mary French, August to September 1940: https://ww2homefrontdiaries.wordpress.com/diary-no-49-august-to-september-1940-josephine-mary-french/
A curious matchbox collection diary Slapton and D-Day 1944 https://worldwarzoogardener1939.wordpress.com/2014/06/01/d-day-and-a-curious-1944-matchbox-diary/
M.E. Miller, wartime farmer, Beamish area – details to be added
Vera Richardson, Wimbledon 1940 and Little Blitz / V1 attacks 1944 (diary photo above)
Peggy Jane Skinner, London / Glasgow
One of these diarists is Peggy Jane Slinner (1924-2011), a London schoolgirl studying Science in Glasgow in wartime Scotland and postwar in London:
1940 and 1943: School and University 1940 and 1943
https://ww2homefrontdiaries.wordpress.com/peggy-jane-skinners-diary-1940/
Postwar Life 1946 to 1949 onwards
https://ww2homefrontdiaries.wordpress.com/peggy-skinners-post-war-life-and-work-1946/
https://ww2homefrontdiaries.wordpress.com/peggy-jane-skinners-postwar-diaries-1946-to-1949/
Believed to be Peggy Jane Skinner (1924-2011) from a photo in her 1943 diary
Example month: March 1947
1947: 22 year old Science graduate Peggy Skinner is working post-war at TTC Condensers in Acton, London. she lives with relatives in Kingston on Thames. The harsh snowy winter of 1947 has led to disruption of industry through fuel shortages and powercuts.
Saturday 1st March 1947
Went down to Library this morning, really pleasant to be out, weather was so beautifully bright. Unfortunately my suspender broke, very uncomfortable.
This afternoon met Nita, Jean and Mary in Guildford, had tea and then went to see Alan Ladd in ‘Calcutta’, rough and tough. Had a job to get in anywhere because of this late start. I do enjoy a good chin-wag with the girls.
Had parcel from home – very nice scarf, pair of pyjamas, lemons and a red frock Mum has made me. It is much brighter than I expected, don’t know if I’ll like myself in it.
Monday 3rd March 1947
… Tried to phone home tonight but did not have any luck, all the lines were engaged. Power switch on today, what a difference.
Tuesday 4th March 1947
I’ve felt awfully funny the last few days, not exactly depressed but only if I wanted to be left alone …
Warm weather is supposed to be on the way but its been snowing very heavily the latter part of the day. Took ages getting home, there was a hold up at Richmond.
Wednesday 5th March 1947
… I was over half an hour late at work this morning because of blizzard last night.
Thursday 6th March 1947
Daisy can not come to the theatre after all so we’ve spent a lot of today trying to think of someone who might come but I’m afraid it will have to be Betty’s husband …
Friday 7th March 1947
This evening, Betty Merry, her husband and I went to see ‘No Room At The Inn’. This was extremely good, acting and production was very good but the language!! This is the story of a very real problem of the present day. Tho’ I enjoyed myself very much, not being the three girls together there was rather a damper on the party.
Wednesday 12th March 1947
Terribly wet night, absolutely poured down. Clarice Smith and I went collecting for Aid to China Fund in Odeon. We did the front circle, only about two dozen people there. Saw the rest of the show, Barry Fitzgerald in ‘Easy Come, Easy Go’, one of the most boring films I’ve seen in a long time.
Thursday 13th March 1947
The rain has cleared most of the snow away so I suppose we must be thankful for small mercies. I seem to spend all my spare time mending stockings.
Friday 14th March 1947
There was some snow again this morning. There are stories of floods all over the country. This evening I went to see ‘Cloak and Dagger’, Lilli Palmer and Gary Cooper, quite a good film tho’ nothing new. Lilli Palmer was very good.
Saturday 15th March 1947
Quite a heavy fall of snow this afternoon but changed to rain this evening. Floods very serious particularly in Thames Valley. No roads open to Scotland at all …
Sunday 16th March 1947
Summer time started today so it was rather amazing that I managed to get up for early service. Weather nice this morning but very sudden heavy rain in afternoon and then very high wind. Terrific battle to get to church.
Monday 17th March 1947
Lot of damage caused by hurricane last night. Reading and Maidenhead are very badly flooded. Today has been really lovely, sunny and warm but of course we did not see any of it. Received two pairs of blue sequin ear rings that I ordered weeks ago. [One pair is sent to Jessie on the 23rd].
Tuesday 18th March 1947
I’ve been feeling in a very bad mood today, don’t know quite what about. We’ve got plenty of work thank goodness.
Wednesday 19th March 1947
In a really awful mood today, had a row with the maintenance manager, I then felt better for it. Aunts Nora, Madge and Kit went up the Ideal Home Exhibition.
Friday 21st March 1947
This evening Aunt Madge and I went to see Trevor Howard, Rosamund John, Sally Gray and Alastair Sim in ‘Green for Danger’, a nice light murder story, not great film but well worth seeing. Much as I like Trevor Howard, he had great opposition from a newcomer Leo Genn.
Saturday 22nd March 1947
Had a parcel from home this morning. A navy frock Mum has made me, a petticoat and for my Easter present a smashing pair of pyjamas in white nun’s veiling, also a piece of red material for a scarf which I gave [to] Aunt Nora.
Monday 24th March 1947
Did not seem to have much work in type-test this week. Nothing from Acorn as they have been flooded out. I am most amused as I’ve been pulled into a sort of ‘Ask Auntie Mabel’ business by a boy whose having girl friend trouble.
Tuesday 25th March 1947
Was asked today if I’d like a ticket for Alexandra Palace as Television Society have four which they are going to ballot for. Decided when I got home that I don’t want to go as I don’t like the idea of who it may be with, so I’m bound to get a ticket.
Wednesday 26th March 1947
Heard this morning that I was one of lucky four who have got a ticket for Alexandra Palace – three men I’m going with are all very decent. I think we will be going up together unless we go home first.
Friday 28th March 1947
Four of us had meal in Acton then made our way to Alexandra Place for eight o’clock. We were shown first the transmitting room and one of the control rooms. Then I went in to watch a broadcast from each studio.
First broadcast was Kaleidoscope, a magazine programme. Couldn’t see some bits of it as sets were arranged all around studio and dozens of bods standing around. Other show was Geraldo and his orchestra. Make-up girl kept very busy dabbing the artists up. Because of bad acoustics it was difficult to hear the singers.
Details of these shows can be found in the Radio Times
https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbctv/1947-03-28
Saturday 29th March 1947
This afternoon went to library then went on to see James Mason in ‘Odd Man Out’, extremely good film, one of the very best and yet some people did not like it. Some people’s taste is all in their mouths.
Copyright: Peggy Jane Skinner (d.2011)/ Mark Norris, WW2 Home Front Diaries collection.
If you wish to reproduce or quote from these diaries, please contact me via the Comments or Contact page.
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