Sunday, 1 September 1963	Châteauroux - Calais
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I woke very early indeed this morning to see Mum & Dad preparing for setting off again, and this time we left the earliest ever — 0423 hrs, just as the first glimmer of light was appearing in the sky, and Dad calculated that we should arrive in Calais by 1230 hrs. We belted on, with hardly a car on the road - they were all on the side, sleeping, and we managed to do about 100 kph. We had breakfast at a place called Estaples [?], and got a tank of petrol there as well. Then we belted on to Paris, and a a bit of trouble finding our way out again. However, it did not take too long, and before long we were on our way again, and I went to sleep, and woke up a little later to be handed the map by Dad (I was in the back seat), and read it for the rest of the way.

There were a large number of GB cars on the road, and between Bologne [sic] and Calais we counted exactly 250. In Calais itself, we took quite some time to find an hotel, and even then it was not much good. However, it was a place to put our weary bodies, and after lunch I rested for about 4 hours, and was woken to be scrubbed by Mum before eating - how degrading.

After makan I went for a walk with Dad to try to find the Gare Maritime, and had quite an interesting conversation with him about architecture, and came back without finding it.

Monday, 2 September 1963	Calais
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Dad woke me up several times this morning, each time to say different things, and each time of course I went back to sleep again. Then in came Mum and told me that the were going out to see about the ferrey [sic], and to get up and have my breakfast when I felt like it, as she would not be back for some time.

I was still asleep when she came back to say that the ferry was already full for today, but we were lucky enough to get the early morning one tomorrow, so the only difference would be on which side of the channel we slept tonight. She had also discovered a rather better hotel than the one we were at tonight, and so we paid our bill, which came to the astounding sum of 129.50 NF. Then we packed up, posted some letters, and had breakfast, after which we went to the hotel. Then we went out for lunch again, and came back, I to do little of interest, so worked out a circuit for the new power supply for the PCR, complete with the necessary voltage changing plugs and tag board for it. Of course the problem now remains what to do with the empty valve socket. However, I can probably put it to good use, and put some transistors in as well.

Then Dad admitted that, for the first time in 10 years, he was at a loose end, and so we went around the town, creating a remarkably good impression of being the great train robbers.

Then, of course, Mum wanted to do some window shopping, and Dad and I went round town, and ended up somehow or another in the rail yards.

Tuesday, 3 September 1963	Calais - London
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Just as the first light of dawn arose, Dad woke me to tell me to get dressed, and pack up, as we were shortly going to leave. I did so, but nevertheless, it was still not by any means our shortest getaway. However, by 0505 we were at the Gare Maritime, and waiting in the queue, and commenting on the other holidaymakers, including a couple who were having a scene about whether the window should be up or down. However, we were soon on board the ferrey [sic], and having breakfast, which was quite good. Then up on deck, and before long were at Dover, and waiting for the customs. Soon we were on our way along the M2, which has only just been finished, and then into London, where, after a long search and argument, we found Piccadilly and the Mapleton Hotel, where 2 rooms had been reserved for us, as ordered. The one I am in is the same as the one that Uncle Bob and I were in this time last year.

After lunch, I decided that, as we were so close to Lisle st, I would go round and have a look to see how it was going, and accordingly extracted £2 from Dad. When I got into G.W.Smiths, it was full to the brim with lunch hour rush types, but before long all had gone, and I had a chance to look around. The fellow at Smiths got a little annoyed because I did not buy anything, so, just to please him, I bought some Savbit and some test leads, which proved to be very useful when I connected to the scope to the PCR later. Dad was not feeling very well today, and was in bed all evening.

Wednesday, 4 September 1963	London
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I was woken up this morning by Mum on the phone to say that the maid would soon be coming in with the breakfast, and in due course this happened. After that, she rang again to say that we were to get dressed and go down to her room, which we did, and then I went down to pay for the car until 1700 hrs, and to get the book case. When I brought it back, I went out again to look for a bookshop that Mum said was in Regent St., but after looking all over the place, I finally ended up in Foyles, where I got “Teach Yourself Russian”, which is very interesting.

Then we went to the lounge with Dad, who was still not feeling too bright, and I was handed the cost of the signal generator and Wobbulator, which came to £7, which made Dad feel no better.

