Monday, March 27, 2017

My Grandmother's Diary ~ Part 16, July 8 - 19, 1920


Cabot Street (downtown) in Beverly, Massachusetts 1915

This is the 16th installment of my grandmother's diary from 1920.  Her name was Gertrude Hitchings (1905 - 2001), and she was living on Elliott Street in Beverly, Massachusetts.  The diary is a tiny 3", and every Monday I publish a new section, with transcriptions of the tiny handwriting.  You can read the first installment HERE.  I'll post more of this diary every week for Amanuensis Monday.



THURS. JULY 8, 1920
Got up at 7.45 went
over to Butler’s all morn
ing after dinner layed
down slept all afternoon
After supper went down
Ella’s.  Marion down there, too
Came home went to bed at 10

FRIDAY 9
Got up at 7.30 over
Mrs. Butler’s all morning.  After
dinner went downtown came
home, stayed home all after
noon.  Ma & Pa up Russell’s
Ella up after supper stayed
Around the house bed at 10.15

SATURDAY 10
Got up at 7.45 went over
Butlers all the morning
stayed home all afternoon
Mr. Lowell over. Around the
house all evening went down the
store went to bed at 10.30

NOTE:   It must have been hot weather again.  Sleeping during the hottest part of the day was a coping method in the days before air conditioning.  Gertrude mentions her cousin Marion, friend Ella, and that Ma & Pa were at her married brother Russell's house. Mr. Lowell, the boarder was home (he seems to be there on most weekends).  

SUN. JULY 11, 1920
Got up at 9.15 went over to
Butlers a little while home the
rest of the morning.  After dinner
Ella & I took a walk
Over Kernwood came home then
went to ride with Brick & Eunice
over North B.  Bed at 10.30

MONDAY 12
Got up at 7.30 worked
all morning over Butlers
After dinner went to Idle-
wood with Brick.  Stayed
home all the evening
went to bed at 9.45

TUESDAY 13
Got up at 6.45 over to Butlers
part of the morning. Helen
and baby up all day.  Went to
ride with Gladys.  Home all
evening bed at 10.30


NOTE:  Gertrude mentions working over at Mrs. Butler's again.  She also mentions her friends Ella, Brick and Gladys, and her sisters Eunice and Helen.   A walk to Kernwood probably included crossing the bridge into North Salem.  She visited Idlewood Park in Wenham again.  This was a popular summer place for swimming, boating and music - and it was on the trolley line from Beverly.   



WED. JULY 14, 1920
Got up at 6.45 went
over Butlers a little while
home the rest of the morning
After went over Butlers sized
my sweater.  After supper
went to ride.  Ella & I slept
in the tent bed at 10-

THURSDAY 15
Got up at 7.15 went over
Mrs. Butler’s at 8.15 came
home and went downtown at
11.  Over Mrs. Butler’s all after
noon knitting.  After supper
stayed around the house
went to bed at 10.00

FRIDAY 16
Got up at 7.15 went
berrying all day up ??
walked both ways got 3
quarts came home at 6
stayed home all even
ing and went to bed at 9.45

NOTE:  Gertrude mentions "sizing her sweater" - she was a very busy knitter all her life.  She went downtown, which would have looked a lot like the 1915 postcard you can see at the top of this blog post.   She slept in the tent again (must be another heat wave).  I can't figure out where she went berrying, but she was gone all day. 


SAT. JULY 17, 1920
Got up at 7.30 worked
over to Butlers all morn
ing came home after dinner
worked around the house.
Mr. Lowell came over after
supper went down Ella’s
came home at 9.30 bed at 11

SUNDAY 18
Got up at 9 went over
Butlers a little while
Eunice & I and Gordon went
up to Russells & spent the
day came home at 5.30
out on the piazza all
the evening bed at 9.45

MONDAY 19
Got up at 7.30 went over
Mrs Butlers all morning
After dinner went down
Marion’s until 4:30 After
supper went to ride with
Brick.  Went to bed at 10.30

NOTE: Gertrude mentions working at Mrs. Butlers, and Mr. Lowell, the boarder, was back for the weekend.  She went to her brother Russell's house with her siblings Eunice and Gordon.   It must still be hot because they spent the evening on the piazza (old fashioned word for the front porch).   She visited her cousin Marion Hoogerzeil and went to ride (bicycle? trolley car?) with her friend Brick.  


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Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "My Grandmother's Diary ~ Part 16, July 8 - 19, 1920", Nutfield Genealogy, posted March 27, 2017,  ( http://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2017/03/my-grandmothers-diary-part-16-july-8-19.html: accessed [access date]). 

1 comment:

  1. What a wonderful possession to have. These glimpses into our ancestors daily life are precious.
    I have a diary from my Mom, and until now I hadn't thought of including it in my blog. I also have my grandmother's notebook, which I have written about many times.

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