INTRODUCTION:
1946, when I was 12 years old, was the third year I had kept a diary, but the first in which there was space to write more than a very few lines a day.
The war had ended in 1945.
After 5 years, my family (my mother, father, sister and
I) left
Knowing little about the British school system,
I found myself attending what was called a secondary modern
school, though I should really have been in a college-preparatory
grammar school. But, as in
After having been much involved with my Toronto-born mothers family for the seven war years, it was now my fathers family among whom I was cast his aged and ailing father Henry Brilliant and mother Rebecca, and his brothers Mort, George, and Leonard, particularly the latter two, who lived in Bournemouth, and now operated the family fur business. And we became specially close to Leonards wife Sylvia, and her family, the Bermans.
Children are generally adaptable, and I dont
seem to have had much difficulty getting used to English money
or to the rationing system, or even to the different weather.
But I did not make many friends, and spent much of my free
time reading, listening to the radio, and playing with construction
toys. By the end of
the year I was very glad that we were leaving
In editing, I have again left nothing out, and mostly retained my original spelling. All editorial matter is in square brackets and italics. Any other parentheses are in the original.
Because I am now 12, I am in a Bar Mitzvah
class at Hebrew school. [Jewish boys traditionally
come of age on their 13th birthday. Mine would not
be until December 9.] I have to come at
I finished reading Around the World
in 80 Days. It was a very good book
I heard the rose bowl game over the radio.
I examined old letters which I had received from Mummy and Daddy while I was at camp in 1943.
At Hebrew school, the Rabbi gave us a lecture
on the importance of sending girls to
At hebrew school the rabbi told me that since Myrna cannot attend Hebrew school, I should teach her hebrew.
Daddy received word that it is definite that
we will be returning to
Got the last issue to my subscription to Popular Science.
Started reading The Mysterious Island by Jules Verne.
I tried to compose a peice of music for school, but I failed miserably. (Mainly because I dont know how to write music)
At Hebrew school there is a campaigne against me as president, The lead of which is Nathan. Its funny but I always thought he was my friend. I thought he would be loyal and trustworthy, just as I have always been to him. But now he turns against me. Sometimes I would like to kill him. What a rat.
At school I split my pants playing football. I went around all day trying to hide it. Two boys noticed it. When I came home I sowed it up.
Attended Bar mitzvah class at Hebrew & got a little note pad.
I have a slight cold.
Mummy bought me a lot of ties to take back
to
Daddy gave me a french lesson.
[He was concerned that my lack of French would be a disadvantage
at school in
Went shopping for Mummy.
At school in assembly, my section, 8A4 won 3 awards. Second place in Home & School meeting attendance, First place in money collected for the red cross, and a Red cross flag for having 100% donations on the first day of the drive
My flashlight [a birthday present from my parents] is coming in very handy now.
Heard the radio till
We are getting all set to leave for
I think that we will leave sometime in March,
1946. Mummy & Daddy are trying
to prepare me for the conditions in
This morning at shul, I was sitting next to Nathan. He pulled something out of his pocket and a card fell out and dropped on the bench in back of him. I picked it up and read it. It said Juniors Mother looked in his diary page about me. I should be loyal to him like he is to me. Swear that you wont tell. Evidently he had heard mummy say to his mother that she had looked in here on Jan. 3. When I came home, I told Mummy what I knew. I am still very angry. Mummy gave me a story about wanting to know what was troubling me. I never thought mummy could stoop so low. Mummy thinks that Nathan told me.
Today I saw Life With Blondie Heard the radio.
When I got to Sunday School I found signs plastered all over saying such things as Down with Brilliant and We want a new president.
I conducted the assembly at Sunday school. I told the rabbi & he told the school that I am leaving the school in March.
Went with Mummy, Daddy, Myrna and Mrs. & Marsha Mensh [Nathans mother and sister] to see about a trunk which Mummy & Daddy wanted to buy, but someone else was already promised it.
I told Nathan how I found out about Mummy looking in my diary.
Heard the radio.
Went back to School.
Mummy told me today that we may leave
It was rainy today, but Mummy and Daddy say I must get used to it because the English weather is like that most of the time.
Daddy gave me a French lesson tonight.
At school I finished my poster in math. (I still cant for the life of me understand what poster work has to do with math.)
Everybody seems to know that we are going
back to
Did my homework.
At school, I got A+ on my math Banking and money Notebook
Got a new Grammer book at Hebrew school today. It is really just a continuation of the first one.
Heard the radio.
Went at
Daddy says that I might get a bicycle before
we go back to
I started Ironing out all my cardboard toys so that they will be easy to pack when we leave.
The book, The Mysterious Island which I am reading now belongs to the school library, and they want it back now, so I am going to try to get it out of the public library.
Had a science test at school. I dont know what mark I got yet. I think I did fairly well.
Today Mummy told me that we would go to
Attended Bar Mitzvah Class.
In Art class we were shown how to weave a sort of basket of paper. It looked very complicated but when I came home, I tried it and found that I could do it.
Started learning about light in Science at school.
Played with my tinkertoy set and made a trip hammer.
Bought a pocket flashlight for 39¢ I bought 2 extra batteries (15¢) but they didnt fit.
Heard the radio.
Missed Shul.
Went downtown with Mummy. I got 2 pairs of Thom Mcan shoes.
Had lunch out at Ewarts.
Saw The Lost Weekend It was said to be the best picture of 1945. It was all about an alchoholic.
Heard the radio.
At Sunday school I wasnt such a model pupil.
Mummy advertised in the paper for a trunk. We got about 6 answers. Although no calls came
in the afternoon, I had to stay in to receive calls, while the
rest of the family, with uncle Al (who came in from
Went to School.
At Hebrew, I had the article which I wrote for the Agudas Achim News printed
I wrote a funny story about a knight for school. Mummy is going to type it up and I am going to send it in to the Junior Star Listened to the radio.
At school I told my funny story. I think the kids liked it.
I traded 6 comic books with Preston Feenex.
I sent in the story to The Junior Star
We got a trunk. It is just like I would imagine a treasure chest to be like. It is all rotten and rusty. We got it free.
Got a bottle of India Ink.
When we got the trunk we started packing.
I wrote a poem which I thought up last night. I called it The way ahead
At Hebrew I got 3 bags of fruit & stuff for Chamisha Asoh beshvot. [Jewish Festival]
Bought a comic book.
Went looking for a drawing pen nib but I couldnt by one anywhere.
Did homework.
Started studying about magnetism in School.
Read comic Books.
Got a postcard from the Junior Star saying they had received my story.
Attended Bar-Mitzvah class.
Saw a play in assembly but I couldnt hear it so I didnt understand it very well.
Read comics.
Went shopping.
Had a haircut.
Heard the radio.
Bought a book called The Pocket history of World War II
Missed shul.
Went downtown. Had lunch at Ewarts. Got pants, raincoat, coat, and shirts.
Saw Appointment in
Got a toy snake and a bottle of black ink.
Listened to the radio.
Had a term test at Sunday School. It seems that the kids want an election next Sunday. Nathan heads them.
I am pretty sure that I am going to get a bicycle.
My story wasnt in the Junior Star
I was bad in the afternoon so I couldnt hear the radio. Played with my tinkertoy.
Reene came for supper.
We may leave for
Altogether it wasnt a very pleasant day
At school, Mummy phoned Mr. Ferry (the principal) and told him that she wanted to get me into a French class. He called me to his office & told me that I should skip last period (science) to take French. I was pretty angry.
Did my homework.
Played with my tinkertoy.
Listened to the radio.
Had no French lesson at school today. But had no science.
Had a small fight at school. Really I like the boy. It was mostly in fun.
Did my homework.
Played with tinkertoy.
Listened to the radio.
At school, I was supposed to be captian of a team, playing another team, but I turned out so bad, that I was immediately demoted. I had some good plays, but the team members wouldnt listen. We lost.
I had no homework.
Played with tinkertoy.
Listened to the radio.
Daddy went to the library & got out The mysterious island for me. Had numerous unhappy incidents with parents and Myrna which ended in my going to bed crying.
At
We got 2 more big wooden packing boxes.
At school I will get C in phisical training.
Attended Bar Mitzvah class.
Billy Liddy (The boy I pushed into a mud puddle yesterday) did not attend school. I wonder?
Read part of my library book.
Didnt feel so well in the evening.
Played with tinkertoy.
Today is Daddys last day at his office before he gets his leave.
Saw part of a graduation party at school.
Played with my tinkertoy set.
Listened to the radio.
At shul there were held elections and I didnt run for president. I ran for head monitor but wasnt elected.
Saw Captian Kidd.
Heard radio.
Read my book.
Well what do you know! I had given up all hope of ever getting my story about Gezuntite the Knight in the Junior Star. I casually looked on the childrens page of the paper when what to my wondering eyes should appear but the word Gezuntite. After popping my eyes back in, I saw that it was my article, with the title changed to Gezuntite the Knight learns what to do about screams. I am very proud.
[This was the article (clipped and stuck
into the Diary.) It
was my first published piece:
Once
upon a time, Gezuntite the Knight was riding along on his horse
Radish when he heard a scream. Then he heard another and
another. He discovered they were
a code message, so he got out his pad and pencil and started decoding. Gezuntite was once a Boy
Scout, so he decoded it quickly.
