Extracts from diary of John C Whitehead, age 17; (the full version is shown below)

describing his cycling holiday to Somerset in July 1940

(edited version read by Richard and Paul at his funeral 27^th July 2010)  

My holidays this year began on Saturday  July 20^th.  I wanted to get two or three things that morning; cycle shorts, a three-speed cable and carrier support for my saddlebag.  All of these things I got from the High Street, and on arriving home, I found dinner ready for me.

In the afternoon, St Georges were due to play East Ham Corinthians at Wadham Lodge.  We batted first, and put up a fairly respectable score of 93, my contribution being 17.  Chinnock was the highest scorer with 27, and after me was Tollett with 15. 

Sunday 21^st July 1940

After breakfast, Norah, Zita, Guy, Anthony and myself went to 11.30 Mass, and when we came out, by some strange coincidence, Lily Sawyer was walking along just outside, and so I asked her, now I had the chance, if she had my cricket bat.  She said she did still have it, and so I said I would come along and pick it up; which I did.

Dinner, and then I prepared to wash a shirt, a pair of pyjamas and a pair of socks.  Clare showed me how to do it, and so, unfortunately, I have no excuse next time there’s anything to be washed!

I got through them alright, and went up to the front room for a well-earned rest!

Monday 22^nd July 1940

About 9.15 I got up and had a short breakfast.  I had quite a lot to do that day.  I wanted to see about an emergency ration card, get my crank straightened on my bike, get my hair cut, and finally to clean my bike. 

Tuesday 23^rd July 1940

At precisely 6.17am, I was awaked by the alarum clock.  The great day had come, and I kicked off by making a cup of tea.

At Hungerford I bought about a shilling’s worth of chocolates, and sweets.  I always find it better to eat these things rather than cooked meals while cycling, because, although the cooked meals may have more energy, sweets and chocolates (also fruit) are not half so heavy. 

I finally arrived on the top of East Pennard Hill 7.25 (after 137 miles in a little under eleven hours).

My bed had to be fixed up after I came, but it is comfortable and that’s all any tired person cares about.

Wednesday 24^th July 1940

When I arrived in Glastonbury, I went to Voakes the butchers, and no sooner had I got into the shop, than he was talking to me as though he had known me for years.  I bought all that week’s rations there. 

Thursday 25^th July 194 0

June came back from school with Doreen and Margaret and Hula Higden.  Curiously enough, all four girls wanted to play cricket, and so, we played.  They seemed to think it was great fun to watch me chase all over the field after the ball.  After supper,  we went out to listen to the aeroplanes and watch the searchlights, and heard the Air Raid Warnings go at Glastonbury, Wells, Street, and Shepton.  We had a perfect view of everything, but no bombs were dropped, nor were any shells fired at the planes.  Good clean sport, I call it!

Friday  26^th July 1940

After dinner, I went down to the farm and helped Roy to mend a mowing machine.  Then I tried hay cutting but was not too successful at that.  I then had a look round the rest of the farm – feeding the pigs, watching the cows milked, and inevitably, collecting some apples from the orchard.

Here and there were men finishing off the harvest, while over towards Glastonbury, the sun slowly sank beneath the horizon.

Cheddar    Saturday 27^th July 1940  (70 years ago to the day)

Now for the first time in my life, I am at Cheddar Gorge.  Huge grey rocks tower up each side of the road, making a glorious picture.  The road winds its way twistingly up with the rocks guarding it on either side.  An old couple are now going up, walking, no doubt glad that their eyesight is not yet failing.  All is peaceful.  The quiet seems too quiet, and rings in my ears.  Occasionally a bird sings and a bee buzzes past.  A young couple are now walking up, arm in arm, and obviously in love, who could be otherwise in such beautiful surroundings.  This wonderful sight makes one forget that there is such ugliness in the world.  Here and now, peacefulness and quietness reign supreme, and nature throws open its remote secrets for all to see.  

And whether the gorge is spoiled or not, the memory of today’s sight will always remain with me.  

