Tuesday, April 1, 1941. "Church - I met Eleanor after and we went for a walk."
Wednesday, April 2, 1941. "I went to church & met Joe after. We went for a walk & I got home at 10:30."
Joe who? Joe Cahill? Is my mother finally giving poor Joe Cahill a chance?
Thursday, April 3, 1941. "- Marvelous day -"
"Madeline & I went down the square."
Friday, April 4, 1941. "Church."
Saturday, April 5, 1941. "Arthur Carroll came & we went up to the Embassy & saw 'Philadelphia Story.' It was good."
"The Philadelphia Story" was a 1940 comedy starring Cary Grant, Katherine Hepburn, and Jimmy Stewart. I loved this movie - Cary Grant and Katherine Hepburn were terrific.
I found the following pictures in my mother's scrapbook but they had no labels so I don't know who it is. But I wondered if it was Arthur Carroll. Take a look - I included Arthur's yearbook picture for comparison. If anyone knows for sure, please let me know.
Arthur Carroll's yearbook picture
I think the guy below under the 208 sign is the same person as the soldier above. What do you think? Are they the same person? Is it Arthur Carroll?
Sunday, April 6, 1941. "Madeline, Annie & I went for a walk in the afternoon. Hung around Sunday night."
Monday, April 7, 1941. "Madeline & I took a walk after supper. It was swell out."
In Europe the first night of the Belfast Blitz began.
There were no entries for Tuesday, April 8 and Wednesday, April 9, 1941.
But on April 9, Winston Churchill made a lengthy speech before the House of Commons reviewing the course of the war. He said in conclusion: "Once we have gained the Battle of the Atlantic and are sure of the constant flow of American supplies which are being prepared for us, then, however far Hitler may go or whatever new millions and scores of millions he may lap in misery, we who are armed with the sword of retributive justice shall be on his track."
Thursday, April 10, 1941. "Made two visits to church."
Friday, April 11, 1941. "Went to church. Good sermon."
Saturday, April 12, 1941. "Hannie & I went in town & she bought her Easter outfit. It was mobbed in town. We had a frozen eclair in some ice cream place. Boy was it good."
The same day the Boston Bruins beat the Detroit Red Wings 3–1 to win the Stanley Cup in a four-game sweep.
Sunday, April 13, 1941. "- Easter Sunday -"
"It was swell in the morning & we all wore our Easter clothes.
"Annie, Madeline, Hannie & I went out for a walk in the afternoon. It was cloudy & started pouring about 6 o'clock.
"Paul came down Sunday night & brought me a box of chocolates. He didn't stay long because his brother was home & it was the only chance he had to be with him."
Pope Pius XII broadcast an Easter address asking listeners to pray for an early peace. He directed a message to the occupying powers as well, saying, "let your conscience guide you in dealing justly, humanely and providently with the peoples of occupied territories. Do not impose upon them burdens which you in similar circumstances have felt or would feel to be unjust." The pope also called for an end to attacks against civilian targets.
This Pope has often been criticized for not speaking out strongly enough against Hitler and his treatment of European Jews - especially the Jews right in Rome that were rounded up and deported to Aushwitz. I have been interested in this aspect of WWII for a long time, and I have read pros and cons. It will be interesting to see what comes from Pope Francis recently opening up the Vatican Archives containing the documents, papers, etc of Pope Pius XII's papacy.
Monday, April 14, 1941. "I went to church & then Hannie & I went for a walk. It was swell out."
Tuesday, April 15, 1941. "Hannie & I went for a walk after supper. Boy was it hot all day."
200 Luftwaffe bombers attacked Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Wednesday, April 16, 1941. "Hannie & I walked up to Dean Dairy's for an ice cream."
Thursday, April 17, 1941. "Madeline & Barbara O'Connell called for me and we went up to the Paramount to the show. Jimmie Kennedy was there with his sister & he asked me to sit with them so we all sat together. During the show his sister went out & so when it was time to go home he decided to walk down with us. Madeline & Barbara went ahead & when we got to the square, they hid in the furniture store till we went by. That was the last we saw of them. It was a swell night, nice & warm, etc. & Jimmy & I walked around Chestnut St to make it longer. We sat on the wall up there & talked for a while & then came home. It was too nice to come in & we sat on the back steps till almost 1 o'clock. I thought sure Ma would hear me arrive in but I guess she didn't."
I suppose my mother went in the back door. There was a bedroom at the top of the stairs on the left where Ma slept. The kitchen was to the right.
Below is 25 Chestnut Street - St Patrick's Rectory. I wonder if this is the wall that my mother and Jimmie Kennedy were sitting on?
We've seen Barbara O'Connell before - she graduated from Watertown High in 1941.
My mother, Marjorie Whelan, and Barbara O'Connell.
We've seen Jimmie Kennedy before too - he was from Newton and worked at Raytheon.
Friday, April 18, 1941. "Got through at noon today. Hannie & I went to Waltham & I bought a pair of brown & white sport shoes. We walked home & on the way down Main St met the two Mannix boys & some other kid. They walked home with us & were raising cain out in front & one of the old maids opened the window so we beat it. They were acting crazy anyhow.