After lunch, Mum wanted to go shopping, and I had to go with her despite the fact that all I needed was a pair of jeans, which she did not try on me anyway. After that, Bev wanted to go to an hour show, but as I wanted to get some components for a noise limiter, and by this time it was rush hour, I went to Smiths instead, and bought some stuff. It was not until I got back until I realised that I had forgotten a few things, and had to go back to get them.

Soon, however, with Dads, help, I commenced on the limiter chassis, which promised to well, and mounted it on top of the filter choke. However, when we tried it out, it did not go too well.

Thursday, 5 September 1963	London	Images for 5 September 1963
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Bed and breakfast tarriffs [sic] annoy me, as it means that Mum always makes us take advantage of it, with the result that I never get a really good sleep in. However, after breakfast this morning Mum went out to have her hair done, and insisted that we did not go out until she came back, and we would make a rendezvous for lunch at 1230 hrs. I promptly set to work on the noise limiter again, and after a bit of thought*

The original contains a footnote:

* See back cover for circuits, etc.

The back cover is a real mess, but here's the circuit part:

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decided that I had wired the diodes the wrong way around. I promptly rectified this, and turned on, but it seemed that the diodes had had it, and I then installed an on-off switch, which involved a bit of filing, and by the time I had finished, Mum was back, and I went out and bought a couple of miniature thermionic diodes, type R78, for 6d apiece, but could not install them until after lunch, which took me until 1400 hrs, after which Bev wanted to go to an hour show, and I, out of the kindness of my heart, accompanied her, and quite enjoyed myself.

When I get back I got going again, but before long was back at Smiths again, and the fellow there tried to sell me a couple of 100 V silicon diodes, but instead I decided that now would be as good a time as any to buy some silicon power rectifiers, and bought a couple of OA210 at 3/6 apiece (400 VAC, 500 mA), and after going for a walk with Dad, installed them with his help, which took us some time, but in the end we got it going, and with it the ANL. However, it soon developed some fault, doing the Power Xformer no good.

Friday, 6 September 1963	London
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For some reason or another Bev got up very early this morning, and left the door to so that breakfast came in while I was still asleep. Then, to add insult to injury, Bev wanted to know why I had not called her.

Soon, however, I had to get up, as I could no longer sleep, and I got going on the power supply, and tested out the diodes on the oscilloscope. I decided in the end that one of them had had it, and decided to take it back, stopping on the way at the public library to get some information on transistorised reactance modulators, and did get some interesting information, though it was not exactly what I wanted.

Then I went over to Smiths, and the fellow referred me to the other shop, which confirmed my suspicions that it was indeed 400 PIV. However, he was fairly pleasant about it, and gave me another, and I also bought a couple of BY100's (800 PIV, 500 mA, and half the size), together with a couple of equalizing resistors, and started installing them, but soon Dad came back, and I started talking to him, and he gave me the go-ahead for building a MAT P.O.Oscillator complete with Z, etc.

I no longer have any idea what this means. The Z is written in a stylized fashion.

After they had gone out for lunch, I tried out the new rectifiers, and this time there were no fireworks. The things do not even get warm. It is impossible to tell if they have been on. Got the new P. W. out today, but not much of interest in it. Went to flicks with Bev.

Saturday, 7 September 1963	London
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Once more I was fast asleep when the breakfast came in, but quickly woke up, and moved the bedside table back to between us, and put the breakfast on top of it. Then, after eating for a while came in Dad to ask me if I wanted to come with him to pick up the car from the garages. I did, but first we had to go to the bank to see how our money was going. Dad had asked for £300 from the australian Bank, but he had only got £239··0··11d, and he was threatening to do all sort of nasty things to them for not accommodating him when I suddenly realised that it was probably £300A. Then out to get the car, which has been pretty well completely overhauled,

And that for a car that was 5 weeks old and had done about 8000 km.

and by the time we got back it was 1140 hrs, and as all the shops closed at 1200 hrs, and I wanted to build a signal generator, I had to hurry. However, I needn't have worried, for the fellow waited until after 1200 before he served me, and it was 1220 hrs before I finished.

Then, with Dads “moral help” as he put it, I got going in earnest, after first doctoring a 12 pole 3 way switch to 4 pole 9 way, and putting all the parts for the phase shift actually on the wafers, I got going on the main breadboard, and discovered I was 2 - 5µf condensers short. I went over to the other branch, which closes at 1700 hrs, and bought 2 - 4µf, which will do.

