| StorageSite | UCL Institute of Education |
| Description | Diary starts with Turkish vocabulary list.
Mar 1 1942 Church Farm Buckland, Aylesbury, "As paper is so mch wanted I will use up this book, wh. I fear isn't likely to get many more Turkish words added to it"; visited Nelsons.
Mar 2 Gerry brought eight of her children over for a half term holiday treat; saw eclipse of the moon.
Mar 3 concerns about developments in the middle, and far east.
Mar 5 48 Clarendon Road "I have broken out of my long emprisonment and come out by train to town."; Fry went to the dentist; lunch with M Turner; attended a meeting to celebrate Ethiopia's independence with speakers including Sylvia Pankhurst, Lord Wedgewood, Princess Tenagne Work, and various others; walked deserted paths in Regent's Park to get a taxi; Joan to supper; M reports of argument between Churchill and Beaverbrook.
Mar 6 Buckland, Fry comments that she didn't see as much destruction as she expected [in London] "but the shuttered shops told of hidden wounds"; went to opticians, Chinese lunch at Youngs, then to a News Theatre where Fry saw ice dancing and tin mining in Cornwall; comments on empty shops.
Mar 8 visit from Audrey Richards who tells Fry about the Malinowski children, discusses them in turn; Audrey talks of her time under a Rockerfeller scholarship in N. Rhodesia, Audrey reports that the Colonial Office is 'against anthropologists and their ignorance is amazing'.
Mar 9 visit from a Jewish woman looking for work; Mrs Dover visited with two babies, and another coming from Weston Turville [perhaps a foster child]; M left for a week; Java and Rangoon lost.
Mar 11 Mrs McDougall came for goose eggs, discussion on ill preparedness of government for war, Fry believes that the "Libs" [Liberals] were the only ones to urge rearmament after the breakdown of the Disarmament Conference, Fry thinks McDougall must think her a "guilty pacifist"; read Freucher's "Arctic Adventure".
Mar 12 loss of Singapore; fundraising week for warships; story about US airmen stuck on a raft.
Mar 13 talk of Burmah and Singapore, also other discussion on the war; Magee brought food at high prices but did not list one item in the bill, Fry suspects he may be working on the black market.
Mar 14 terrible naval disaster announced, there was some confusion so all ships were destroyed; Miss Robinson visited to discuss the possiblity of starting a Women's Defence Group, Fry comments that she has "never liked keeping my hands clean when others were blood stained in protecting me"; Manfred for the night.
Mar 15 Mr Simmons and Mr Phillips to visit; asked Nerlson's for advice on buying from Magee; Benes reports on situation in Berlin.
Mar 16 waited in for wire from prospective domestic help; Nurse scalded herself; Mrs Webb sent an English published Russian newspaper.
Mar 17 M returned, had been visiting Ruth and heard a battle off the coast; Dr Lloyd Hart visited.
Mar 18 letter from Betty Moorhead in Singaore from the 17 December, she says they feel safe but Fry knows what happened after that in Singapore and wonders what might have happened to them since; Mrs Knight visited, her 70 fowls are not laying, Fry donated biscuit meal; Norah visited; Nurse has gone to interview for a maid; war news - Americans have damaged Japanese ships, General McArthur has gone to Australia to take over Anzac command.
Mar 19 vet (Anderson) came to see Ladybird; M left, Agnes arrived.
Mar 20 M returned form London concerned whether the Alien's Committee had acted fairly by some people, discusses cases.
Mar 21 Crawford Benson's to tea, Cherry came also and had positive things to say about Women's Defence.
Mar 22 Cherry staying the whole weekend; Mr Hsiao to dinner, George Fournier had to be refused a bed. Fournier had news about France and De Gaulle.
Mar 23 Cherry and M left; Mrs Rogers visited; Norah to tea, she is unwell and has decided to leave Aylesbury.
Mar 24 Agnes left, Fry comments "with her something v. close yet v. drift fr[om] myself has gone. She said a few words of deep regret that easy intercourse betw us was impossible".
Mar 25 a Mrs Hartredge came to see Fry about Women's Defence, she fears husbands will be against it; children put on a concert.
Mar 26 lunch in Aylesbury with the Women Citizens, good opportunity to suggest the Women's Home Defence, MOI [Ministry of Information] representative present, feeling was that Government advice in case of invasion too vague.
Mar 28 Skeffington White's motored Fry to the annual Liberal's meeting at the Crossfields.
Mar 30 Mary Caldwell arrived with baby girl, "an unknown tho fast revealing entity"; Fry and nurse carried eggs to hatchery.
Mar 31 Nurse in terrible pain, Fry marvels at modern medicine when the doctor treats it with an injection; Australian officer dropped by to buy a gander.
Ap 1 Margery returned home late, the Ministry of Information and Home Office want her to go to the USA to make helpful contacts on penal matters; lunch with the Robinsons to talk Women's Home Defence; weather bad; Nurse better but still in bed.
