The Richard Burton Diaries (20 page)

11 Sunday
Had a new preacher who gave us a very long winded sermon but which was quite nice.

12 Monday
Went down the Coop for Sis and changed my library book the same time. Cleaned the windows also. Went to Cach to see Will Hay in
Where's That Fire?
¹⁸⁶

13 Tuesday
I was supposed to fit for a suit but I came home too late from Glen Parkhouse's. Did a lot of work today for Sis. Helped Peter Dan to push his cart up the hill. I won 2d off Eddie Miles and 2d off ‘Bonehead’ Jenkins.

14 Wednesday
Went down Parkhouse's again this morn. Played Monopoly with Palmer, Plum and Parkhouse, Parkhouse won. We have been having many raids. We had 4 last night and at least one every night previous to it for 4 or 5 weeks.

15 Thursday
This morning I had a letter off Davey asking me to take his bag and kit down to Llantwit Major for him. So I decided to go down there tomorrow. He sent 3/- for expenses. Went down Glen Parkhouse's practically all day. I came away all square with everyone.

16 Friday
Caught the 11.30 bus to Bridgend and the 1.52 from Bridgend to Llantwit. Went to Police Station and met Davey and his pals – They are a jolly lot.
¹⁸⁷
Inspected the Town and the new cinema. Davey gave 10/- to Sis and 1/2 crown to me – I took it all.

17 Saturday
Last night I walked up to Ponty with Hilda all the way, during which walk, which was at the dead of night, there was an air raid. Will and Cassie came home [...]
¹⁸⁸
I had some fine ties this week off Dai and Ivor. Pair of shoes too.

18 Sunday
Dr Rees back today. He gave us a decent sermon but not very enjoyable. Will came to Chapel. He is home on leave. Cassie came too.

19 Monday
Started school.
¹⁸⁹
I am in Form Vm.
¹⁹⁰
Gerwyn Williams has stayed on and the prospects of a good rugby team are much brighter.
¹⁹¹
At least ten of last year's team are eligible, while there are some good youngsters who might fill in the gaps. Brin Phillips etc.

20 Tuesday
Met the new Gym master who is the Tout's brother. His name is of course Mr Davies but most of the boys call him the second Tout.
¹⁹²
Had a decent day. Voted for Gerwyn Williams for Captain but Clifford Owen was picked. He is alright but not so good as Gin.

21 Wednesday
Cliff Owen has arranged a football practice for tomorrow night. The team is up on the board. If Archie Davies comes back to school we should have a very strong team this season. I have had a new or practically new pair of shoes off Ivor (once Will's).

22 Thursday
Had the football practice on the Plough – formerly destined for the Island (Margam) because there is a balloon in the Park. The Gym master picked me as leader of the pack. I have my best shoes a fortnight now. This is in case of arguments.

23 Friday
Had training in the Gym after school. We had about
³
/
₄
hr of Post-ball.
¹⁹³
We won 15–13. Form Vt won't play us in Post-ball. Had the steel frame of an incendiary bomb which was dropped in Llantwit Major. Cassie went to see Dai and brought it back.

24 Saturday
Went to Pictures – Saved 2/- to put in the fund for Co-op Clearance. Met Eric Nelson and we went to the shelter in the Park when the Siren went. There was much fun there. There were many bombs dropped. There were six air raids today.

25 Sunday
Went to chapel as usual. I am going to put 2/- in the penny bank tomorrow if all goes well. Started Chocolate club with Auntie Win. Gave 6d.

26 Monday
Had football practice with the new gym master. He has put me leader of the pack. Put 2/- in the bank. Went to the Regent with Will to see
Juarez
.
¹⁹⁴
It was an enjoyable picture. Bette Davis and Paul Muni were the stars. John Garfield was also in it.

27 Tuesday
We had Gym today and it was very enjoyable. Will went back today. He went at 9.20. He has left his overcoat here probably for me. Later Thomas Henry came and told Sis [...] that Will had said that I was to have the coat.

28 Wednesday
School as usual. Life and work in Vm is much the same as usual. I have been flaunting different ties every day. I have about 40 ties all different.
¹⁹⁵
My suit will be ready a fortnight Saturday. I picked a blue striped one double breast.