Diary of John Whitehead (full version)

 Holidays 1940

My holidays this year began on Saturday  July 20^th and as might be expected, I didn’t get up especially early.  I wanted to get two or three things that morning; cycle shorts, a three-speed cable and carrier support for my saddlebag.  All of these things I got from the High Street, and on arriving home, I found dinner ready for me.

In the afternoon, St Georges were due to play East Ham Corinthians at Wadham Lodge.  We batted first, and put up a fairly respectable score of 93, my contribution being 17.  Chinnock was the highest scorer with 27, and after me was Tollett with 15.  East Ham Corinthians started badly by losing a wicket after two runs had been scored, but held together until they had lost seven wickets for 64 runs.  Up to this point, Staffell and Skelt had been bowling fairly well, and then Skelt was taken off for Cawse.  This I think lost the match.  Slowly but surely the score crept along, 70 to 80, 80 to 90, 90 to 92, and then a 4 to win the match.  Staffell was then taken off and Blaker was put on to bowl.  Still, these two batsmen kept together but at last, after they had taken the score from 64 to 122, they were separated.  Cawse continued to bowl and it was obvious he was keeping himself on to get a wicket, and presumably make his average look better.  He didn’t get that last wicket; Tollett got him with his third ball!

148 they had scored, and they deserved every single one of them.

Clare, Anthony and Guy were at home when I arrived there, having been drenched by a shower.  In the evening I stayed in and listened to the radio, and so to bed about 11 o’clock.  Guy and Zita had commandeered my bed, and so just as on the corresponding night of last year, I slept in the front room.  Unfortunately, I couldn’t get to sleep and whatever I did, I still stayed awake.  About 12.30, however, I managed to get to sleep and so the first day of my holidays had passed.

  Sunday 21^st July 1940

I woke and dressed immediately, at a quarter to nine.  After breakfast, Norah, Zita, Guy, Anthony and myself went to 11.30 Mass, and when we came out, needless to say it was raining.  By some strange coincidence, Lily Sawyer was walking along just outside, and so I asked her, now I had the chance, if she had my cricket bat.  She said she did still have it, and so I said I would come along and pick it up; which I did.

Dinner, and then I prepared to wash a shirt, a pair of pyjamas and a pair of socks.  Clare showed me how to do it, and so, unfortunately, I have no excuse next time there’s anything to be washed!

I got through them alright, and went up to the front room for a well-earned rest!

Norah went back to Ruislip with Clare and the two boys after tea, and said she would be staying with her until Wednesday.

Zita and I went to the evening service, and, although I had expected Pat King to be there, she was not.  The next best thing was John Coleman, and we went for a walk round the Hollow Pond at Whipp’s Cross, and so to home and bed once more.

Although I went to bed soon after 11, again I couldn’t go to sleep.  Excitement, no doubt.  Eventually, however, it must have been 12.30 before I got to sleep.

Monday 22^nd July 1940

About 9.15 I got up and had a short breakfast.  I had quite a lot to do that day.  I wanted to see about an emergency ration card, get my crank straightened on my bike, get my hair cut, and finally to clean my bike.  Besides this,I had my shoes mended, the first thing I did in the High Street.

I ‘phoned Pat King at her office and on being put through to extension 81, was told she was in the strongroom.  I had not seen her since the previous Wednesday so it was a pleasant change to speak to her again, although over the telephone.  There was nothing exciting to talk about and so I said goodbye to her for the next fortnight.  This however was not to be so.

I had my dinner and then settled down to my last job which was to clean my bike.  This took from about 2 ‘til 7, a slow but well-done job.

Inevitably, I had to go out on it, just to try it out and while in Shern Hall Street, decided to ‘phone Roy.  There was nothing I had to tell him except that I would be going away the following day.  While I was still speaking to him, I noticed Pat, Kathleen Clark, and Olive going home from tennis.  I said a hurried goodbye to Roy, and needless to say, spoke to the girls.

To cut a long story short, my early night was after midnight.  It’s not often I have to leave anyone for a fortnight.  I assured her it wouldn’t be very long before I was back again, but that when I came home, we would start all over again!!!!!!  Nothing like trying!