"Aunt Mary was here & we walked down to the barn with her."
We met the Mannix boys before - they lived the next street over on Cuba Street.
I suppose the old maid was either Minnie or Nellie Courtney who lived downstairs in the house I used to live in at 222 Main Street. Their kitchen and one of the bedroom windows overlooked the driveways for their house and the houses next door.
Saturday, April 19, 1941. "Hannie & I went dancing & had a marvelous time. I danced a lot with Jimmy & Joe & once with Buddy & some other kids. The only thing - I think Joe is mad. I hope he isn't because he really is a nice kid."
Oh Joe! What can I say? I know the outcome!!
A nighttime German air-raid on London killed 13 firefighters, the largest single loss of firefighters in British history.
Sunday, April 20, 1941. "Fidelis Club Communion Breakfast -
"Had a good time at the breakfast with all the old gang.
"Madeline, Gin, Rita O'H & I went for a walk afterwards & took some pictures down by the river.
"Went to the show Sunday night."
According to St Patrick Church's website - http://www.stpatswatertown.org/stpat_history.php:
"In 1935, the Fidelis Club was formed for public high school girls in the parish. Founded by Mrs. Helene Dardis, Fidelis maintained an active year-round program of charitable works, dramatic production, formal dances, and other social events."
My mother belonged to the Fidelis Club and kept in contact with Helene Dardis through the 1990s. I have a 15th Anniversary Fidelis Club program plus some letters from Helene to my mother that I will put in another post.
The picture below is from the late 1930s - early 1940s.
So I was a little confused between the diary entry for today - Sunday, April 20, 1941 and the label for today in my mother's deteriorated scrap book which was "The Gang - April 23, 1941." I don't know how long it took to develop the pictures, but I am assuming she put in the incorrect date when she was putting the pictures in the scrapbook - April 23 was a Wednesday and The Gang was together for the Fidelis Club Communion Breakfast on Sunday, April 20.
My mother, Rita O'Hara, and Virginia/Gin Robbins down by the Charles River in Watertown.
Gin, Madeline, and my mother.
Madeline and my mother in front of the Founders Monument.
Madeline and Gin at the Founders Monument.
The website - https://familypedia.fandom.com/wiki/Watertown_Founders_Monument - reports that: "Watertown, Massachusetts, first known as Saltonstall Plantation, was one of the earliest of the Massachusetts Bay Colony settlements. Founded in early 1630 by a group of settlers (116 households) led by Richard Saltonstall (1586-1661) and George Phillips (1593-1644), it was officially incorporated that same year. The alternate spelling "Waterton" is seen in some early documents.
The original monument was dedicated in 1931, and rededicated in 2009. It consists of a statue of Sir Richard Saltonstall and two bas-reliefs on the sides that showcase two historical moments in Watertown’s history ...
"In 1632 the residents of Watertown protested against being compelled to pay a tax for the erection of a stockade fort at Cambridge; this was the first protest in America against taxation without representation and led to the establishment of representative democracy in the colony."
Rita O'Hara and my mother
Rita O'Hara, Madeline, and my mother.
Rita O'Hara, my mother, Madeline, and Gin.
Annie O'Callahan, Rita O'Hara, Madeline Vaughan, Ellen Manning
Madeline and my mother
I have a couple of pictures of Rita from around this time so I am inserting them here.
Rita and Mary Elizabeth
Monday, April 21, 1941. "Eleanor & I went for a walk & then went to the meeting of St Pat's Alumnus. I felt like an alien."
According to the same St Pat's website - http://www.stpatswatertown.org/stpat_history.php:
"In April of that same year (1935,) the Saint Patrick Alumni Association was started under the guidance of Fr. Riordan. The Alumni Association's dual mission was to aid Saint Patrick schools and to contribute to the welfare of the sisters. Through the years, the Association sponsored countless events, beginning in 1938 with a three day fiftieth anniversary celebration of the grammar school's founding. Six of the original nuns who opened the school were on hand for the festivities.
In addition to annual Christmas parties and Communion breakfasts, the Alumni Association organized its own bowling league, theater group, and book club, all of which thrived through the middle part of the century. Aside from their contributions to school operations, the Association purchased an altar for the convent chapel."
My aunt Peggy Keohane Navin belonged to the bowling league. Maybe my aunt Rita Keohane Walsh did as well. The Alumni Association put on a Communion breakfast for the graduating classes every year in May - mine was in 1968.
Tuesday, April 22. "Madeline came down & we took a walk. We had the worst time getting away from those crazy Mannix kids."
Wednesday, April 23, 1941. "Paul came down & we went for a ride & stopped at Four Acres & had ice cream. We had a lot of fun. Coming in Paul made believe he was drunk & made the worst commotion. He lifted me right off my feet. Got in about 11:00."
What and where was four Acres? I couldn't find anything about it.
Thursday, April 24, 1941. "Hannie & I went to the show up at the Paramount & saw the two craziest pictures. Were they funny! We laughed ourselves silly."