When
he had finished, the message spelled H-E-L-P.
Now, since Gezuntite had never gone to school, he didnt
know what H-E-L-P spelled, so he went 20 miles to the nearest
town, and asked the Wise Man.
But the Wise Man happened to be a faker who had got by
telling the townspeople moron jokes.
He had not gone to school himself, so he told Gezuntite
to go ask King Hot Foot.
So Gezuntite
went 50 miles to the
Gezuntite
knew that a very beautiful maiden lived in the vicinity of the
screams, and his face brightened.
He rode
back the 70 miles to where he had first heard the screams, but
just as he arrived he saw his rival, Lord Nottingham van Snootch,
carrying the maiden away, leaving a dead dragon behind.
Gezuntite just sat down and cried.]
It snowed today.
I stayed inside all afternoon.
Played with tintertoy.
Listened to the radio.
Monday, January 28. 1946.
Showed my article in the paper around in
School and
When I came home from school I thought I would have a nice time, since I had no homework.
Daddy wanted to give me a French lesson but I refused, since I now take French [at school.] Finally, after 2 beatings, and numerous other punishments and tortures (including the breaking up of a tinkertoy machine, on which I had been working) I did it, purposely making some errors
Altogether today was one of my B-A-A-A-A-D
days. [This was
a catch-phrase on one of the radio comedies I listened to.]
At school, Miss Diggins (my Math and worst teacher) said that she had noticed my article in the paper.
Mummy and Daddy went to
Mummy & Daddy came back about
Discussed the lost 10 tribes in Hebrew school.
Did homework.
Heard radio.
I will get my report card in school on Friday.
Our books are being collected in school.
Had no homework.
Made a movie chart.
Heard radio.
I phoned up Hazeltons (a bicicle) store. They said they had some Rollfast bicicles for $36.50. Daddy and I are going down to see them tomorrow. I think I will get one.
Had no homework.
Attended Bar-Mitzvah class.
Read library book.
Heard radio.
The bicicles werent assembled yet so Daddy and I didnt go down town. We will go tomorrow.
Got my report card at school. 5 As 1B 2Cs (Honour Roll)
Packed a lot of toys and stuff.
Today is the end of my 8A semester. I am half way through Junior High School. (Of course I will never finish)
Packed my tinkertoy.
Read my Library Book. I am now more than half way through it.
Read a story about an oil well fire out of my Wonder Book of Dairing Deeds at school in geography.
Oh! Happy days. [Another radio catch-phrase.] Daddy and I went down town to Hazeltons (The bicycles store), We liked the bicycle which they had reserved for me so much that we immediately bought it ($36.50) We also bought a lock and bell. The man at the store gave me a pair of pants clips, a rubber patching kit, and a chain with a waterproof cover. It is a beautiful Rollfast bike. It has a light and a kick stand. I showed it to Nathan, and he thought it was pretty good. I like it very much. Daddy brought it home in a taxi.
Saw First Yank into
Mummy held a farewell party at the Menshs house, but I didnt go.
Hear the radio.
This is one of my G-oo-o-o-o D days.
This is the last day of my shul term of president.
Rode my bicycle around the block by myself and with Nathan. Only got it scratched a little bit. I had most trouble getting it up and down the back stairs. Nathan proposed that I keep it in his cellar, for which he would give me a key. [The Menshes house was immediately behind ours, across an alley.] I will consult Mummy.
Mummy & Daddy went to
Nathan will be a Rooky (7a) at
Paul [
I have a pretty bad cold. Heard radio.
Mummy and Daddy said I could keep my bike
in Menshs basement. I rode it to School and
Got new teachers in school:
Volemer Math
English Green
M.A. [Manual Arts] Mr. Cleaveland
History Middlemas
Latin De Keyser
Music White
Art Patterson
I am now in 8B4. Heard Radio
Rode bike to School and
The streets were very slippery.
Got a brand new History Text Book at school.
Heard Radio.
Read library book. It is due tomorrow, but I will renew it.
Mummy went to
Started making a whisk broom holder in Manual arts at school.
As I was riding my bike to the library, I tried to stop near the curb to talk to someone. I stopped with such a jerk that I slid off the bike onto some glass. My [right] hand got pretty badly cut up. I returned home, got it washed & fixed up, and went back to the library and renewed The Mysterious Island
Did homework.
Got a good bandage put on my cut hand.
Daddy said that we may either leave
for
Mummy came home from
Attended Bar Mitzvah class.
Rode my bike all afternoon on
Played with kids up the street.
Started to fix a toy mechanical boat of myne [sic] but only succeeded in breacking it up.
Heard Radio. Had a bath.
At school there seems to be some planning for giving me a fairwell gift or something. I was sent out of the room while it was discussed so Im not sure.
Missed shul.
Saw Snafu (Situation normal all fouled up)
One of my false teeth came out. [I had lost my 2 front teeth in an accident in June 1944.]
Got a Captain Marvel comic book. (It now has 68 pages.)
Heard radio.
There will be a singing contest at Sunday School next Sunday. Mrs. Pollock asked me to write an article of fairwell for the shul newspaper. I said I might.
Rode my bike a little.
Wrote a composition on The influence of comics for school. Heard radio.
It snowed today.
Read library book.
Had a French lesson.
Found a comic book in School.
My English teacher (Miss Green) Read my Composition on the influence of comics in class.
Were definitely leaving for
Made a picture for school homework Illustrating the causes of the revolutionary war.
Did Hebrew homework.
Heard Radio.
Bought some valentines for school. (Tomorrow is valentines day)
Heard radio
Almost finished my library book. (I am on page 469 of a 493 page book.)
Mummy had the Grosmans in tonight and I didnt
get to sleep till about
Today is Valentines day. I got about 12 valentine cards in school.
Attended bar-mitzvah class.
Went shopping on my bike.
Did homework.
Had a French Lesson.
We got some school test papers from
At last I finished my library book The Mysterious Island by Jules Verne. It was a very good book.
Mummy got some metal chairs and a beautiful table.
Mummy got Myrna a platform rocker.
Played with my magic set and packed it.
Heard radio.
Missed shul. This was one of my B-A-A-A-D days.
I wouldnt get up so I got beat. I wouldnt get dressed so I got beat.
Didnt attend the movies because there was nothing good playing.
Stayed in all afternoon and got beat in the evening for doing so.
Read comics.
Daddy put the radio away in a cupboard so that I couldnt hear it, but he and Mummy went out and I took it down, heard it and put it back. I hope Daddy doesnt find out.
Won a sterling silver kiddush or Pesach cup in a singing contest at Sunday School.
Mummy wouldnt let me go to the movies after what happened yesterday. Daddy says I cant ride my bike any more.
Played outside (although I didnt want to, because there was nothing to do.)
Heard radio.
Parents wouldnt let me ride my bike again.
Got an A on the picture which I drew for history class. (So did almost everyone else.)
Did homework.
Got a Captain Marvel comic book.
Helped Daddy pack a lot of stuff.
We sold our couch and had it taken away today.
Parents bought a nice laundry basket.
Heard radio.
Mummy came to school to say goodby to Miss Middlemas (my home room teacher.) I got in bad with Mummy by refusing to go shopping with her.
Parents somehow found out that M. and I too and listened to the radio last Saturday night. I think they could tell by the position of it on the shelf.
Daddy and I took my bicycle apart for packing.
Mummy got a nice pressure cooker.
Heard the Radio.
Stayed away from school.
Daddy, Myrna & I went down to the capitol. We climbed almost to the
top of the dome. It
is a very beautiful building.
I enjoyed very much riding the little subway which connects
the senate and house. We listened to the
We had lunch out with Mummy. I stayed downtown after lunch and looked in the bookstores and in Murphys. I went to WTOP and saw the Stumpus Club broadcasting.
Had a French lesson. Heard radio.
Went to school and probably played my last
baseball game in
At school we had an assembly to do with George
Washington. The speaker
was Rabbi Gerstenfelt, a reform rabbi of the
Parents bought a couch. Heard radio.
Unwillingly went by streetcar downtown to pick up some things in stores for Mummy.
Saw Pinnochio again today.
I saw it in
There is a holiday from school today because this is George Washingtons birthday.
Heard radio.
Missed shul because I wanted to sleep late.
Asked Mummy if I could see Radio stars on parade, and luckily she said I could. But I was pretty disappointed in the picture.
Everyone went out to supper at the Sykess but me. (I didnt want to go.)
Leon [Hornicker] came up to say goodbye.
Heard radio.
Went to Sunday School for the last time.
The Rabbi gave me some records of what I have to sing on my Bar Mitzvah. I said goodby to him.
It rained in the morning.
Went shopping for Mummy and bought a Coronet magazine to read on the train.
Heard the radio.
At school, since this was my last day, I was presented by the class with a beautiful Morocco Wallet.
With the help of Mr. Cleavland (My manual arts teacher) I finished my whisk broom holder.
Didnt attend Hebrew school.
Bought two books to read on the train, a magazine 1000 Jokes and a pocket book of jokes.
Tried to return some pocket flashlight batteries in Sears Roebuck because they didnt fit in my flashlight but I couldnt.
Heard radio.
Left Washington today for good (
In saying goodbye to Mrs. Curtiss and Esberd, Mummy fell, tore her nylons, and cut her leg. (Not seriously.)