After a tea break, I went on again, but then we were going to go to an hour show, but it was so crowded that we went for an Indian makan instead, and with Dad's help carried on afterwards.

Sunday, 8 September 1963	London
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During breakfast this morning, I listened to a church service on the radio, and Bev & I commented on it.

After breakfast, Dad wanted to see me, but when I went in, it was just an exhortation to get up and finish the oscillator, which I proceeded to do, after dressing. Fairly soon, however, he came back in again, and told me that I would have to have a bath, as we were going to see Mrs. Treays in the afternoon. He also took in the oscillator chassis and showed it to Mum.

I soon finished my bath, and went in and finished the oscillator, and tried it out, but it would not oscillate, and I suspected the switch. Then I tried out the amplifier, but when I put a 1 v p-p sine wave through, it came out as a badly spaced square, and was obviously overloaded. However, on lower levels it amplified well up to the local Oscillator at about 3.4 Mc/s. As a result, I decided to take all the condensers off the switch, wire them onto the breadboard and then take the switch to bits and clean it out, and then wire it all to the breadboard, and this I was starting when Bev suggested that we went to an hour show, to which I agreed, and after this we bought some Wimpys at the Wimpy bar, and took them home, as it was so crowded there.

After that, I got going on the wiring of the oscillator, and got to the end of the condenser wiring. I was also considering different filters on the PCR - the present is over 0.01% ripple.

Monday, 9 September 1963	London
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After breakfast this morning, I went in to see Dad, but he had already begun his work for the day, and Mum was just leaving, and left instructions not to leave the hotel. Soon, I went back to my room and examined the residual hum on the HT line - 525 mV. I decided that this was not good enough, and after a bit of consideration, decided to put in a capacitative input filter. The improvement was amazing - the hum is down to 50 mV.

Fairly soon after that, Dad came in, and told me that I would get a coat this afternoon after lunch, and I would have to change into my suit, which I did, and went downstairs to the dining room, had lunch, and when we had finished, went and bought a Harris Tweed hacking jacket for £7-0-0.

After that, Dad gave me £1 to buy some odds and ends for the next year, and I got 100 “Resistors” which, apart from resistors, contained 7 condensers and 3 diodes, 100 yards of hook up wire, and a 6V6GT for the PCR.

When Dad got back, he was rather shocked that I had spent all of the £1, but got over it fairly soon, and I got round to making a list of all the things that I had got, and was interested in the number of 470Ks - 9.

In the evening, Dad took us to the Battersea amusement park, where we enjoyed ourselves immensely. Although we were “taken” a few times, but on several rides enjoyed ourselves so much that we went again.

Tuesday, 10 September 1963	London
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For some reason, probably best known to Dad, the breakfast came in extremely early this morning, and as usual, I did not wake until it was quite cold. However, the maid, who obviously thought that I would have finished it long ago, came in, and went and warmed it up for me.

When I got up, Dad had once more gone out, this time with Mum, and I did a little reading, and looking at scope traces, and before long Mum was back, took time enough to find out how to get to the Monument tube station, left, and soon in came Dad, who told me to get ready for lunch, and we went down and had it.

After this, he told me that we would be going to see “Heavens Above” with Peter Sellers, but in the end it turned out that he could not go. However, Mum was back by the time it was due to start, and she took us.

Apart from a mob of rather dirty gipsy kids, and the fact that they were giving bread, etc, away, it was wet. That is the only word for it.

When we got back, Dad sent Bev and me to have a meal at the Wimpy, and after that we went to see the first half of “London by night”, but I found it extremely boring except for one or two highlights.

When we got back, as Dad had ordered, I attempted to put the PCR back in its case, but the new silicon rectifiers would not let it in, so I spent some time crowding them round the rectifier valve socket. Finally however, it went, and worked okay.

Wednesday, 11 September 1963	London - Taunton
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I was woken this morning by a persistent knocking on the door, which proved to be Dad, who insisted that I get going on packing my radio stuff, as we had to leave by 0900 hrs. Why Mum & Dad ever bother to do that sort of schedule, I will never know. Only once have we ever kept to it.

This time, however, Mum had to go and get an air ticket, and we had to carry on without her aid until she got back, by which time we had got our things nearly all in the car. However, she would not go without making her own checks on both rooms.