Ap 2 Tory visited for an hour, very depressed by Dick's experience in the army; M and Fry talking about the implications of her trip to the States.
Ap 3 M worried that her passport is lost, possibly at Ruth's, it was found in the garage; arranging power of attorney with help from Nelson; Fry concerned about submarines; Mrs Hodgkinson that Fry take on two Malay orphans rescued from Singapore, though unsure.
Ap 4 children and Nurse in Aylesbury; M busy preparing for overseas visit; Fry at work in the pig run.
Ap 5 Avice visited; visit from Lt Aronstein, a Belgian Jew; Bobby Piercy dropped in in the afternoon; Aronstein told Fry of a Brussels professors, including Marcel Vaulthier, being taken to prison camps because the university resisted German orders; Avice had the "K & Q" [possibly King and Queen] at one of her hostels.
Ap 6 reports on progression of war, including Japanese raid on Colombo, and matters in India; M preparing for trip, Luksi troubled by this; Avice, uncommunicative, left early afternoon; Sylvia Way brought husband to visit
Ap 7 miserable day, M off early, Fry must stay and milk the cow; nobody happy all day.
Ap 10 Fry talks of the murder by Nazi's of a scientist called Holweck, she discusses his wife identifying him in the morgue.
Ap 11 to town to see SMF before her departure to the states; met Joan for lunch at Chinese restaurant; found out that Raouf Bey (old friend) is new ambassador at Turkish Embassy; realised that M relies on her heavily; hears of situation in Turkey from Raouf; M keeping cutting regarding Royals living on small budget, and also collecting photographs of destroyed London.
Ap 12 M Bowden to visit before going to a "C.O.D. (?)" job in the WRNs, discusses a situation where a munitions factory was attacked; news on India.
Ap 14 Norah has pernicious anaemia; Jens reports that they heard Cecil was fighting up to the 15th February when he received the military medal but have had no communication from him after that
Ap 15 change of high level government in France worries Fry
Ap 17 Mrs Cooper asked Fry to take in Plato Chan and his sister Christina; Fry receives a letter from Audrey Bromley who is married and expecting a baby; Emilie Moon is mentioned for being married with Fry not told; Anne Turner's German is not good enough to enter the WRNs but her coach is encouraging due to her grasp of grammar, attributed to Fry; Gerry came with Miss Bennett to take Fry to Aylesbury for a meeting on the Women's Home Defence, the meeting went well
Ap 19 Fry talks of a visit to Kew with Margery; slept at Cherry's; saw George Fournier and Twinkle at Margery's, Joan visited later; Mrs Cooper brought the Chinese family [Plato Chan, Christina, and their mother, to discuss their possibly stay
Ap 20 Nurse ill; Miss Robinson reported that the Women's Home Defence meeting was a success; M travelling to Liverpool to catch her ship
Ap 22 lunch with Raouf /Orbay Bey, Mr and Mrs Nacer, Ali Riza, and Saherz; note from M informs Fry that Miss Horsburgh is her cabin mate
Ap 24 Amy Bosanquet visited, a young man calling himself Richard Omrod turned up, he had changed his name from Otto Mange, and his appearance had altered also, Fry very puzzled as she knew this man previously; small meeting of the Women's Home Defence
Ap 25 Fry dealing with SMF's correspondence and bills, is reassured by Micu that thy will hear if anything happens to M's boat; Fry canvassing neighbours to join the Women's Home Defence
Ap 26 Roland Liem visited for the day, talks of evacuations along the south coast
Ap 27 talks about opinions of Hitler's recent speech; Norah came to stay
Ap 28 to Aylesbury for Nurse's xray; Anne Turner arrived, talks about war progress; reports that Bath and Norwich have been badly bombed "mauled"
Ap 29 Fry attended a nursing committee meeting where she felt a "rank outsider"
Ap 30 news of buildings that have been damaged in bombing raids
May 1 neighbourhood meeting with 15 present, shelters were discussed, Nurse talked about how to deal with the effects of two types of bomb
May 2 Fry is concerned by the Home Front as there is not enough rain so the plants will not grow; discusses Japan and India; Cherry visiting for the night; six goslings have hatched
May 3 worries about the lack of rain; went to chat with the Nelsons; Cherry left early, she s overworked; "Indian and Chinese news is black"
May 4 Miss Svendsen, Icelandic Canadian nursing at the Milton's visited, she talked of brutality of Icelandic soldiers; talks about a person called Gunnar Gunnarson
May 6 talked with Miss Clark about possibility of invasion, Miss Clark said she would feel safest next to Fry, Fry startled by this as she confesses to beign "the twitteriest of cowards"; Nurse ill with malaria
May 7 visited school to talk about cruelty to animals, later some boys came to help in the pig run; Fry is getting a new oven
May 8 Mr Davies came by to ask Fry's opinion on R Acland's movement, entry further describes their discussion; receives telegram from SMF
