11 days in a schoolgirl's life

In May 2002 I heard a broadcast about a wartime incident involving a ship leaving the Mersey for the Menai Straits. This prompted me to seek my 1941 diary which had some entries for the relevant week.
In 1941 I was a "Scholarship" girl in my 3rd year at the Liverpool Institute High School for Girls (incidentally the oldest girls' Grammar School, founded in 1844)and like most youngsters in those days, fairly docile and anxious not to displease. So what effect was this war having on me?
Judge from the diary entries below after the Easter holidays:
Wed. 30th April. Went back to School. Made chocolate cake in Cookery. Posted letter.
Thur. 1st May. Bad raid last night. Had Gym outside.
Fri. 2nd Terrible raid. Mine in Pemberton Road. Nana slept at our house. Changed library book. Bought frock material.
Sat. 3rd Went to Nana's and Grandma's. Both houses awful. Nana, May and Pop staying here.
Sun.4th Terrible raid last night. Tonight Nana slept here. Aunty Ruth and Beryl here.
Mon. 5th Absent from school in morning. Went to field(pm) No one came so went home. Bad night raid.
Tues. 6th Got half way to school - was told there was no school but met prefect who told us to go back. Finished at 2.15. Bad raid at night. Dad home at night.
Wed. 7th Another bad raid. was absent from school.
Thur. 8th Had intended to go into town. Transport too bad so did not go. Was absent from school.
Fri. 9th Missed school. Went to town. No raid at night.
Sat. 10th Siren went at night but nothing happened. Finished jumper.

The following week I seem to have recorded trivia about school and family and then stopped keeping a diary.
I am amazed at how off-hand I seem to have been all those years ago in the midst of such dramatic events.

© Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.