Our first stop was to see Mrs Treays, who was very pleased indeed to see me, and talked about 127.635 to the dozen as the frogs seem accustomed to do.

After her, we had to go and see a firm who made stomach tablets, and at the same time we had lunch, for it was about time.

Then, finally, we headed in the direction of Taunton, and stopped just before Salisbury for tea. As we were in the neighbourhood, we decided that we must see stonehenge, and Dad spent nearly £1 there. However, we all felt it well worth while.

This was long before the motorways in this part of England. The A303 road goes straight past Stonehenge, but it seems that we had taken the A30, now marked as a byroad, which goes through Salisbury.

By this time, it was getting rather late, and we were in Somerset, but the last few miles seemed to take a very long time. Finally, however, we got there, and discovered that they had not got Mums letter asking for another room. Nevertheless, it worked out all right, and we had dinner there, which was a very badly done steak, and then I fixed my slide rule.

Thursday, 12 September 1963	Taunton - Netherton House
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At about 0715 hrs this morning, I woke up, and was immediately got up, and we went down, had breakfast, and went up again to clean our teeth, and then to the dentists, arriving hardly late at all. I went in first, and then discovered that all I needed was to brush up. Bev, however, was not so fortunate, and had to have gas. Meanwhile, I went and bought a new W.W. Valve data book, and went back home to read it.

After a while, along came Dad, and told me that we were going to school to get my trunk, and while we were there, we got into a conversation with Matron about which school in this neighbourhood would be the best for Bev. She talked about it as long as she could, and then gave us the idea that St. Audries was the best.

We then went back, did a few sundry jobs, and then packed up. after a while, we were finally ready, and had lunch in the park, though Bev was a little the worse for gas. After that, we headed towards St. Audries, where we met the headmistress, Miss Havergill, who was very pleasant to all concerned, and it seems likely that Bev will go there next year.

After that, we started to meander our way towards Netherton house, and finally got there at dinner time. However, it developed that Mrs Baudouy would not me have the coach house, as she no longer trusted me sufficiently. Got the 52 out of the cellars, where it had been all holidays.

Friday, 13 September 1963	Netherton House
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I was woken up this morning very early by Barry who had to go to school, and could not get back to sleep, and so got up, and, in my usual manner, roused everybody else up.

After breakfast, I was feeling rather bored, as I had extremely little to do, and so walked down to the Coombe cellars, which Mum & Dad had already left, and so came back, and found them talking to Mrs Baudouy, so I got my oscilloscope out of the car and started re-aligning the 52.

I had not got far before Dad came and said he wanted to go for a walk with me, during which he had quite a lot to say, but it was better than I thought it would be. When I got back, I finished aligning the 52, but reception was very poor. I must put in the EF39's.

It seems that people were generally unhappy with the way I spent my time in the previous two holidays. You wouldn't have guessed it from the content of my diary. One of the results was that my parents tried to find other ways for me to spend my school holidays.

Raymond was interested in the oscilloscope, as I expected he would be, and found a microphone with which we could examine voice waveforms. However, Mum & Dad came back, and insisted that I help un-pack, and this kept me for a considerable time, although I got my Blockflöten back, and managed to sneak up and look at them on the oscilloscope.

After that we had tea, and then Dad called me down to clean my rugger boots. I mean to say: they don't look the same without mud.

Brian was very interested in the oscilloscope, on which I put a new mains lead. Interesting conversation after lights

Saturday, 14 September 1963	Netherton House
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I did not wake this morning until Mrs Richards told us that it was nearly 0800 hrs, when I got up, and quickly down to breakfast, after which, at a loose end, I went upstairs and had a look at the PCR, and decided to put some of the new EF39's in, and after that I got round to aligning it, but then in came the maid [footnote:Kirsten], and I out.

Not long after I got back, Dad came, and demanded that I helped with the packing procedures, and first on the agenda was putting away the radios, but we did not know where to put them, and did not have enough boxes to put them in, so we decided that as Mrs Baudouy was so busy, and would not help us, that we would have to leave it until after lunch, which we were to have in town, and ended up having fish and chips in the park.

After that, we had to do some shopping, which took us quite some time, and after that we got back to the packing again, but did not stay at it long, and after doing it, I put a few brown paper covers on various books, after which I listened to the radio for a while, and tried to put the EF39's in the 52, but had little success. Then, at 1820 hrs, went out for dinner, and had a very good meal, and after that had a talk with Dad about a few things, and got him to write to Wodge [history teacher] about the Times.