Daddy didnt leave with us, but is coming a few days afterward.
Went shopping for Mummy.
Well,
Reached
Went downtown with Grandpa.
Visited the Wexlers & Aunty Rosie and Uncle Joe [my
grandfathers brother, who, like other members of the family,
had a second-hand store on Queen St.]
The Wexlers have a lot of new merchandise in their radio store.
Slept with Grandpa in the bed in his living
room. [My grandparents, Sarah and Lewis Adler, lived in an
apartment at 1A
[We were now staying with my grandparents,
in their apartment.]
Went to the Dentist with Daddy, who came today, and had a plastic tooth put in. Had a haircut. (Done by the same old barber)
Bought a gyroscope ($1) and played with it. I like it a lot.
Tryed to listen to the radio up here but it [reception] is terrible and I couldnt hear a thing. Slept with Daddy.
Had a bath. Played with my gyroscope. Went downtown and saw Spellbound with Myrna.
Had supper at the Wexlers.
Visited Rosy & Joe with the family. Visited & examined
Uncle Sols Pig Pen (I mean second hand store)
[Also on
Visited the Hornblasses with the family and the Wexlers. Had tea there. Told some jokes.
Played with my gyroscope. Jack & Eva Wolfson came up in the evening.
Mummy started me to
Today is Myrnas birthday. Bought her a Novelty thermometer (50¢)
Played with gyroscope.
Attended school again. I am really annoyed at the amount of swearing and tough guy stuff in that school. Had manual arts (woodshop) there today and started to make a picture frame. Made 56 in a composition test. (Mainly because I didnt know the rules)
Milly Afflegreen from
Attended school. My teacher is Mr. Potts.
Brought a Chocolate Bar out from Grandmas icebox secretly and ate it on the way to school.
No Latin is taught in school. [I had been taking Latin
in
Stayed in all afternoon. Heard radio.
Attended school.
Marbles there are called alleys.
Everyone plays alleys.
Got kept in with the rest of the class till
Bought a Captain Marvel comic book. Sneaked out another (and the last) chocolate bar.
Went to the library but took out no books because there was too much red tape attached.
Had a bath.
Attended school. Continued my work on the history project. Daddy came but I dont know what he said to my teacher. Saw some movies on Music.
Tried to hear radio but I couldnt get it clear.
Had lunch out with the family and the Graships at a jewish restaurant. Didnt like it much.
Went down to the Wexlers and stayed there all afternoon. Had supper there.
My taking of the chocolate bars was discovered.
Didnt go to the movies because all week I had refused to talk about what I did in school.
Had lunch at Billies. I left most of it. All I liked was the creplach.
Visited some of the Wexlers relatives with the family and the Wexlers.
Visited the Lipgotts. Had supper there. Read comics there. Got a silver dollar from the Lipgotts. Stayed up very late.
Attended school. Read a composition story which I wrote, to the class.
Saw a movie about hockey.
Played with my marbles.
Went to bed very early because I was up till
Attended school. Started a business there where I answer any question for a marble. Made 40 marbles. Played with them at home.
Had woodshop at school and did some mechanical drawing.
Played outside for a while.
Heard radio at Billys.
Attended school, and I now have 130 marbles from my new business. Played with them at home.
I was supposed to criticize an assembly today at school but it was called off. Saw some movies at school.
Heard the radio.
Continued with marble business at school. I now have 176 marbles. Parents dont know about my business yet.
Mummys birthday is in 3 days. Went up to
Im still in my marble business at school. I now have more than 200 marbles. There is a lot of anti-semetism at school.
I was the only one to get 100% in an English test.
Had a bath.
Went with the family to visit the Krombies.
Had supper there.
Played games with Malcolm.
Didnt get to bed till
Intended to go to a fairly nearby movie but I had seen it and so I went to a small movie house a long way off and saw Dudes are pretty people, 3 cartoons and Theres something about a soldier. Bought some Ashes of Roses toilet water and talcum powder for Mummys birthday tomorrow. ($1.30) Heard radio.
Edith Kauffman had a baby girl.
Gave Mummy her presents.
Went out to lunch with the family because this is Mummys birthday. Ate at a Jewish Restaurant. Didnt like it much.
Visited the Pifkos house.
Went to the
Mummy had a birthday party at the Wolfsons
house. It was pretty good. Lots of people were there. Stayed up till
Attended school. Got 72 in a Literature test (the second highest in the class)
Didnt feel well in the morning, but felt better later.
Played with my marbles.
Heard Eva Reider (who came up in the evening)
tell about when her son was killed.
[He was in the
Went to bed very early.
Parents bought a new trunk.
Attended school and got 100% in an English test.
Continued work on my picture frame in manual arts workshop.
Went to Billys & minded the Baby for a while. Read comics for a while too.
Heard Radio.
Went to school and got another 100 in an English test.
Visited Ruth Danciger in the afternoon and had tea there. Walked home with Daddy and got some hair cream on the way home. Heard radio.
Attended school. There are always crowds around me. A boy almost broke my neck, using the excuse that I insulted him. Im very glad I came to Brock school because its such a happy thought to think that Im leaving in little more than a week.
Played outside.
Attended school. Got poor marks (7 out of 24) in an arithmetic test. We sing a song at school call March of the Men of Harlech. I like it very much.
Went to the movies in the evening because we are going out tomorrow. Saw Tarzans Secret Treasure and Here come the Co-eds It was a very good show.
Had a bath in the morning.
Read comics at Billys.
Visited the Dancigers and the Millers. Walked home from the Millers. Bought some Nut Butter on the way home but didnt like it at all.
Heard the Radio.
Went a long way up
Bought a Coronet magazine. Visited Eva Reider.
Heard radio.
Got in two fights at school. Both were unintentional, and none of my fault. My right hand got hurt and I got a cut on my leg.
Went down-town after school in Amys car and had supper with the Wexlers.
Daddy received word from
Went to School and suffered numerous insults and torments. Almost finished making my picture frame in Manual Arts workshop.
Went downtown with Mummy. We attempted to get me shoes and gloves, but the shoes were too expensive and they didnt have my size gloves.
Went to the Wexlers. I touched a knob on one of the radios which Uncle Amy was repairing, and I must have done something, because Uncle Amy says I broke the radio.
There was a mouse-trap in the Wexlers
bathroom, and I saw the mouse stick his head out of his hole.
Attended school and tried to keep out of trouble. Got 100 in spelling.
Went to Billys where Mummy was minding the baby while Billy was out with Howard. Minded the baby a while, and took him for a ride in his carridge.
Read comics. Heard radio.
Attended school.
It was very hot today.
I think I have a cold.
Read copies of The Illustrated London News in the school library.
Uncle Neddy and family are coming here tomorrow.
Played in the park with Myrna.
Told my teacher at school that Tuesday would be my last day there.
Neddy [my mothers youngest brother],
Dody, and Rickey came today from
Heard the radio.
I still have a cold.
Had a haircut.
I am quite over my cold but parents wouldnt let me go to the movies.
I had a thrilling (HA! HA!) afternoon, going to Union Station with Daddy, to get our train tickets, and spending the rest of the afternoon with the Wexlers.
Last night I pulled a small strip of paper from Grandmas living-room wall (I still cant explain why I did it) It was found out and I am in dutch with everyone.
Played with Ricky a little. Heard radio.
We had a big party at Billys today. It started at 3:oclock
and hasnt ended yet.
(It is about
In saying goodbye to the Steins, they promised
that they would send me some comics in
Received a book called Bright Paths to Adventure [by Gordon Sinclair, a Canadian journalist] from the Hershmans.
I dont think it was a very good party. It wasnt organized at all.
Attended school. Tomorrow will be my last day at school.
Went to Billys, where Mummy was minding the baby. Read comics there. Said goodbye to Milly Steen, who was visiting Mummy there. Minded Hughy a little.
Heard Radio.
Said goodbye to Uncle Neddy and his family. They are going to
Attended school today, for the last time here. Almost finished my picture frame, on which I was working in Manual Arts Class. Brought it home.
Went with Myrna up
Bought and read a comic book.
Went downtown with Myrna and the brat (Howard) to see Road to Utopia. Had supper with the Wexlers.
We leave at
Said goodbye to Aunty Rosie and Uncle Joe. Said Goodbye to the Woolfsons.
Left Toronto for
We are staying at the
Said goodeby to Grandma & pa and the Wexlers.
Went with Daddy all day. Went to the Cunard lines office. Went to the burea of internal revenue. Went to Daddys office. Had lunch at the Automat. Walked down fivth avenue.
Went to a party at Joe and Cecile Bogats
apartment. Stayed up till
Went shopping with Daddy. Walked about 2 miles. It was very windy. Had lunch at Anna Sauls. Got a pair of black shoes. Had supper with Uncle Al, the family & Eva Ian [Ein] who is visiting Mummy.
We went to a vegetarian restaurant. I didnt like it at all.
Well, we leave on the Queen Mary tomorrow.
Left
I have waited for 7 years for this day.
Daddys camera was stolen (we think) on the boat. The bottom came out of one of our suitcases, so everything was not hunky doory.
Explored the boat with Myrna.
The meals on board the boat are delicious.
Played shuffle board.
Parents bought a box of Hershey bars.
Explored the boat some more.
Saw a movie about occupied
The Earl of Athlone was at the movies. He is going to
The sea was very rough today.