 Tuesday 23^rd July 1940

At precisely 6.17am, I was awaked by the alarum clock, and jumped out of bed as fresh as a ---- well.  I crawled out of bed!  The great day had come, and I kicked off by making a cup of tea.  I intended leaving at 8.0, but by this, I knew I’d be away by at least 9.0, which wasn’t too bad.  Actually, I left at 8.30, on the stroke, having said cheerio to Ma & Zita.

I was wearing my cycling shorts, and noticed immediately they were easier, and much more comfortable for cycling.

There was only a very slight breeze, but it was inclined to be rather cold at first.  I snapped into it at once, with the hope of reaching Devizes by the evening.  My progress was much better than anticipated, and reached Slough (29mls) in 5 minutes under two hours.  It was still very dull, and from Maidenhead (35mls by 10.40) to Reading (47mls by 11.25) it rained slightly.  For over 20mls now, I had been following two or three different lorries, which helped me a great deal.  The first 50 miles I had covered in just over three hours, and, on the whole, was pretty good progress.  It was about here, at about 11.30, and overa third of the journey completed, I thought of trying the whole distance in a single day.  I arrived at Newbury (65 miles) at 12.35, and decided to rest on Coronation bench for 25 minutes until 1 o’clock.

The next stop was Hungerford, and here, I bought about a shilling’s worth of chocolates, and sweets.  I always find it better to eat these things rather than cooked meals while cycling, because, although the cooked meals may have more energy, sweets and chocolates (also fruit) are not half so heavy.  I passed through Marlborough (82mls) at 2.15, and at Silbury Mount (88mls at 2.45) I stopped for a quarter of an hour for a cup of tea.  Up to Reading, the road had been very plain,but from there onwards, it was very hilly.  At Devizes (96mls at 3.25) I stopped ten minutes for an ice, and thence to Trowbridge (107mls) where I arrived at 4.25.

8 hrs cycling had put on 108 miles, and although the average speed was going down, I still felt strong enough to complete the journey in one day.  Between Trowbridge and Frome (115 mls at 5.25) I was cycling along with an A.A. man who told me he had been at that job for 19 years, all except the first eight months of the war.  He said he was wounded in France on 16^th September, because a French soldier had tipped the Germans where our soldiers were.....

I arrived at Shepton (126mls) at 6.25 and here turned left, along Roman Road, toward Wraxhall and on to Forfoot.  I passed through Sottisham at five past seven, and finally arrive on the top of East Pennard Hill (137mls) at 7.25!

June saw me first and hardly recognised me, but Auntie Lily and Uncle Bob both knew me at once.  They have a fair haired six year old girl, Corinne Knight with them, evacuated from Shoreditch.  We had some tea, then talked, supper, and then more talk.  Appearently,  June has been out of hospital only five weeks.  She had her toncils (sic) and adenoids out, but looks fairly well now.

And, once again, to bed.  It’s after midnight, this time it’s 12.10.  My bed had to be fixed up after I came, but it is confortable and that’s all any tired person cares about.

 Wednesday 24^th July 1940

It was about 9.15 when I woke, and I dressed and washed immediately.  It was raining, but, as everyone who had hoped, thought, it would soon clear up.  In fact, after breakfast, it did stop raining for a time, and then, I thought, was my best time to go into Glastonbury.  I left about 12.0, when it was raining only slightly, but when I arrived in Glastonbury, it coming down in bucketsful.  I went to Voakes the butchers, and no sooner had I got into the shop, than he was talking to me as though he had known me for years.  I bought all that week’s rations then, and when I returned to East Pennard, needless to say, I took a wrong turning. 

Everyone was, presumably, at dinner, and even if they weren’t, they were taking shelter somewhere.  This combined with no signposts was not much fun, but fortunately, I recognised cousin Jessie’s house, and found my way back that way.  After dinner, I had a short rest, and, later on in the afternoon the rain cleared off and at last some blue sky was showing.  In the evening after tea, I went to Sottisham to see the Millers and curiously enough, they have one boy evacuated on them from Mansfield Road Walthamstow!