29 Thursday
Just as we were going to go out for football practice after school the air raid warning went and we had to stop practice. Was I angry? Went down Parkhouse's to play Monopoly. We played 3 games. I won two.

30 Friday
Sis, Elfed and I went to fetch blackberries. We collected about 9
¹
/
₂
; pints all together. I went by myself and I had nearly 3 pints. Sis and Elfed are supposed to have found a fine spot somewhere in the Goytre Valley.
¹⁹⁶
I'm thinking of going up tomorrow.

31 Saturday
At first I did not intend going to the pictures as it would alter my budget but as Hilda and Edie contributed 9d to me and my fund and [I] went. I did not go to fetch blackberries as I thought. [...]

SEPTEMBER

1 Sunday
Did not go to Chapel as usual in the morning but went and read a psalm to start school in the noon.

2 Monday
Last night we had the worst air raid of the war. Over 200 people were killed in Swansea, and Ben Evans, the market and Marks and Spencers were hit while Swansea Station was completely wrecked.
¹⁹⁷

3 Tuesday
I am going to try hard in school this year. We are having continued air raids. Skewen oil works is still burning and there is a black pall of smoke over the sky.
¹⁹⁸
There are now 42 barrage balloons within sight.
¹⁹⁹

4 Wednesday
Oil works still burning. Final trial on school field tomorrow. [...] Mr Burton has not come back yet. We had chem practical today. It was jolly interesting too. Had an excellent result.

5 Thursday
We had films in school describing the production of oil. In parts interesting. In other parts it was dry. Had games. I think that it is going to be a massacre Saturday for the Old Boys. Let's hope not.

6 Friday
Argument in school whether to play Cochlin or Parkhouse on the wing Saturday. I voted for Parkhouse but Cochlin played.
²⁰⁰
Mitched school and went with Sis to fetch blackberries.
²⁰¹
Had 9
¹
/
₂
pints. Farmer warned us off.

7 Saturday
Led the pack against the Old Boys. They much too heavy for us. We lost 22–3. It was a good game but Elwyn Bowen stand off half for the other team simply tore through our Team.
²⁰²
Colin Eynon scored our try [...]

8 Sunday
Did not go to chapel all day because Sis said I was not fit to go until I have my new suit next Sunday.

9 Monday
Played football at blind side wing forward.
²⁰³
I am wondering whether he intends keeping me in that position. I hope so. Tom Mainwaring is back in school again.
²⁰⁴
Played football with us. Pretty good too.

10 Tuesday
I intended stopping in and doing homework but Phillips came and sent a little boy up later, so I went with him. Papers did not come in until 6 o'clock tonight. It is very annoying. London bombed fiercely from end to end.

11 Wednesday
School as usual except that we are having films by Gas companies and Ford motors etc. which are not very interesting but offer
a relief from the monotony of school life. Mr Burton says there's a long new film coming.

12 Thursday
This morning Stanley Jones gave me a letter from Edie.
²⁰⁵
Inside it was another letter from Will. It contained half a crown. That night I went to the Cach and did not tell Sis. It was quite a good show starring Richard Green and Dix.
²⁰⁶

13 Friday
This morning the milkboy told Sis that he had seen me in the Cach eating chocolates etc. but I denied it and she believed me – at least I think so – although it was no crime. We had Burton today – very interesting talk on Essays.

14 Saturday
Fetched 6 pints of blackberries this morning and I sold them all. The sale realized 1/6 each for Sis and I. Went to Regent in the night – it was pretty good. Uncle Charles gave me 6d. I am not going to get papers for Aunt Ede again.

15 Sunday
Determined to work hard at school and break all records by passing matric 1st time.
²⁰⁷
Very few Vm boys have ever done it.

16 23rd Monday
²⁰⁸
I am practically certain of being in the school play. We had football down Margam. It was a jolly game. Mr Sanderson was there and his remarks were not complimentary.
²⁰⁹

17 Tuesday
We are supposed to play Cardiff Saturday. In the play I am the American ambassador, Mr Vanhattan, to London.
²¹⁰
[...]