Had a French lesson.
Bought some postcards and wrote to some friends
in
Played shuffleboard with Daddy and another boy.
Saw
Myrna was sick during the night. I slept till
Played games with Daddy.
I broke Myrnas bunk while fooling with it, but I didnt tell anyone. It was found out but no one knows that I did it.
Saw See My Lawyer with the sailors on the Promenade deck.
Had breakfast in bed.
Mailed my postcards.
Should have had a French lesson but I played around the boat instead. Played shuffle board with some sailors.
We dock tomorrow night but we dont get off of the boat untill the next morning.
Saw
Played Shuffle Board.
Played on the boat exploring and examining.
Docked at
Parents put in a phone call to
Landed at
I didnt feel well when I got off the
boat and the train ride from
Saw some bomb wreckage in
Grandpa is not well. He cannot see or hear very well.
Went for a walk along the sea shore.
Uncle Leonard showed some movies of Myrna and me [taken at least 7 years earlier.]
Daddy and I are sleeping at Uncle Leonards house.
Uncle Mort & Aunty
Walked along the front.
Had chicken for lunch.
Walked around
Went to Beales toy shop (Just across the road from Grandmas) and looked around. I wouldnt tell parents where I went (I didnt want to tell them because I came right up after that, when I was supposed to stay out) so I got beaten and punished. I got beaten even further because I locked the bathroom door while I was in there and wouldnt open it.
Went to the library and looked around.
I can now play Chickery Chick & God Save the King on the piano. I have been practicing. [I could just pick out the tunes. Never learned to play properly.]
Went with Mummy & Myrna to
Started reading my book Bright paths to Adventure. I like it very much.
Went with family to the City Hall. We inquired about school and were told which school Myrna and I would go to. I will go to a different school from her.
Today is the first day of Pesach. Had a seder.
Almost finished my book.
Visited the
Went to a party at Uncle Leonards and Aunty Silvias house.
Today is the second day of Pesach.
Met, or should I say remet, Alan Raphael, my Cousin.
Finished my book, Bright Paths to Adventure. I liked it so much that it only took me 3 days to read it.
Went with Daddy to the food office to get our ration books. They are very complicated.
I can now play Dark Eyes (Oh Chichania) on the piano.
Met Norman King.
He reminds me of Uncle Marsh.
He is sleeping at the same place Daddy & I are sleeping
(Uncle Leonards house.)
[Actually I think he owned the house.]
Went for a walk along the front. Saw part of a Punch & Judy show. Rode up the cliff on the lift.
Daddy left for
Bought a story magazine at the station (1 shilling)
Walked along the front. Saw some German prisoners of war.
Saw The man in Grey and Easy to look at with Mummy, Myrna, Sylvia & Leonard. We waited in a long line for a long time.
When we got home we rang the bell to get in. We were not heard, so after ringing a lot, we decided to telephone. After a long wait, Uncle George, who had just come in, answered. We told him what had happened and he let us in.
Went for a walk and looked in all the shop windows.
Since Daddy has gone to
Walked with Myrna & Uncle George all the way to the fourth chine [chines are ravines or fissures in a cliff] and back. Went over a suspension bridge.
Found a pail.
Slept late this morning.
Played pencil games with Uncle George on the Zig Zag path bench.
Played in the sand on the beach with Myrna.
Played with my Gyroscope. Heard radio.
Wrote a letter to Marty April [a classmate
at Paul Jr. High] in
Went to a crafts exhibition in the city hall.
Played with gyroscope. Heard radio.
Received a letter from Marty April. Bought some stamps from Mummy & mailed the letter I wrote yesterday.
I was going to see The Captive Heart in the evening but I didnt want to go to the library to get so she said I couldnt go. [Sic] But Uncle George persuaded me to go later on to the library so Mummy said I could go to the movies. I went, & enjoyed it.
Watched George, Leonard & Miss Low [their
one employee] work in the shop [i.e. the work area behind
their fur shop.]
It rained almost all day today.
Went to Aunty Sylvias with Mummy and Myrna. Read magazines there. Had tea and supper there. Came home to hear the radio.
Had a haircut. I was surprised at how little time it took.
Went to the library. Took out How to be a Comedian & The Croquet Player. Read & finished the former.
Had a bath.
A suitcase which we had sent to Daddy in
Finished my library book, The croquet player. I didnt like it very much.
Went to see a friend of Grandmas, Mrs. Chester. Had tea there (in Boscomb)
Went to a movie afterwards.
Saw Swiss Family Robinson, and Action
in
This was one of my baad days. Mummy was supposed to take
Myrna & Me to start us to Sunday School.
I didnt want to get up.
I was sleepy. She made me stay in our
bedroom all morning. I
was much beaten, and I cried a lot.
I came down in the afternoon, and started reading, In
the Reign of Terror [a book I found there in the house.]
Went for a walk along the front.
Walked around
Read my book. Went to the library. Took out The Wonder book of Wonders and The Lair of the bird-men
Myrna has started to
Mummy started Myrna and me to school. I go to
The English boys are a lot more friendly than the American or Canadian boys. We go to a different school in the afternoon than in the morning.
Mummy started me to Hebrew school. It is a very small class, but the teacher is nice. I go on Mondays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
Almost finished my book In the reign of terror.
Had woodshop all afternoon in school today. Started to make a candle-holder. Finished my book, In the Reign of Terror. Started reading In the lair of the Bird-Men
Made some friends at school.
Recieved a letter from Harvey Kaplan, and started to answer it.
Had cricket practice in school.
Went to Aunty Silvias. [The house where Leonard
and Sylvia Brilliant were living, and in which I eventually found
myself living too, at
Math is the only subject I am worried about in school.
Had practical drawing in school.
Read my book In the lair of the Bird Men.
Continued answering Harvey Kaplans letter. Finished it and mailed it.
A boy gave me a slingshot. Played with it, exploring all around.
Took From Earth to Moon by Jules Verne out of the school library.
Finished my library book In the lair of the bird-men.
Went to Hebrew classes at the shul. Most of the children are younger than I. I didnt like it.
Went to
Started reading From Earth to Moon. Went to the library & took out Men Against Peril and Dr. Doolittle on the Moon.
There was no Sunday School today.
Walked along the front with Uncle George.
Finished my book From Earth to Moon Started Reading Men Against Peril
Went for a walk with Uncle George & Mummy. Had tea out.
Got 100 on a French paper in school. Had scripture reading in
class, (
Aunty Silvia brought some English comics
from
Read my library book Men Against Peril.
I feel very sorry for Uncle George. He seems very lonely.
Had science class in school today. Talked with the teacher
about the
Tried for a boxing competition but [got] knocked about a bit & decided to quit.
Loaned out some American comics for 9d [9 pence] & 6 English ones in exchange. (Myrna got 3d of the 9d because one of the comics was hers.)
Attended shul.
Read comics in bed.
When I woke up I was very stiff. (I think it was yesterdays boxing) so I took the bus to & from school. The teacher made me take P.T. even though I told him.
Had woodshop, & continued making the candlestick holder.
Went after school to Aunty Sylvias. Had tea & played there with Lionel, her little brother.
Played cricket in school today. Got 37 out of 40 in an English test.
Played games with Lionel, who came with Sylvia for tea. He is pretty cute (and smart too!)
Read Comics.
Mummy had a talk with my school principal (Mr. Eaton). She found that I was ahead in some subjects, and behind in some (Math French)
Went to Aunty Sylvias with family for tea. Played with Lionel.
Read comics. Had a bath.
Went to Hebrew Class at shul.
Bought a plastic bagatelle game (6/3) [6 shillings 3 pence]. Played with it. I really like it.
Read comics.
Went to the beach in the afternoon. Had tea there. Played in the sand.
Heard Radio.
Attended Sunday School.
We are going to
Started reading Dr. Dolittle on the Moon.
Played in the sand on the beach.
Had tea in the eastcliff café.
Heard some old gramophone records on Grandpas gramophone (Which is still in good condition.) It took a lot of fuss, and setting up.
Wrote a composition on the effects of Alcohol in school.
Went to Aunty Sylvias. Had tea there with Mummy. Played with Lionel. Read books there.
Heard radio.
We are going to
Got my candy ration for this ration period. (3 4oz bars of Frys Quality Chocolate) The next ration period is in two weeks time.
Played bagatelle.
Attended Hebrew Class.
Had a row with Mummy because I was figuring out how long my chocolate would last me. (Pretty unfair)
Had woodshop in school. Cut my finger while planing a piece of wood.
Today is Grandpas birthday. He is eighty. We had a party for him, but he didnt seem to appreciate it very much.
My Mother was under the impression that my bagatelle game cost 3/- (when it really cost 6/3) now she has found out the truth and is angry at me (to say the least)
Mummy and Myrna will probably stay in
Had a haircut.
Finished reading The Story of Dr. Doolittle on the moon.
Went to the library to return my books.
We are going to London Tomorrow. Heard Radio.
Came to
The London Underground is much nicer than
Started reading True Grit in
Mummy, Myrna, Ray King, and I went to Paul Arcus Barmitzvah. We walked to the reception in the rain getting our clothes soaked. Had lunch there. It was very dull.
Visited Daddys aunt Beck and Uncle Louis. Visited Wally and Anita Norwood.