When we got back, had a go at the olives.

Sunday, 15 September 1963	N. - Penzance
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As I got to sleep rather late last night, I did not wake until nearly breakfast time.

After that, I got my stuff ready to go with intent to leave my radio stuff where it was, but apparently Mr Baudouy did not like the idea of this, and threatened to throw them away if I hadn't stored them by the time I left. I put away the 52, but could find no space for the other stuff, and so he agreed to my leaving it there at my own risk, and Barry is going to look after it for me. Got Mrs Baudouy to look after the olives.

After a bit more packing, and a few demonstrations of the air suspension system of the car, we got under way, at about 1045 hrs, and had lunch at about 1150 at a place called “The Half-Way house” situated on the Cornwall side of Plymouth where we had some fun, getting wapses [sic] drunk on cider, beer, etc., and watched them try to fly.

We then ploughed on, arove [sic] at Penzance about 1400 hrs, and, after making sure of accommodation, we went to St. Ives, where we had a genuine cornish cream tea, and, after a bit of the inevitable window-shopping, went down to lands End, where the weather was not nearly as good, and so we went back to Penzance, where we did a few odd jobs until dinner time, when we went to the “Admiral Benbow”, an old smugglers tavern, complete with tips written on the table mats.

When we got back, Bevs hamsters came into the limelight by half killing themselves. Thinking about intercoms.

Monday, 16 September 1963	Penzance
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Foundation of Malaysia

The tea came in as promised, at 0700 hrs this morning, but I did not wake up until 0745, when my tea was still at least lukewarm. Dad, however, forced me to get up, and before long we were down at the breakfast table discussing intercoms, and everybody agreed that they would be useful.

After breakfast, I tried to work out a circuit for an intercom, but had a bit of difficulty about the methods of signalling, and was not able to work out anything then because Mum insisted that we did some shopping before Bev went back to school.

While we were out, I had a talk to Dad, and he is prepared to pay up to £50 for the assembly, which I think is quite possible, and probable.

We had lunch in a most unattractive part of town, mainly because we could not walk any further (it was a stinking hot day), and after that went back to the hotel and had a drink of tea, while I worked on the intercom.

Then, after doing a bit of packing, and myself trying to design a decent oscilloscope, we went out for a drive, and then took Bev back to school, where she did not seem at all unhappy, in fact hardly ceasing to talk all the time.

After we left her, we came back, had makan, and then I came up to my room and had another bash at designing an advanced oscilloscope.

Tuesday, 17 September 1963	Penzance - Netherton House
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This morning, I stayed awake after tea was brought in, and after taking half an hour or so to clean out my nose and throat, drank it. Then I got dressed and went down to Mum&Dads room, whence, after a short wait, we went down to the breakfast table, where Dad gave me his definition of a kipper - two faced and no guts.

This was generally applied to the English.

After that, I went upstairs again and packed all my books etc., and then went down and waited while Dad packed the rest. After that, we finished off the gold lettering on my satchel.

Finally, we set off, but had to stop at Ruan Minor, where John Myerhouse died, and we saw his grave. After that, we went to see his mother, and then the cliff where he died.

My recollection was that this was suicide.

It seems that John Wyndham lives there, and not at Lizard point, as I had previously been told.

This doesn't match the information on the Wikipedia page.

By the time we got back to the main road, it was 1300 hrs, and we did not have lunch until 1345. Then we raced on, and getting into Devon about 1515, went straight across Dartmoor, and arrived in Newton Abbot [sic] at about 1635, and went to Netherton, checked that my radio gear was all right, and then back into town for makan, which we had in the Queens hotel bar.

When I got back, I saw Mrs Baudouy, and then polished off the rest of the olives. Upstairs, Barry had a problem which he thought would stump me.

Wednesday, 18 September 1963	N - KT.
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I woke up fairly early this morning to hear that Paul and Ann Cootes were back, and so got dressed, and went in to see Paul, who had a Famous Nudes book, but of course, I fell for it not. Barry, however, fell for it very well, and got a shock.

This was a box that looked like a book, but contained a battery-driven electric shock that was activated on opening.