18 Wednesday
Mr Burton had the rest of the people there but he didn't want me as I am only in one act that is the last one.

19 Thursday
Supposed to play football but went to Burton instead. Had a nice time. He told me to modulate my voice a little more as I sounded like a gangster not an American who has been educated.
²¹¹

20 Friday
Whitchurch cancelled their match. – Very disappointed but as they are a lot of Swanks it is not so important.
²¹²

21 Saturday
Edie came down today and gave me a 1/- which was very acceptable under the circumstances in which I was in. She asked me if I had the letter from Will.

22 Sunday
Went to Chapel as usual. Gave a 1/- to Peggy from Mrs Rees which I had last Sunday.

23 16th Monday
²¹³
I am writing now just to fill up space as I haven't written for a fortnight and it is very difficult to fill up space. We are playing against Tonyrefail home on Saturday. They have a poor team this year.

24 Tuesday
Had Chem and other lessons as usual. All the boys are going to put up the football posts tomorrow night down Eastern Ground. Ginger is persuading me to help.
²¹⁴

25 Wednesday
We all went down and you should have seen the try lines they were more like a briar stick than a straight line. We made a miscalculation by making the top try line 67 yards long and the bottom 70 yards.
²¹⁵

26 Thursday
Most of the boys went down again to ‘dig for victory’. I am not sure but I think I went to the pictures. Simeon Jones is a great support.
²¹⁶
He'll turn up anywhere.

27 Friday
Although the boys have been working all the week only today did they put the posts up while we had Geography. Cliff Owen put up the team but I made him change it and put Mog Griffiths in.
²¹⁷

28 Saturday
Played Tonyrefail. I led the pack fairly well. We only played 25 minutes each way but that was enough. We won 14–0. We had them beaten in every way. Went to pictures with the gang including T. George.

29 Sunday
Went to chapel all day as I have had my new suit. I have written on the wrong page.

30 Monday
I sneaked away today from school and did not play football. Joe James was caught and was made to do graphs by Tadpole and so I think he will take games from now on.
²¹⁸

OCTOBER

1 Tuesday
We had an air raid siren during Chemistry which was very welcome. When we came back we had films so missing nearly all the morning. It is rumoured that we have a fortnight holiday.

2 Wednesday
We had two air raids today and they were very welcome. I am afraid that this business will stop from now on and air raids will be given only during greatest danger.

3 Thursday
Had 3 air raids during school hours today and they were very acceptable. I forgot to say that Dai sent Sis a quid and weren't we glad. Played football up the field with Mr Davies. He has a fine kick on him. G.W. broke his shoulder.
²¹⁹

4 Friday
Team picked. Alb Morris in pack although he does not turn out for practice. Did a pile of homework tonight. Uncle Charles was there. I meant to have my togs mended but it is too late now.

5 Saturday
Played Ogmore today.
²²⁰
Wore good overcoat. We won, after a shaky [start] in first half, when we were losing 3–nil, to finally win 12–3. We had a good meal and milk was quite a surprise.

6 Sunday
Went to Chapel. Will came home yesterday bringing his wife and children with him.

7 Monday
Did not go down to play football on the Eastern ground. I went up the Plough and Mr Davies (Hist) told me that we did not shove enough in the scrums (i.e. the W-forwards
²²¹
) [...]

8 Tuesday
We haven't had any long air raids lately during school hours. Rain is coming now. Pelting down and filling up the reservoirs for us. For the last three months we haven't had any water in the nights – a very dry summer.

9 Wednesday
I heard Burton tell ‘Pop’ that he was going to London to see a Mr Shaw. I wonder if it is the Great G.B.
²²²
Possibly. We had a doubles of geom instead with Pop and couldn't he teach. We have a fortnight's hols. this week.

10 Thursday
Had a terrible row today. Elfed told me to go back to Pontrhydyfen. I walked up to Cwmafan. I hate the sight of Elfed. I am going to ask Daddy to take me back home where I can go to work.
²²³
I could never stay home now. Sis went to Dad James.