Slept where Daddy is staying at the Blacks
Saw Marcus King and his wife and baby. Saw Mr. and Mrs. Loveguard. Visited the
Bermans [the family of my Aunt Sylvia]. Saw Aunty Sylvias Mother, her father, and her [older] brother [Dennis]. Had our supper there.
I leave for
Came back to
Went back to school. Went to Aunty Sylvias after school and had tea there.
Attended my
Almost finished the book I am reading called True Grit.
Had woodshop in school today. Split the piece of wood out of which I was making a candle-stick holder but I will try to glue it.
Got 44 out of 55 in an English test.
Went to Aunty Sylvias after school. Had my tea and supper there. Played with Lionel.
I have been having headaches all day.
Finished reading True Grit.
Played cricket at school this afternoon.
Went to Aunty Sylvias but she, Lionel, and I came to Grandmas for tea.
There is nothing to do here at all. Granpa wont even let me have the lights on in the evening.
Aunty Sylvia is taking Lionel back to
Heard Radio (about all there is to do when Granpa will let me have it on)
It makes me angry to think that Myrna is going out visiting every day, not having to go to school, & having lots of fun.
Went to the Library. Took out Making paper toys and Dr. Doolittles Return. Took Wrong Foot Formost out of my school library. Started reading and almost finished it.
I think that Mummy is coming back on Monday.
Attended shul.
Finished reading Wrong Foot Foremost. Started reading, and almost finished Dr. Doolittles Return Made some paper toys.
Went with Uncle George in the evening to see The Spiral Staircase and People are Funny
Attended Shul.
Finished reading Dr. Dolittles Return
Made paper toys from my book Paper Toy Making Also copied some plans so that I wouldnt forget how to make them.
Played Hangman with Uncle George.
Mummy and Myrna are coming from
Wrote a funny composition called How to Swim in English class at school.
We had Algebra in Math. I dont understand it at all since I have never taken it before.
Mummy and Myrna came back from
Went to the Library. Took out Trooper Useless, Larky Legends, and Professor Branestorms Treasure Hunt. Started reading Trooper Useless.
Attended my
Continued reading Trooper Useless. Heard Radio.
It rained heavily in the morning but the weather got clear and sunny in the afternoon.
Did school homework.
Had woodshop in school all the afternoon. Glued my peice of the candle-stick holder which I split last week.
Finished reading Trooper Useless. Started reading Larky Legends.
Read on the front.
Had a sports day at School today. We went to Winton Recreation Ground in the afternoon for the sports.
Almost finished reading Larky Legends. Heard radio.
We are going to
Took The Kings Legacy [out] of the school Library.
Started reading Proffessor Branestorms Treasure Hunt. Finished reading Larky Legends
There was some excitement this morning over Grandpa in a temper broke a cup of tea.
I wish we would move.
Missed Shul because I was so sleepy. Bought some peanut butter.
Went looking for a birthday gift for Daddy but I couldnt find anything.
Went with Mummy & Myrna to see Wanted for Murder and Tars and Spars.
It rained most of the day.
Attended Sunday School classes at shul.
Had tea at the Pavillion with some of Mummys friends.
Made a funny birthday card for Daddy.
Walked along the front with Mummy and Myrna.
Life here is getting worse and worse every day.
Started reading The Kings Legacy Finished reading Professor Branestorms Treasure Hunt. Went to the Library. Took out Gub Gubs Book and Dr. Doolittles Caravan
Wrote a composition on My Earliest Recollections in English class at school.
Heard radio.
Saw a boxing tournement in school this morning.
Got the cane this afternoon for talking in the lines. I got one on each hand but it didnt hurt much. I didnt tell anyone about it.
Made a cardboard periscope so that I will
be able to see the parade in
Today is Shovuos.
Had a haircut.
Didnt go to school today.
Finished reading The Kings Legacy.
Started reading and finished Gub Gubs Book Started reading Dr. Doolittles Caravan.
Went with Mummy & Myrna to Aunty Sylvias. Had tea and supper there.
Bought a desk thermometer for Daddys birthday present. (15/-) I paid 5/ for it & Mummy paid the rest.
Continued reading Dr. Dolittles Caravan
Played ball with Myrna. Played on Horseshoe Common.
Had a bath.
We are going to
Finished reading Dr. Dolittles Caravan
Came by bus to
Gave Daddy his thermometer birthday gift.
Tomorrow is Victory day. The whole city is decorated.
Got a letter from Marty April in
Went with family to see the mechanized part of the Victory parade. We waited for about 2 hrs but we had good places. We saw general Montgomery and General de Gaulle*
Went to the Bermans where the whole Brilliant family were gathered. Had lunch and tea there.
It rained most of the day although the papers forecast fine weather.
*I made a mistake. It wasnt De Gaulle.
This is the day before Phyllis Harris Wedding.
Went to the Kings house. We had tea and supper there.
Met Harold and Mildred Harris, my cousins.
Today wasnt very exciting all in all.
Went to see Phyllis Harris wedding
to Jimmy Gould at Hendon Synagogue.
It lasted from about
They did not have a dinner but just little things such as tea and cakes. It seems to me that wedding receptions are an awful waste of time and money. It was not very exciting. All the people did was eat talk, and dance.
Wrote a letter to Marty April in
It rained almost all day.
Visited Minnie Gilman.
Had tea with her.
Saw the front of our house on
Visited Kitty Jacobs. Had supper there. Saw her retarded son, Irving.
We are going back to
Visited Gert Abrahams, her husband [Henry]
who was in the army in
Saw a lot of bomb damage in the east end.
Today was a very busy day. Went with Mummy & Daddy to see some of the furniture from our own home which was stored away. It is all in terrible condition.
Went to see Cousin Mildred and her mother. had lunch with them.
Went to the heart of
Went to a restaurant and had a steak dinner.
Visited the Bermans.
Went to the Kennedys house in Isleworth. Played with
Went with
Slept late this morning.
Went with Adrian Kennedy to see Madame Tussauds waxworks. Liked it a lot. Also went to see the Chamber of Horrors. [This was a separate part of the waxworks.]
We are leaving
Read comics.
Slept late again this morning.
Said good bye to the Kennedys and came on
the train by myself from Isleworth to
Mummy, Myrna and left on the
Played Bagatelle with Myrna.
Didnt sleep well last night.
We are moving away finally from this terrible place. Mummy had a row with Grandpa this morning. Mummy asked Aunty Sylvia if we could stay at her place and she said that we could. We will probably move in during the weekend.
Had tea at Aunty Sylvias.
Saw Bedelia and Johnny Comes Flying Home with Mummy and Myrna.
School begins on Wednesday. Went to the library. Took out The School Wins and For the Glory of the Legion.
Finished reading The School Wins. Started For the Glory of the Legion.
Got my candy ration for the month 2 bars Frys Quality Chocolate and two bars of Cadburys assorted centers.
School starts again tomorrow.
Wrote a thank you note to the Kennedys.
Went back to school again.
Drew up plans for an ink pot holder in woodwork class.
After school went with Myer (a school friend) to his hotel-house [i.e. his parents owned the hotel where they lived] for tea there. Played cricket with him and broke a window.
Walked with Uncle George along the front
in the evening.
Thursday, June 20, 1946.
When I woke up the muscles in my legs hurt. While I was running to catch a bus I sprained my left leg & could hardly walk. Because of this I stayed home from school in the afternoon. Stayed up in our room & tryed to amuse myself. It rained most of the day.
In the evening when I felt better, Mummy, Myrna & I went for a walk along the front. Myrna and I ran out onto the beach to watch some fishermen pulling in their nets. Mummy was angry at this and when we got home she took a chocolate bar from each of us.
Finished reading For the Glory of the Legion.
Went back to school.
After school went for a walk along
Made a cricket bat out of some wood I found using my knife as a tool.
Went to Aunty Sylvias to see some friends of Mummys who were there.
Started
Took Too Big For the Fifth out of the school library.
Attended shul.
Played cricket with Myrna on the Common. It was very hot most of the day.
Played in the sand on the beach
Started getting my allowance. (A half crown [2 ½ shillings] a week.)
Walked along the front in the evening.
Finished
Stayed inside all afternoon.
Today is Grandparents 55th wedding anniversary.
Heard some old records on the phonograph.
We are moving to Uncle Leonards house tomorrow. (Thank Goodness)
We moved today from Grandparents place to live with Aunty Sylvia and Uncle Leonard.
My school (Portchester Rd. Boys secondary school) is just across the road.
I have a room to myself.
Played with my gyroscope.
Played ball in the school yard.
Found a rubber ball.
Attended Hebrew school.
Went to lthe Library.
Took out They Knew Too Much and Dave
Dawson at
Finished reading Too Big for the Fifth. Started reading Dave
Dawson at
Played ball with Myrna in the school yard.
Had woodshop class at school today.
Played Cricket at school.
Finished reading Dave Dawson at
Played with my Gyroscope.
Got a letter from Harvey Kaplan in
Heard radio.
Aunty Sylvia gave me a book called The game of cricket.
Played in the school yard.
Finished reading They Knew Too Much.
Got a postcard from Paul Hermberg [a Jr.
High classmate] in
Took a book called An Omnibus For Boys out of the school library.
Attended Shul.
Started reading An Omnibus for Boys
Daddy came to
Went to the Library. Took out The Wandering Whipsnaders and A Name Dishonoured.