After breakfast, Mum & Dad came, to do some packing, and all morning long I was carting stuff up and down the stairs - not only for myself, but also for Ann Cootes, whose trunk was in the cellars.

Then, after some coffee, which was brought down for us, Dad & I went down to the coach house and got all the radio stuff from there, and put it in the boxes provided, which were in turn put in the cellars.

We had lunch with the Baudouys, and after that, we did a little more packing, and then got going to Taunton, stopping in Newton to buy some 13A plugs.

All this time, Mum was busy knitting my jumper for me, and won the race against time, although it was neck&neck.

When I got back to school, I discovered that I had been put in Gatcombe and the senior common room.

There are a couple of fellows from Kestrels [previous school] here, including Forward, who is unfortunate enough to have made friends with Brunt.

Thursday, 19 September 1963	KT.
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In breakfast this morning, Großcurth & I had a discussion about the coming year, and then, after breakfast, I went over to Gatcombe to sort out my component boxes. While I was there in came Skiv, and told us about the fire drill, which was immenent.

After the fire drill, I went over to the school and tidied out my scob as best I could, which was not very best.

Then came assembly, but I was coughing so much that I could not hear much of what the Weed was saying. However, I need not have worried, as Skiv repeated it all in the next class, as well as giving us a few other things.

Then, after break, he was with us again, and this time speaking hardly anything but french. He caught me out a couple of times, and I hope his opinion of me does not go down too far.

In Maths, Jimmy seemed to be rather busy, and just gave us some work to do.

In the afternoon, the pioneers were off, and so Callow, I, and Green started talking for a while until Dray I came along, and said that he would join the pioneers next year.

In the evening, latin with Mansell, and it was rather amusing, especially as we were all expecting the worst. Deutsch was the same as it always has been, except that we are now in room 27.

Friday, 20 September 1963	KT.	Images for 20 September 1963
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No letter from Mum yet, but maybe it'll come tomorrow.

First period was french, and once more a few surprises and yet again no written work. Skiv seems to be a cross between Boris and Tyson.

In PE, I was first measured, etc - I have grown ½" since Monday, am now 5'11⅝" [1.82 m], and then did the writing down.

In latin, Jacquet gave us a few notes, and threatened to ask us about them whenever he felt like it.

In break, buns were unusually sticky, and so I gave one to Großcurth, much to his pleasure.

Maths was a test on factorization - 200%.

Chem, and Clod expressed his belief that I could take 'O' level chem tomorrow and pass.

In the afternoon I was supposed to be pioneering, but I discovered that Matron had left my jeans in my trunk, and they were at the bottom of my trunk. I went to see Drax about it, and he kindly let me have the day off as we had next to nothing to do, so I found Green, and we went down to the end of the new building and started talking.

Deutsch - Prüfung 100%

English and Boris decided that we should learn how to do Precis.

Choir practice - Sweet [boy] in choir.

Saturday, 21 September 1963	KT.
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In breakfast this morning, I was handed a registered letter slip by Rosser, but when I went to collect it, there was nobody there.

In latin, Mansell went on with the stuff, this time unseen. Makes you think, doesn't it? - we got just as far.

Physics was in room 18, and, apart from getting 6 books, we also got a lecture from Poop on the subject of the importance of science, and then told us that scientists were swindling the public.

Double music was rather boring especially as they did not even use the right instruments in the 2nd Brandenburg concerto.

Presumably flutes instead of recorders.

In the afternoon, had little to do, so went off to watch the rugger trials, and Green spent most of his time having some ridiculous argument about Malasia,

This was 5 days after Malaysia came into being, and previously there had been some discussion of using the spelling “Malasia”.

and before long got to France, via Persia. At this time, along came Windmill & Sweet from fencing, and I hopped along with them, and bought a bit more food with the £4 Mum sent me,

Presumably this was the registered letter.

and then signed up for dancing lessons, which amused Dray intensely. I don't think he'll be the only one. Finished redrawing the PCR.

Sunday, 22 September 1963	KT.
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After breakfast this morning, I had to a bit of work for the choir, and then had to turn up early, as I did not have as much time as I should and spent it talking to Windmill about what he was supposed to do.

In chapel, little of importance happened - just another Sunday morning service.

After this, I got out my clarinet and headed towards room 26, where Lloyd told me that there would be no wind band practice.

Once more I started to talk to Windmill, only leaving him for a while to get a piece of cake from Callow.