Immediately, Mr Miller turned the conversation to the War, and whatever anyone said to try and get away from it, he would keep on returning to it.  He seemed so concerned about everything, especially currency.  Unlike a lot of people, he does think for himself, right or wrong.  Mrs Miller seemed as young as ever she was, although she looks a bit older.  I stayed to supper there, and, after manay attempts, managed to get away aboiut 11.20.  Still, I went to bed a bit earlier that night, neither before or after midnight.

 Thursday 25^th July 194 0

I woke at the same as the previous day, dressed, washed and had breakfast as usual, exactly as on the previous day.  The weather that morning was quite dry, but it was dull and cloudy.  About 11, I set out for Wells, and proceeded to the Cathedral to watch the clock strike 12.0.  After, I sent off cards to Ma, Pat, Roy, and Pat King.  I then went on to Glastonbury, found out the times of Masses on Sundays (8.30 & 10.30) and then back to East Pennard.

After dinner, we prepared for a party June was having, since it was her birthday yesterday.  Eventually June came back from school with Doreen and Margaret and Hula Higden, one of June’s friends.  Curiously enough, all four girls wanted to play cricket, and so, we played.  They seemed to think it was great fun to watch me chase all over the field after the ball.  The five girls had their tea first, and then Auntie, Uncle and myself had ours in peace.  Later I went out and played with them again, this time rounders, but it was not too successful.  Then everyone tried standing on their hands.  They even had me at it, but dignity never was one of my virtues.  About nine o’clock, June and I took the other three girls home, and it was then that I saw Cousin Jessie, and old Uncle Bob.  They both never seem to change much, always about the same.  The two evacuated children they have with them, Terry and John Hall, seem rather an unusual type of child to find in Somerset.  Needless to say, they come from London.

After supper, at the 11 o’clock news, we went out to listen to the aeroplanes and watch the searchlights.  Roy Creed came along while we were standing there, and about two minutes to 12, we heard the Air Raid Warnings go at Glastonbury, Wells, Street, and Shepton.  There we stayed watching until about 1.10, and finally went  to bed about 1.15.  We had a perfect view of everything, but no bombs were dropped, nor were any shells fired at the planes.  Good clean sport, I call it!

 Friday  26^th July 1940

This morning, I intended to go to Glastonbury, and then on to Butleigh Monument.  I set out about 11.15, but at West Pennard, I realised I had a puncture in my back tyre.  I mended this in about a quarter of an hour, but had not sooner got back on the bike again, than it was flat.  I stopped again, and took off the whole tyre, but could find no puncture anywhere.  I put the tyre back on again, and blew it up, and this time it was OK.  Apparently, I had not pumped it up hard enough the first time!

I arrived eventually at Glastonbury, and then went straight on through towards Butleigh.  I must have missed a turning, for I passed the monument a long way down towards the left.  On the way back, I called at Mr Brown’s Garage, to ask him to go to Keinton the following day to pick up Mr and Mrs Knight, Corinne’s parents, who were to stay for the weekend.  After dinner, I went down to the farm and helped Roy to mend a mowing machine.  Then I tried hay cutting but was not too successful at that.  I then had a look round the rest of the farm – feeding the pigs, watching the cows milked, and inevitably, collecting some apples from the orchard.

After tea, I went for a short walk in a field down the hill, while Auntie, June and Corinne went down to Parbrook to have their hair cut.  It was a wonderful scene.  Fields of every shade of green, bounded by hedges of all shapes and sizes.  Here and there, were men finishing off the harvest, while over towards Glastonbury, the sun slowly sank beneath the horizon.

Corinne went to bed about soon after 9.0.  June hadn’t felt too well during the early morning, and so hadn’t been to school.

We had supper about 10.0, and as usual, listened to the 11 o’clock news on 347 metres.  Immediately after the news we went outside to watch the display of searchlights, and listen to the bombers.  Suddenly, when we weren’t expecting it, we heard four dull thuds – bombs, but they were some distance away.  Roy Creed came up about the usual time, and told us the air raid warning was sounded about 10.30.  Soon everything quietened again, and we went to bed about 12.45.  I had not been in bed two minutes when I heard Uncle Bob telling me he could see gunfire in the distance.  Sure enough, there it was, and although we could see the shells exploding, we could not hear them.  We heard later they were at Weymouth. 