Attended Sunday School.
Went in the car [I think this was an Armstrong-Siddely
originally owned by my Grandfather, probably kept in storage during
the war] to
Heard on the radio the atomic bomb experiment,
but it had a lot of static and could not be hardly heard at all. [This was the first
of a series of post-war atomic tests at
Cousin Sylvia Harris came from
Daddy and Mummy came to school for a talk with the head master.
Most of the day was very hot and sunny.
Saw some movies from a national savings mobile cinema (a propaganda film and a cartoon.)
Heard radio.
Two trunks [which had been shipped from
From the trunks which came yesterday, I got my tennis racket and baseball bat, my dart board (no darts) checkers & board, Game of Be an Airman, and my Blitz and Monopoly boards.
Attended Hebrew school classes.
Went down to the beach with Mummy, Myrna, Uncles George & Leonard, and Aunty Sylvia. Swam and played in the water. (I got my [swimming] trunks from the cases which came yesterday.) Ate supper on the beach.
Played games with Myrna and Uncle George.
It was very sunny and hot all the day today.
Daddy went back to
There was no school because today is sports day.
Had a haircut.
Played in the school yard.
Went with Myrna to see Sentimental
Journey and An Angel Comes to
Played Be an Airman with Myrna.
Made a safety poster in Art class at school using my slogan Be a Wreckless Driver.
Played Cricket in the afternoon.
Heard radio.
Continued reading An Omnibus for Boys.
Made an alarm in my room for Mummy to ring to make me get up in the morning.
Uncle Leonard installed a lamp beside my bed.
Played in the school yard.
Heard the radio.
Had a row with Mummy because she wouldnt let me get my candy ration. She says that I should eat more of it. I think that it was a dirty, rotten thing to do.
Attended shul.
Went to the beach and stayed there all afternoon. Didnt go in the water very much because it was too cold.
Heard radio.
Attended shul.
Finished reading An Omnibus for Boys. Started reading The Wandering Whipsnaders. Read in the garden all the afternoon.
In the evening we had a big party to which lots of people were invited. Most of them were strangers to me.
Had examinations in French, Mathematics and English comprehension at school today.
Played ball in the school yard.
Heard the radio.
Continued reading The Wandering Whipsnaders.
Had examinations in Geography, Algebra, History and Science at school. I got 63 out of 100 in yesterdays French examination. 40 was the passing mark.
Attended Hebrew school.
Bought a small metal construction set. It cost 3/--
Played outside.
Had examinations in Composition (I wrote on My Unlucky Day) and woodwork.
I got 77 in the English Comprehension examination, the highest in the class.
Went with Mummy and Myrna to a carnival, but it wasnt very good, and we didnt do anything.
Aunty Sylvia went to
Had an examination in mechanical [illegible] at school.
Finished reading The Wandering Whipsnaders. Started reading A Name Dishonoured
Played with my construction set.
Heard radio.
Finished reading A Name Dishonoured
Got 74 in the History examination at school the highest in the class again.
Daddy came from
Aunty Sylvia bought me a comic.
Missed shul.
Went to the library. Took out A Second Omnibus of War Adventures.
Played with my meccano set
Read comics.
Went with the family to see Dragonwyk. Stayed up late.
Attended Sunday School classes.
Started reading The Second Omnibus of war Adventures.
Uncle Leonard took some photographs of us in the garden.
Walked along the beach front with family and Grandma & Granpa.
Played with Myrna. Heard radio.
At school I was one of those picked to compete for a town hall essay competition. We had to write a preliminary essay on How Childhood is a preparation for adult citizenship.
Daddy left to return to
Got 85 in the science examination at school, the second highest in the class. (The highest was 87.)
Wrote on School as a preparation for future citizenship for the town hall essay contest.
Played with meccano.
Played ball outside.
Continued working on my candel-stick holder at school.
Mummy came and talked to my headmaster. A teacher is going to come
here every Monday at
Played ball outside.
Read book.
Daddy phoned last night about buying a house
in
I got 85 in the composition exam at school, the highest in the class. (The next highest was 80)
Played cricket at Winton recreation grounds in the afternoon.
Played ball with Leonard Bounter, a boy who is in my class at school and who lives on the other side of the school.
In the arithmetic tests at school I got:
Subject Mark Highest mark Place
Problems 50 83 12th
Mechanical 65 86 4th
Geography 68 88 8th
I came 6th in the class.
There was a half-day holiday from school.
Mummy is still in
Finished reading A second Omnibus of war adventures.
Attended shul.
Played with my metal construction set. Uncle Leonard helped me to make some things with it.
Went with Myrna, Aunty Sylvia, and Uncle Leonard to see A Womans Face and The Hoodlum Saint.
I think that Mummy will be back from
Attended Sunday School. There were no lessons. We heard and discussed plans for a Sunday School picnic at Lynhurst next Sunday.
Played with metal construction set.
Went with Myrna, Aunty Sylvia, and Uncle Leonard to Sandbanks on the bus for tea.
Mummy came home from
Had my first home arithmetic lesson. (See July 17th) My teachers name is Mr. Pope. He started teaching me square root.
At school my head master told me and other pupils who are going in the School Certificate class that I am better in English than anyone else in the school and that noone could touch me.
Played with my 6 metal puzzles. I can do all but one.
Heard radio.
Took my metal puzzles to school. Everyone liked and wanted to try them.
Attended my
Started looking around for Parents anniversary gifts.
Myrna came 26th in her class a disgrace.
Aunty Sylvia bought us some comics.
Saw boxing and cricket at school today.
Read comics.
Walked along the front with Mummy and Myrna. Saw a Punch and Judy show.
Did my arithmetic homework.
There are only two more days of school and then there are 6 weeks vacation.
Got my report at school. My best subjects were English, History and Science. On the whole I did very well. Very satisfactory work. In English is much above average.
Had my second home arithmetic lesson, this time in algebra.
Saw another cricket game at school.
Went with Mummy and Myrna to visit Mrs. Chester.
Today was the last day of school. Only went in the morning.
Played in the school yard to which I have been given the freedom by the school janitor
Found a solid rubber ball.
Went with Mummy & Myrna to the Kings Park playground, where we went on all the things and played ball.
Had a bath.
Attended Shul.
Went with Mummy & Myrna to see Shanghi Cobra and A Quiet Weekend.
Went to a party at Mrs. Brands apartment.
Played ball with Myrna.
Played with Meccano.
Went on a Sunday School Picnic to
Started reading Tales of Space and Time by H.G. Wells.
Had my 3rd home arithmetic lesson, this time in algebra.
Went with Myrna to see Walt Disneys Make Mine Music and It Shouldnt happen to a dog
Played ball with Myrna.
I am going to
Played ball by myself in the school yard.
Finished reading Tales of Space and Time by H.G. Wells.
Attended
The Silvermans came to visit us in the evening.
Had a haircut.
Slept late in the morning.
Played ball with Myrna.
Went with Myrna to
Played in the playground.
We are leaving for
Came with Mummy, Myrna, Aunty Sylvia, and
Uncle Leonard in the car from
Grandma gave Myrna and I 5 shillings each.
I slept at the Bermans because they havent moved out yet and Mummy & Myrna are staying with the Kings where there isnt enough room for me.
We are all moving in tomorrow.
Mummy, Myrna and Daddy moved into the Bermans
house and the Bermans went with Sylvia & Leonard to
Read comics.
Uncle Leonard gave Myrna and I a pound each.
Played the victrola [record-player].
Read magazines.
Read magazines.
Played with the kittens.
Myrna and I built a tent in the garden.
Went to Ray Kings on the bus to do a message for Mummy.
Walked with family in the park and saw a show at a bandstand.
Played in the garden.
Went with family to Uncle Lous and Aunt Kates golden wedding anniversary celebration.
Heard some speakers in
Ate out at a
Saw some old movies at a party that Noama Berman [Sylvias sister] held in the evening.
Played in the garden.
Went with family to Hampstead Heath but we didnt do anything there. It was very crowded since today is August Bank Holiday. Mummy and Daddy are angry with me because I didnt want to spend anything there.
Played in the garden.
Gert Rose and [her son] Tony came to visit us and had lunch here.
Played Records on the gramophone.
Ruth Bush and Micky, her husband came to visit us in the evening.
Played with the kittens.
Made a better tent in the garden with Myrna.
Went to the
Saw Caesar and Cleopatra by myself because it cost 4/6 and Mummy said that it was too expensive so I paid for myself.
Visited the Harrises with the family.
Played inside.
Visited the Benensons in the afternoon with Mummy and Myrna. We had tea there.
Heard some gramophone records.
Played with the cats.
Friday, August 9. 1946.
Stayed at home most of the day. Played with Myrna in the garden.
Went with Myrna to the Golders Hill park putting green and played a game. I beat Myrna. The score was 76 to 99.
Had a bath.
Another one of those didnt-do-much days.
It rained a lot in the morning and early afternoon.
Read comics.
Daddy is ill.
He is coughing and wheezing all the time.
[He was a chronic Asthmatic].
Went with Mummy and Daddy to visit the Kings where we had tea and supper.
When we return to
Went to the park with Myrna.
Marcus, Sadie, and Bubbles King came to see us for a few minutes.
Visited the Roses with the family. We had tea and supper there.