Friday, April 25, 1941. "We got through work today at 3 o'clock. Came home & hung around.
"Helen Ford, Hannie & I went for a walk after supper."
Well, I knew the name Helen Ford but couldn't remember any details so I popped it into www.ancestry.com. I was even more confused - there were so many Fords in Watertown - like all the Gallaghers!
I checked the 1940 US Census and found a couple of Helen Fords. There was a Ford family on Green Street where my mother lived.
John Ford owned 61 Green Street - it was worth $4000. 62 year old John was the head of the family - he was born in Eire - he was a naturalized US Citizen. He lived in the same house in 1935. He worked 44 hours the week of March 24-31. He was a milk man for a retail milk company. He worked 52 weeks in 1939 and made $1100.
John's wife Mary was 66 years old - she was also born in Eire. They had 3 children living with them.
Son Raymond Ford was 31 years old - he was born in Massachusetts - he completed 4 years of college - he worked 30 hours the week of March 24-31. He was a teacher at Watertown High School - he worked 52 weeks in 1939 and made $1600.
Daughter Alice Ford was 29 years old - she completed 4 years of high school - she was an assistant engineer for the modernization of buildings. She worked 52 weeks in 1939 and made $1350. That seems like a good amount back then for a woman.
Daughter Mary was 27 - she was a salesgirl for retail clothing. Looks like she and Alice were not working the week of March 24-31, 1940. She was seeking work. She was out of work in 1939 and had no income.
John and Mary Ford also had 3 grandchildren living with them.
Mary E Ford was 17 years old - she waas attending school and had completed 3 years of high school. She was born in Massachusetts - she was living in Watertown in 1935 but not in this house. Even though she was not seeking work, she was listed as a new worker. She had no income in 1939.
Helen E was another granddaughter - she was 14 - she ws attending school - she had completed 2 years of high school. She lived in Watertown in 1935 but not in this house. She was also not seeking work but ws listed as a new worker. She had no income in 1939.
Mildred A was also a granddaughter - she was 13 - she was attending school and had completed 7th grade. She was living in Watertown in 1935 but not in this house.
I see familiar families as I scroll down the census list - Tierneys, White, McCall.
The other Helen Ford lived at 46 Eliot Street which is up off of Galen Street.
John P Ford was the 55 year old head of the family. He owned his home which was worth $3500. He was born in Massachusetts - he lived in Watertown in 1935 but not in this house. He worked 40 hours the week of March 24-31. He was a clerk for some kind of federal program. He worked 52 weeks in 1939 and made $1976. He had no other income.
His wife was 55 year old Delia Ford who was born in Massachusetts. They had 7 children living with them.
Their son Patrick Ford was 28 years old, single, born in Massachusetts. Does that say he was a checker or a teacher at a municipal ??? - I can't make it out. He worked 52 weeks last year and made $1300. He had no other income.
Their son John R Ford was 27, single, and was born in Massachusetts. He was a salesman for a liquor store. He worked 52 weeks in 1939 and made $1300 - he had no other income.
Their son William Ford was 25, single, and born in Massachusetts. He was a checker for an oil company. He worked 52 weeks in 1939 and made $1040. He had no other income.
Their daughter Helen Ford was 20, single, and was born in Massachusetts. She was a factory worker for a furniture company. She worked 52 weeks in 1939 and made $520.
Their son Edward Ford was 19, single, and born in Massachusetts. He was a student at a public high school.
Their daughter Mary Ford was 17, single, and born in Massachusetts. She was listed as a student at a public high school.
Their son Robert Ford was 14 and was born in Massachusetts. He was a student at a public high school.
I could't find a yearbook picture for either Helen Ford although I found one for Edward Ford of 46 Eliot Street in 1938 and one for Mary Ford of 46 Eliot Street in 1940. So I am not sure which Helen Ford went walking with my mother and Hannie. Maybe someone knows which one she was.
Saturday, April 26, 1941. "Hannie & I went dancing last night & had a pretty good time. Joe was mad at me & only asked me to dance once & boy that's unusual. I guess he was mad because I didn't pay so much attention to him last week. We were sitting in the station waiting for the bus & he came running over to us & sat down. He didn't say much & when the bus came he walked over to the door with us, said 'take it easy' & walked off. I couldn't get over it. I didn't see any of the other kids I know."
Oh god, poor Joe!"
Sunday, April 27, 1941. "Stayed in Sunday afternoon. Hannie, Helen Ford & I went to the show up at the Embassy. It was pouring rain."
Monday, April 28, 1941. "Madeline, Gin, Norma, Ellen, Ursula and I went roller skating. We had a lot of fun. Had our pictures taken. They're a scream."
Tuesday, April 29, 1941. "Stayed in & washed my hair."
Wednesday, April 30, 1941. "Nothing doing."
I only inserted part of this page because my mother came back in 1943 and started writing diary entries at the bottom of this and some of the following pages.
That's another month down - there aren't many more entries for 1941. So let's get onto May 1941.
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