May 9 visit from a young Albanian, M Logresci, who Fry has "interesting talks" with. Logresci has read Roger's books on art and thought, the entry further decsibes their discussion on the Balkans
May 10 Mrs Waghorn came to discuss potential crossover activity of Women's Home Defence and Women's Voluntary Service (WVS), Fry appears to refer to her as "School Tie"
May 11 Fry describes weather; meeting of Women's Home Defence held at Mrs Harding's, C Benson spoke on non militant activities; William Nelson to supper
May 12 Mrs Day brought the Adcock children, Fry notes her views on Mrs Day
May 13 workmen arrive to install new range; Tompkins is having difficulty with his cow; Fry refers to "School Tie" again
May 14 Malay children settling in well, playing with goslings
May 15 neighbours meeting
May 16 kitchen unusable, Mr and Mrs Simmons visiting, children seem to be everywhere; Fry manages to work in the kitchen garden for a time
May 17 Akcers (Turkish Consulate General and his wife) visited with their daughter, Belbel
M 18 lots of rain; another Women's Home Defence meeting, Mr Newell, ambulance man talked about the "new Blitz bandages", the key being speed rather than impossible level of cleanliness; Miss Robinson is noted as being keen and efficient; Aylesbury will be the 161st WHD unit
M 19 Kathleen Nelson took Fry to see a Russian play in Aylesbury, performed by the Amersham players; rehearsal for children in air raid shelter
M 20 news of Italy is very serious; China is reportedly almost cut off from all help
M 21 Fry is suffering form a lot of pain in her hands; visit from Jens, who remained silent about his son, Cecil, whose wife had a stillborn baby, but she is hoping to get to South Africa; workmen have left;
May 22 village meeting to discuss details of the Invasion Committee's position, Fry mentions Worral, Deeley, Hodges, Cope, and Smith
May 23 Gerry and Benn to lunch, Benn played some Chopin and Bach; in the evening Fry went with the Nelsons to hear Sir B Pares lecturing on Russia, Fry expresses her opinion on Pares
May 24 B Ralph, friend of Nurse visiting for the day; aunt of Malayan children turned up; alliance between Mary and Mrs Simmonds worries Fry
May 25 animals miserable due to rain
May 26 SchoolTie has an inflamed leg [possibly bull]
May 27 letter form Liem re China
May 28 concern regarding animals and Audrey
May 28 village meeting on invasion possibilities; cabled SMF
May 30 received cable from SMF who is busy and enjoying her work; Josephine Mason staying for the weekend; Fry reports hearing a "tremendous hum of bombers"
May 31 Fry reports on the bombing raid on Cologne
June 2 Nurse is ill, Fry talks of "applying laudenum"
June 3 news of war progress; K Nelson took care of the children; Nurse in morphine "coma"; Mr Tompson has died
June 4 to Aylesbury with "KN"; heard that Heydrich is dead
June 5 Margery's book "A notebook for the children's court", co authored with Champion Russell, is released; Mrs Day came to see the children; Fry made a sheaf of flowers for Mr Thompson's coffin, Fry talks about finding it strange that the coffin will be adorned
June 6 Margaret Whalley does not have TB as suspected; war news unclear; Lew Masefield is in Libya
June 7 George Fournier and Endre visited, discussion around de Gaulle and related news
June 8 Fry discusses gardening; bemoans her household always having someone unhappy in it
June 9 took Miriam to Aston to get gas mask mended, organisation inefficinet; Miss Marriot gave Fry some roses
June 10 Fr reports hearing about a masacre in a Cech village
June 11 T.O. and H.W. visited
June 14 George Fournier visited to excavate the Bull pen, he found some pieces
June 15 Lewis, Fry's adpoted son, has died in Libya
June 16 Fry is distraught, talks about saving a gosling by helping it out of its shell, but ends with "And Lew is dead"
June 17 Mrs Webb, teacher for evacuees visited with her mother; Margaret left for two weeks holiday, Mary returned; two letters from SMF re flying experiences
June 18 Fry called Con, who says that Lewis was killed in May
June 19 Fry receives two letters from Lewis
June 20 Fry hears from Con that Lewis' friend, Eddie Rodd, was killed at the same moment;
Jun 21 Georges and his friend M Lazare came back to dig again, along with a Mr O'Neill from the Society of Antiquaries, Fry's garden appears to be the site of a medieval monastry
Jun 22 Fry is feeling mentally and emotionally numb, she is worried about the children in her care
June 24 Burcote Brook - Fry describes her journey, and meeting with Tory and a Jewish woman who runs a cafe; meeting with Con and Jan
Jun 25 Con assures Fry that Lew cared for her very much; Fry proposes a memorial concert; Con and Jan have adopted a jackdaw
Jun 26 Church Farm - met Hilda Harrison and went to Wheatley to see Tory; had Home Defence meeting
Jun 27 hay making; Miltons called by bringing goods in return for the loan of a bike
Jun 28 Nurse unwell; news on Libya battle
Jun 29 talks about attending Consul's cocktail party, saw Mme Acker and her daughter, and Raouf |