Went with Mummy and Myrna to the food office to change some B.U.s (Bread rationing units) into some points.
Dennis and Lionel Berman came back from
Went with Myrna and Dennis to see Cluny Brown and Just before Dawn
When I woke up I didnt feel well. I had a terrible headache. I went back to bed but couldnt go to sleep. Stayed in most of the day. Didnt eat hardly anything.
In the evening when I felt better I went with Daddy and Myrna to the putting green in the park. The score was: Daddy 70 Me 75 Myrna 87.
One year of peace today.
[It was a year since
Felt a little better in the morning.
Went with Mummy, Myrna, and Mrs. King to look at a house & see if we could rent it, but no soap.
Went to the putting green in the park with Myrna and played 3 games. Score first game: Myrna 81, Me 61 Second game: Myrna 88 Me 58 -- Third game Myrna 84, Me 67.
Visited the Gilmans with Mummy and Myrna. Saw Gerald, Dennis, and Joy Gilman.
Visited Kitty Jacobs.
Mummy found out that our case for our house
doesnt come to court till October 30th, so it
looks like if I have a bar-mitzvah, it will be in
Heard radio.
Got a postcard from Harvey Kaplan [
Helped Mummy in the housework, (Mixing, peeling and drying)
Went to the park and saw a childrens entertainment which wasnt very good.
Went to the putting green and made 64 and 63.
We are going back to
Came from
Aunt Sadie & Uncle Alf are staying at Sylvias tonight.
Went with Grandma, Grandpa, Uncles George, Alf & Leonard and Aunts Sadie and Sylvia & the family in the two cars to Badbury rings [a prehistoric hill fort] and around the countryside.
We all had lunch and supper at Aunty Sylvias.
Aunt Sadie & Uncle Alf left.
Played ball in the school yard.
Bought Parents anniversary gift, a tray which holds toast butter and jam (27/6) Myrna and I payed 13/9 each for it. Smuggled it into the house and hid it away. What happened was this I had to be at Grandmas for tea with the family, so I went on the pretext of going to the library to the shop and bought the gift. Then I came back by bus to the house which was empty, and hid the gift outside. Then I went back to Grandmas. Afterwards when we came home I brought the gift inside and hid it.
Took The Hon. Master Jinks out of the library.
Went with Daddy on the front with Grandpa. Read and finished The Hon. Master Jinx
Went with family to see One More Tomorrow and Black Market Babies.
Started reading some old Gem comics that Uncle Leonard has.
Continued reading old Gem comics.
Did my maths homework which Mr. Pope has so generously given me. I had forgotten how to do it & think I got it all wrong. Mr. Pope is coming on Monday.
Went on the front with Daddy & Myrna and just sat the afternoon away.
Accompanied Mummy to the dentist with Myrna. The dentist looked at my teeth. I have an appointment to go a week from tomorrow.
Continued reading old Gem Comics. I like them a lot.
Took The Wind on the Moon and The Worlds Wonders out of the library.
Started reading The Wind On the Moon. Almost finished reading it. Finished reading the old Gem comics. Read in the garden all afternoon.
Aunty Sylvia gave me some money to buy some comics. Bought a Hotspur and a Mickey Mouse
Noama Berman and one of her girlfriends came
to
Went to shul.
Brahm Chester, his wife and children came for tea. Played card game with his 9 yr. old twin boys.
Went with family to see the circus in Kings Park, but it was too crowded so we booked seats for Monday night.
Looked around the amusements. Saw some boxing and went on the Dodgem.
Finished reading The Wind on The Moon
Went on the beach & the front in the morning & afternoon. Played ball there. Started making an anniversary card for parents.
The Ashfields, Grandparents & Uncle George came to visit us in the evening.
We go to the circus tomorrow evening.
Went on the beach in the afternoon. Built a large castle. Had lunch on the beach.
Had another arithmetic lesson with Mr. Pope.
Went to see Billy Smarts Circus with Daddy, Myrna, Ginger and Gingers friend. Enjoyed it a lot.
Went on the beach again. (This is getting monotonous). I didnt want to eat lunch which consisted of lettuce & salmon sandwiches, so I didnt have it, but I had it later on.
Went with Uncle George & Myrna to see Gilda
Tomorrow is parents wedding anniversary.
Today is parents wedding anniversary. Gave them their gift. I think they like it.
Read comics.
Had another arithmetic lesson with Mr. Pope.
Played with Myrna.
Stayed indoors all day.
Thursday, August 29. 1946.
Went to the library. Took out Pony Boy and The Flying Classroom.
Went with Myrna to see Hampshire play
Started reading Pony Boy.
Played cards with Myrna.
Went to the dentist & had my teeth fixed.
Went with Daddy to the putting green in the
Met some distant cousins at Grandmas where we had tea.
Heard Grandpa play his old violin.
Continued reading Pony Boy.
Went to shul. Daddy made some arrangements for me to have bar mitzvah lessons from Mr. Hyams.
Played cards with Myrna.
Went with the family to see Candlelight In Algeria and Journey Together.
Attended Shul.
Daddy went back to
Did Homework. Walked to the pier with Mummy and Myrna.
Had tea at Grandmas Continued reading Pony Boy
Had another arithmetic lesson with Mr. Pope. The next one, on Wednesday is the last one.
Dennis Berman and Ginger came here from
Walked with Mummy & Myrna to the pier. Got a tin bank.
Had my first Bar Mitzvah lesson with Mr. Hyams
Anniversary of declaration of war [in 1939.]
Continued reading Pony Boy
Attended Hebrew Classes
Did home-work.
Mr. & Mrs Goldberg came in the evening.
Built houses of cards.
It rained almost all day.
Had my last arithmetic lesson with Mr. Pope.
Went by myself to see The Charge of the Light Brigade and Blonde From Brooklyn.
Had another Bar Mitzvah class with Mr. Hyams.
Had a haircut.
Went on the beach but didnt go in the water.
Played with my mechano set.
Had a bath. Almost finished reading my book Pony Boy
Finished reading Pony Boy Read and finished The Flying Classroom
Played checkers with Dennis Berman and also played outside with him. Went with him to see a water Polo match but it was full up so we walked along the front.
Mummy went to
Attended shul.
Went with Myrna to see Henry the Fivth didnt like it very much.
Dennis Berman went back to
Played with Meccano. Made a lot of things. Played with cards.
Attended shul.
Went in the car to Sandbanks with Uncles Leonard and George, Noama Berman, her friend Hetty and Aunty Sylvia and Grandpa.
Noama Berman went back to
Mummy may come back from
Played with meccanno.
Went to the Library. Took out Miggs Minor and More Thrills with the Paratroops.
Bought suplementary units A and B (3/6) for my Trix Metal construction set.
Had another Bar Mitzvah lesson with Mr. Hyams.
Mummy came back last night. School starts tomorrow.
School started today. I am in form 5a. (school certificate 1st year).
A lot of new kids in my class.
A fat funny French Master.
Attended
Played with meccanno.
Heard radio.
Finished readed Miggs Minor
Started reading More Thrills with the Paratroops
Had another Bar Mitzvah lesson with Mr. Hyams.
Heard radio.
Played with meccano.
Had woodwork at school this morning. Got Some homework and did it.
Played in the school yard with Myrna.
Played with meccano.
Heard Radio.
I know most of my Bar Mitzvah Parsha [the Bible passage I would have to chant in Hebrew] by now.
Had physics at school.
Did Homework.
Played by myself in the school.
Went on a message for Aunty Sylvia.
Heard radio.
Played with meccano.
Continued reading More thrills with the Paratroops.
Attended shul.
Went with Mummy and Myrna to see Picadilly Incident
Looked around the shops for an anniversary gift for Aunty Sylvia and Uncle Leonard (their anniversary is on Oct. 7)
Heard radio.
Attended Sunday classes at shul.
Went with Mummy and Myrna walking along the front. Played ball in the central gardens.
Finished reading More Thrills with the Paratroops.
Made a pencil box for myself. Heard radio.
Did Homework.
Got a ruler (10 d.!) and a compass (1/6) to put in my pencil box.
Had another Bar Mitzvah lesson with Mr. Hyams.
Went to the Library. Took out The March of Time
At school we had games. Went to Winton Recreation grounds to play football.
Started reading The March of Time
Attended
We had a party.
Grandma, Grandpa, Uncles George & Alf (who is in
Wrote a composition in school called Lost in a Cavern It was seven pages long.
Had another Bar Mitzvah lesson with Mr. Hyams.
It rained most of the day.
Continued reading The March of Time.
Had woodwork in school all morning.
It rained again most of the day.
Am still reading The March of Time
Heard Radio
Aunty Sylvia went into the hospital for an examination.
A very rainy day.
Did homework.
Mr. and Mrs. Berman came to
Heard radio.
Still reading The March of Time
Attended shul.
Finished reading The March of Time
Went with Myrna to see Three Wise Fools and Swing Parade of 1946
Daddy is coming to
Attended Sunday School classes.
Played with meccano.
Visited Aunty Sylvia in
Mr. and Mrs. Berman went back to
Heard Radio.
Did homework.
Bought some more A and B units to add to my meccano (3/1)
Went to the library. Took out Swallows and Amazons and Looking for Trouble.
Had another Bar Mitzvah lesson with Mr. Hyams.
Had a haircut.