 Saturday 27^th July 1940

Today, I wanted to go to Cheddar and although it was dry out, it did not look too promising.  I left East Pennard soon after 11 o’clock, and said I would return about five o’clock since Mrs and Mr Knight, parents of Corinne, who were expected for the weekend, were to arrive soon after six o’clock.

It was more cloudly when I arrived in Wells, and suddenly the rain began; fortunately I was near a shop with the blind down, so I stood under that.  I could see it would be some time before it stopped raining, and so entered the shop, ostensibly to get some cigarettes.  There I remained from about 12 until 1.10, when it stopped raining.  I then went to the Post Office and sent off more post cards, this time to Ma, Holt, Warren, Staffel, Clare and Kitty.  The weather still looked rather doubtful but at last there was a little blue sky.  I had a small lunch, and about 2 o’clock, started from Wells to Cheddar, a distance of about 8 miles.  The road was slightly hilly but there was no steep hill all the way.

Eventually I arrived at Cheddar and went immediately to the Gorge.  It is a really marvellous sight, and, personally, I can think of no words to describe it.  It has to be seen to be believed.  I had seen pictures of it but they show nothing of the real beauty of the Gorge.  At the bottom, there are buildings, hotels, tearooms, the entrances to the caves, and advertizements.  All these are artificial.  A few old cottages, and the stream.

Now for the first time in my life, I am at Cheddar Gorge.  Huge grey rocks tower up each side of the road, making a glorious picture.  These rocks lean right over, sometimes a long way out of perpendicular.  They are covered with grass and bushes, which sway gently in the cool breeze.  The sun is shining brilliantly, but there are clouds in the sky, which when they blot out the light of the sun, show more clearly the strength and age of the rocks.  The road, a narrow tarred road, winds its way twistingly up with the rocks guarding it on either side.  A car is now going down, and the people inside are looking from side to side, scarcely knowing where to look next.  An old couple are now going up, walking, no doubt glad that their eyesight is not yet failing.  And now, once more, all is peaceful.  The quiet seems too quiet, and rings in my ears.  Occasionally, a bird sings, and then, a bee buzzes past.  But now, to bring me back to reality, an aeroplane zooms overhead.  Now, an army lorry is going up, and when it gets to the top, backfires, the noise of which echoes right round the top of the rocks like thunder.  A young couple are now walking up, arm in arm, and obviously in love, who could be otherwise in such beautiful surroundings.  This wonderful sight makes one forget that there is such ugliness in the world.  Glad and happy memories are often drowned in sadness and bitterness, but here, and now, there is no happiness or ugliness.  Peacefulness and quietness reign supreme here, and nature throws open its remote secrets for all to see.

And so, I suppose, it will always remain.  Through Summer and Winter, good times and bad, happiness and unhappiness, these rocks will always remain Somerset’s most treasured spot.  And yet, in all its beauty, it may be spoilt.  Where there are beauty spots, there is money to be made.  And, since money is artificial and only a standard of value, so also if the beauty of these rocks is tampered with, then, and then only, will their value lessen. 

An example of this is already there.  At the bottom of the gorge, there are entrances to the caves.  I doubt if it is possible for them to look any more artificial.  Needless to say, one has to pay to go into the caves.  An illustration of the power of money to exploit the beauty of nature.  But whether the gorge is spoiled or not, the memory of today’s sight will always remain with me.

letter

“.....situation, and am trying to make the best of a bad job.  But I won’t go further labouring you with my matrimonial complications.  It’s hard enough trying to solve it myself, without worrying others to help me.

But now, owing to the rapidity with which the hands of the clock are travelling, I must close.

All the best (or whatever a sailor’s farewell is!)

John”

 To Roy, written 6.7.41 sent 6.7.41

“....Your ideas about starting a business after the war, having a car, having a flat or cottage, all certainly worth very great consideration.  These things are easy to think about, but, like getting to Heaven, it’s damnably hard.”

Diary entry Sunday 7^th December 1947

“Dance at St Augustine’s with Anne.  Sing Song in pub first.  Round Two begins!”

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