Then we got into a discussion about soldering irons, and I brought mine out to show Windmill, who say that his is somewhere in Taunton, and he would like to get it this afternoon.

After lunch, I designed a push-pull O/P stage for the PCR using O/P stage inversion, and then went to the linen room to get my blazer, where I was trapped. When I got out, Windmill & I went to get his components etc., which were not as good as I hoped. Then to the film, Merry Andrew, and could have been considerably better.

Dobney, picking on me as usual, gave me 40 Lines for bad manners, which was rather a blow to my no punishment resolution. Read about artificial limbs in the evening.

Monday, 23 September 1963	KT.
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French was the first period this morning, and we had a test on the prep we had supposed to have learn, and all did extremely badly, I myself getting 15/30, and Skiv threatening a detention for anybody under 20/30 in future, but this time only gave us returned work.

In physics, we enjoyed ourselfes drawing pretty pictures with magnets, and had quite a bit of fun, although Lennox was rather childish about it.

After break, french first, and back to Maupassant, but we got quite far again without preparing it. That sort of prep seems to be a waste of time.

Mr Sykes, who takes us for divvers, seems to be quite a character, judging by this period today.

In after lunch period, I got going on Dobneys 40 lines, and finished the first page.

Corps was a sort of parade to begin with, and I made a complete and utter fool of myself, which I carried on to do in the second period, which was drill.

In the third period, however, although supplies had failed, we were still shown how to maintain corps uniform.

Russian in evening - Popsy is learning as well!

Tuesday, 24 September 1963	KT.
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English first this morning, and we carried on discussing how to do a précis, and then turned over to the next question, at which point Boris was nearly sick, owing to the horribleness of it all.

Divvers was a test, which was very easy, yet only 7 of us got 10/10. Then we started reading Acts 13, and more questions.

Maths was going through Sat's prep, but I had bought the wrong rough book. However, I got away with it.

In break, I had to see Mr. White about clt lessons, and ended up wasting all but about 3 mins of latin, which pleased Mansell not.

Maths again, and carried on with what we were doing before.

After lunch, as it was a bitterly cold day, pioneers had nothing to do except to get some exercise, and I ended up having an haircut - good day to do so.

When I got in, I was at rather a loose end, as I could not go to tea without any Marmite, which still had not arrived.

Deutsch (doppel) was fun, and I voiced a few of my opinions about the season we were in, thought Tyson clung fast to his Sommer.

The equinox had been the day before, so I was right.

Reading Deutsch book in prep to learn Old Script.

Wednesday, 25 September 1963	KT.
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Letter from Mum this morning, and she was then in Boston. Just news.

English first, and we were more or less at a loose end with the précis on our hands, and so were about to change the subject when the bell went.

Then latin, but instead of the promised test, Mansell did a Clod us, and left us in charge of Mr Gilkes.

In maths we went over last nights prep, and then did some geometry theorems, which were intended to be learnt for prep.

Chem after break, and, apart from doing what we should have, we were putting various acids on pennies, and of course, I got Gill to put on conc HNO₃.

Deutsch, results of Prüfung, and another. Got 18/20, 19/14. [sic]

In the afternoon, finished off Dobney's 40 Lines, and then got going on realigning the CRT to the CRO , with Greens help, and did a few interesting experiments, including checking the voltage on the N. Line mains.

Went into town with Chaun, returned 3 library books, and bought a PW., but apart from that it was rather uneventful.

Choir practice, and I saw Harrison about becoming tenor. no go.

Thursday, 26 September 1963	KT.
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Got a letter from Dad this morning, which was full of information about home.

Double chemistry for the first two periods, and we were expecting to do something good especially as Clod came in early, but all he did was to read us out the 'O' level syllabus, which took all our time.

Poop got on to one of his talks on magnetism basically, and everything in general. Most interesting.

After break, French, and we had rather a stiffer test than last time, got 33/49. Hope he doesn't consider that detention-worthy.

In maths, we went through geom revision, and did no written work again.

Wind band practice (rest time) clashed with Russian after lunch, but I did Russian.

During games time, I had a conversation with Jacob, and it develops that, under exceptional conditions, people can join the the wireless club without previlige, but only under exceptional ones.

“School privilege” was a recognition of a certain level of maturity, and allowed certain actions, in particular wearing the school tie (unprivileged boys wore a black tie). It was normally conferred after between 4 and 6 terms, but I was an all-time record.

