Martin’s diaries are moving

Martin Dove’s daily diaries will, from now on, be published on the Facebook page...

I L.O.V.E. SCARBOROUGH =)

Thank you for reading.

16th January 1961

Monday 16th January 1961
Martin Dove (age 12)

Had usual lessons at school.
Doctor came.
Dad got up at night.

—-

Another home visit from the doctor, these days you’d have to wait two weeks just to get an appointment to visit them at the surgery.

15th January 1961

Sunday 15th January 1961
Martin Dove (age 12)

Barry and Eileen came round.
Played Newmarket with dad in bed.
I won 4 and a half pence.

—-

My dad was still poorly.
Newmarket was my favourite card game, which we played a lot as a family, and always for money!
(4.5d is worth around 70p in 2020)

Saturday 14th January 1961

Saturday 14th January 1961
Martin Dove (age 12)

Albert came round.

Doctor examined me.

Played H H H with dad.

—-

My grandad was called Albert, but I also had an uncle Albert, so I guess that this was my uncle.

Still can’t remember what was wrong with my dad, but maybe it was contagious, if doctor was examining me?

H H H was Hancock’s Half Hour, the board game. 

13th January 1961

13th January 1961

Friday 13 January 1961
Martin Dove (age 12)

DEB NIGHT.
Freeman came, played Cluedo, Hancock’s Half Hour and did card tricks.

—-

My first DEB NIGHT of the year, and the highlight of any week.
DEB stood for Dove’s Entertainment Bureau, which basically was games night at my house. I had loads of board games, and friends were regularly invited over to play.
Hancock’s Half Hour involved wandering round East Cheam and Railway Cuttings, looking for work or beer, or Sid James.
Great fun, but I no longer have the game.
Freeman was John Freeman, a close friend, who tragically died in his twenties.

12th January 1961

12th January 1961

Thursday 12January 1961
Martin Dove (age 12)

Put name tags on all clothes.

Uncle Frank, Reg, Bernard, Aunt Mary and Doctor all came to see dad.

—-

Do children today still put name tags on their clothes?

Dad still poorly.

11th January 1961

11th January 1961

Wednesday 11 January 1961
Martin Dove (age 12)

At gym we got a new pair of gym shoes.

Doctor didn’t come.

—-

I presume the doctor was coming to see my dad.

Dr Adamson was his name.

10th January 1961

Tuesday 10 January 1961
Martin Dove (age 12)

Went back to school.
Had usual lessons.
Fred came to see dad.

—-

I went to Westwood school for one year, then I got promoted to Scarborough Boys High School. I think that in 1961 I had already moved up to the high school.
I was probably somewhere in the middle, so I did well at Westwood, but struggled at High School.

Dad still poorly.

9th January 1961

9th January 1961

Monday 9 January 1961
Martin Dove (age 12)

I stayed in,

Grandad, Charlie, Mr Needham all came to see Dad.

—-

My Dad must have been really ill.

I think Mr Needham was his boss at Wrays, Charlie was a friend.

8th January 1961

8th January 1961

Sunday 8 January 1961
Martin Dove (age 12)

Barry and Eileen came round.

Played dominos.

I won 8d.

Mam and Dad stayed in.

—-

My brother Barry and his wife Eileen would often come round for tea on a Sunday.

It was usually red salmon, and salad.

The  red salmon came out of a tin, and was only eaten on a Sunday.

Red salmon was a treat, and much better than pink salmon, which would be eaten on weekdays

7th January 1961

7th January 1961

Saturday 7 January 1961
Martin Dove (age 12)

Mum’s anniversary.

Went to Wrays party, got a fountain pen.

Dad couldn’t go.

—-

My parents were married on 7 January 1933.

Wrays was the bakery where my dad worked, it was on Gladstone Street, opposite where we lived.

They had an annual party, for children of the staff, which took place in a church hall on Gladstone Road.

6th January 1961

6th January 1961

Friday 6 January 1961
Martin Dove (age 12)

Did shopping. 

Took down decorations.

Went to Aunt Mary’s.

Dad was poorly.

—-

Shopping was an everyday chore back in 1961. No convenience foods, everything had to be bought fresh on a daily basis.

My mum was very traditional and left Xmas decorations up till 12th night, January 6th.

My Aunt Mary and Uncle Maurice lived on Falsgrave Road, and I’m delighted to say that they still do. They recently celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary.

I’m not sure what was wrong with my dad, but he was ill for almost three weeks.

5th January 1961

Thursday 5 January 1961
Martin Dove (age 12)

Did Mam’s shopping in town.
Also bought anniversary card and present.

—-

There were no supermarkets in 1961. You got your meat from a butcher, your fish from a fishmonger, your fruit and vegetables from a greengrocer, and sweets from a sweets shop.
Shopping was a daily chore back then.
The card was for my parents, they married in 1933 at St. Mary’s church in Scarborough.

January 4th 1961

Wednesday 4 January 1961
Martin Dove (age 12)

Went to Capitol, saw “Watch your stern.”
Watched “Treasure of Sierra Madre” on TV  at night.

—-

In 1961 we had a choice of cinemas in Scarborough. Odeon, Londesborough, Gaiety, & Capitol. Now all gone. 

“Watch your stern” was a comedy similar to the “Carry on “ films.

“Treasure of Sierra Madre” was a pretty decent Western, starring Humphrey Bogart. 

Tuesday 3rd January 1961

Tuesday 3 January 1961
Martin Dove (age 12)

Went to town in afternoon.
Bought red and blue biro refills.

—-

Town was Scarborough where I lived for the first 20 years of my life.

No doubt the biro refills were for my new diary project.

January 2nd 1961

Monday 2 January 1961
Martin Dove (age 12)

Went to Eastfield 2.20 to 4.20.
Watched TV at night.

—-

My brother Barry would have been 27 years old in 1961. He lived at Eastfield with his wife, Eileen, and his children Paul and Wendy. I assume that is where I was.
The timings are very precise!