Latin in the evening, but we did not do at all well, and Mansell came out with all sorts of threats of detentions, etc.,

Deutsch was better, and I think I got full marks again.

Reading about Denning report in evening.

Friday, 27 September 1963	KT.
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French first this morning, and despite the fact that I had learnt my french as well as I could, I still only got 85%.

PE, and as I had no excuse to fail to turn up, I went, and did not have much fun. Anyway, by the time I get into the removes, I will be able to drop it.

School classes were strange. My years were: 3A (previous year), 5A (this year), Remove, Lower Sixth, Upper Sixth.

In latin, Mansell gave us an inpromptu test, and I got 6/30, after he had taken 5 off for a simple mistake which Kingcup would have allowed. Fortunately, no detentions yet.

After break Maths and a test, in which I got 100%, and then we had to do the proof of a theorem on the other side.

Chem - we did not use our books at all - just talking.

In the afternoon, Matron reminded me that there was nothing to stop me from pioneering, so instead I went to fencing, but probably would have enjoyed myself more if I went pioneering.

After fencing, I heard nothing about the result of the Wireless clubs after-lunch meeting, but Cookson told me that I had prob. been accepted. We will see.

Deutsch, 100% in the words, but not so well in the Diktat. Ah well.

English, and more talking. Boris cracked a few more jokes. Amusing.

Choir practice in the evening.

Saturday, 28 September 1963	KT.
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Today was my birthday, but you would not have known it - not a single letter in the morning, and nobody remembered.

Latin first, and Mansell made us go on with the Cicero, which only served in giving us more words to learn for prep.

French, and we got our books back, and Skiv said that Rossiters handwriting was the worst he had ever seen - did not comment on mine, though.

Physics, room 18, and Poop went on to a more complicated theory of magnetism, which nobody understood.

Double music after break - just the usual, and on a mono gram, too.

In the afternoon, I decided to turn up for pioneers, and, as Callow said, it was very slack, and all we had to do was to move a few bricks. However, Callow told me later that it was not half so slack as usual. However, I think that Drax is a very interesting personality.

After that, Callow produced a cake, which, apart from Mums telegram, was the only recognition of my birthday that I had. Then dancing - learnt waltz and quickstep, but there must be more to it than that.

Music club in evening, but could not play recorder music as it was stereo...

Sunday, 29 September 1963	KT.
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Once more, Sunday, and little to do, so I went along to the library to have a look at the Penguin Russian course, as Tyson suggested. It is quite interesting, and I might buy it.

No more wind band after chapel, so I went back to the common room and had a look at Walkers radio, which has been playing up on him, but before long people started fiddling round with the oscilloscope, and so I connected up the loudspeaker to the scope, and let people have some thrills. After that, we watched the BBC light programme, which was also very interesting. Later, Windmill showed me a very queer design for a 3 valve reciever.

After lunch, tried to tidy up my scob, but Stanley ii, wanting to build an oscilloscope, did not help.

Then for a walk with Windmill. Barret is building an oscilloscope with sensitivity of 10μV/cm up to 30 Mc/s - for £10!!

Windmill & I are thinking of trying to build a simple oscilloscope unit.

After roll call connected up my headphones to the scope. Much higher O/P than the speaker.

After dinner, Chivers, Wadland, Forward, Cox, I in room 26 to try F, C out on recorder. Forward O/K, but don't know about Cox.

Monday, 30 September 1963	KT.
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French first this morning, and I got another chance to finish the french prep of Saturday. This took up the whole time.

Double physics was an experiment to find the power of a magnet by equalising with the earths surface, but there were no really suitable magnets, and we ended up with a tiny little thing with a strength of only 2.43 gauss.

After break, french, and we carried on with La Parure. It is, at least, becoming interesting, and part of our prep is to finish it.

Did not do much in divvers, as I had to go for a flute lesson soon after the start. The new flute teacher made me change the way I do everything that I do with the flute, and then wonders why I can't play.

Corps in the afternoon - Map reading first, but was a farce. Drill was absolutely hilarious, I making all possible mistakes.

After tea, weapon training. I am sure the Corps instructors think I am an absolute idiot.

In second Prep, the Russian audio visual course. I do not think it all that hot, but Tyson says we will get used to it.

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