Attended Hebrew classes.
Heard radio.
Played with meccanno.
Daddy is coming from
Did homework.
Got 8 out of 10 in my composition at school.
I have a cold and have been sniffing and sneezing all day.
Daddy came from
Today is the Rosh Hashona (Jewish New
Year).
Stayed indoors all day.
I still have a cold.
Am still reading Looking For Trouble.
Played with meccano.
Heard radio.
Played with Myrna.
Went to shul.
Played with meccano.
Mrs. Berman came from
A pretty dull day.
Nice weather for a change.
Am almost over my cold.
Attended shul.
Played with meccanno.
Very hot and sunny all day today.
Uncle Mort & Aunty
Went to see Aunty Sylvia in the hospital.
No Sunday school today.
Walked with Daddy along the front.
Saw Daddy and Mrs. Berman off on the train.
The weather was fine in the morning but it got dull and rained in the afternoon.
Went back to school.
Had another Bar Mitzvah lesson with Mr. Hyams.
I am going to get a fretwork [ornamental wood-sawing] set from Daddy.
Did homework.
Finished reading Looking For Trouble.
Mr. Berman came from
Got my fretwork set (25/-)
Attended Hebrew lessons
Did Homework
One of Aunty Sylvias cousins came &
went back to
Examined my new fretwork set.
Had another Bar Mitzvah lesson with Mr. Hyams.
Played in the school yard.
Played in the school yad.
Had woodwork at school today.
Went with Mummy and Myrna to the movies. Saw Two Smart People and Jesse James
Aunty Sylvia & Uncle Leonards wedding anniversary is on Monday, Oct. 4th [sic] Bought them a gift which Mummy suggested, a set of cut glass salt and pepper shakers (13/6)
Today is Erev Yom Kippur [eve of Day of Atonement].
Read Comics
Today is Yom Kippur.
Fasted all day for the first time.
Got in bad with Mummy by buying an A and B supplementary unit for my meccano set. [It would be sinful to do anything like this on Yom Kippur.]
Broke the fast at Grandparents.
Went to shul. Made an anniversary card for Aunty Sylvia and Uncle Leonard.
There were no Sunday School classes today.
Mummy went to
Did homework.
Ate lunch & supper at Grandmas.
Went to see Aunty Sylvia in the hospital.
Went for a ride with Uncle George, Myrna, and Grandpa along the undercliff and overcliff drives.
Mr. & Mrs. Berman came from
Got 7 out of 10 in a history test at school.
Had another Bar Mitzvah lesson with Mr. Hyams. I now go at
Today is Aunty Sylvia and Uncle Leonards first wedding anniversary. They got my salt & pepper shaker gift.
Did homework.
Played with meccanno
Had hebrew classes. Heard radio.
There is, 3 weeks from tomorrow the court
case for our house. [The
hope was that we would regain possession, so that we could move
in.]
Played with meccano. Heard radio.
Helped Mummy peeling, slicing, and mixing.
Tomorrow is Sucos [Jewish festival]. I dont go to school on Thursday or on Friday again.
Today is the first day of sucos. I dont go to school today or tomorrow.
Went to shul.
Went on a message for Uncle Leonard.
Visited Aunty Sylvia who is still in the hospital.
Heard radio.
Finished making an airoplane out of my mechanno.
Went to shul.
Mummy had a permanent wave. I stayed reading magazines in the beauty shop all afternoon.
Visited Aunty Sylvia in the hospital again. Heard radio.
We got news that our case for the house has been postponed until late in November. Mummy started crying.
Saw a Bar-Mitzvah at shul. The Bar-Mitzvah boy and family came fifteen minutes late.
Went with Myrna to see The Way we Live and Smoky.
Took Merry Stories Omnibus out of the library.
Heard radio.
No Sunday school today.
Wento Succos tea at the shul which I did not enjoy at all.
Visited Aunty Sylvia in the hospital again.
Did homework.
Went back to school.
Did homework.
Had another bar-mitzvah lesson with Mr. Hyams.
Heard radio.
The weather is getting very cold.
Played football at Winton Recreation Ground for games at school.
Attended
Did homework.
Heard radio.
Read library book.
I dont go to school tomorrow or Friday.
Heard radio.
Played with my fretwork set.
Read my library book.
Started a composition on A thunderstorm at school.
Went to shul in the morning and afternoon for childrens and adults Simchas Torah service.
Visited Mrs. Brand with Mummy and Myrna. Had tea there.
Visited Aunty Sylvia in the hospital.
Went to shul.
Went with Myrna to see Monsieur Beaucaire
Read my library book.
Heard radio.
Played with my mechano set.
Went to shul.
Mr. & Mrs. Berman and Lionel came to see Aunty Sylvia. They are staying overnight.
Did homework.
Visited Aunty Sylvia in the hospital.
Heard radio.
Played with my fretwork set. Made a small boat.
No Sunday school classes today.
Helped Mummy in the kitchen by peeling the apples & potatoes.
Mr. & Mrs. Berman and Lionel went back
to
Ashley King is supposed to come tonight.
Heard radio.
Went back to school.
Had another Bar Mitzvah lesson with Mr. Hyams.
Heard radio.
Did Homework.
Had a bath.
Had a haircut.
Played football in games at school.
Attended Hebrew school classes.
Did homework.
Heard radio.
Got some comics.
It rained most of the day.
Did homework.
Had another Bar-Mitzvah lesson with Mr. Hyams. I can now do my whole kaboodle, [? I think I meant the entire required performance] but not perfectly.
Heard radio.
Had woodwork classes at school. I have missed a lot.
Did homework
Read comics
Heard radio.
Mr. Kings sister and her daughter came in the afternoon.
Got 9/10 in a composition in school.
Did homework.
Heard radio
Read comics.
The weather is very cold and wet.
Went to shul.
Daddy and Norma Berman came by train from
Got a comb (6d)
Visited Aunty Sylvia in the hospital.
Heard radio.
Attended Sunday School classes.
Uncle Leonard has told us that he thinks it would be better if we were not here when Aunty Sylvia comes out of the hospital. We went to see a place, but it was no good.
Daddy and Noama Berman went back to
Attended shul in the evening for a childrens meeting but there werent enough attending so there was no meeting. Had supper at grandmas.
Wrote a composition about alterations at the Lansdowne (one of the main road junctions here) at school.
Had another bar mitzvah lesson with Mr. Hyams.
Did homework.
Heard radio.
Played football in games at school
Did homework.
Attended Hebrew Classes at shul.
There is no school on Thursday or Friday because of half-term.
Had another Bar Mitzvah lesson with Mr. Hyams.
Did Homework.
Heard radio.
There is no school tomorrow or Friday because of half term.
No school today or tomorrow because there is a half-term holiday.
Played outside with Myrna.
Went with Mummy and Myrna to see Mr. Ace and Miss Susie Slagles
Played with meccano.
Went to the library. Took out For Adults Only
Went on a message for Mummy. Looked around the shops.
Attended shul.
Went with Myrna to see
Mrs. Elrin had lunch with us.
Played with Mecanno.
Read Library book.
Attended Sunday School classes.
Played with my mechano set.
Read library book.
Went to a recreation hour at the shul.
Sat with Mummy and Myrna in the Central Pleasure gardens in the afternoon. I didnt get much pleasure out of it.
Went back to school.
Got 8 out of 10 in a history test at school.
Had another Bar Mitzvah lesson with Mr. Hyams.
Heard radio.
Read library book.
Played Football at Winton Recreation Ground in games class at school today.
Attended
Today is Guy Fawkes day. [British holiday marking unsuccessful 1605 plot to blow up Parliament. Celebrated with bonfires and fireworks.] Mummy, Myrna and I went out to see if there were any fireworks. We hardly saw anything, but when we came home we built a small bonfire.
Had another Bar Mitzvah lesson with Mr. Hyams.
Did homework.
The case for our house is scheduled to come up in court on November 23rd.
A pretty dull day.
The weather was bad all day.
Daddy is ill.
He is coming here tonight at
Tomorrow Mr. & Mrs. Berman are coming to see Aunty Sylvia, which is nothing new.
Did homework. Read Comics Heard Radio
Daddy came from
Got 7 out of 10 in my composition at school.
Norman King came in the evening. [I think he was the actual owner of the house in which Leonard and Sylvia, and my mother, sister and I, were living.] Much as I hate it, I have to sleep with Uncle George at Grandmas because there is not enough room here. I feel very angry about it.
Read comics
I hardly slept at all last night.
Attended Shul.
Mrs. Berman came from
Went with Myrna to see Madame Pimpernel and The Time of Their Lives.
I have to sleep with Uncle George at Grandmas again tonight.
I slept slightly better last night than the previous night. Tonight I sleep in my own room.
Went to shul for Classes in the morning and for a recreation hour in the evening.
Did homework.
Wrote a composition for school called Silver, the White Stallion.
Read Comics.
The Bermans went back to
Had another Bar Mitzvah lesson with Mr. Hyams.
Read comics.
Did Homework
Heard radio
Bought a Little Abner comic book (6d)
Norman King left.
Wrote a play for school called The Truth Drug If it is good enough it will be given in the school Christmas concert. Stayed up late to write it.
Attended Hebrew Classes
Had another Bar Mitzvah lesson with Mr. Hyams.
Daddy went back to
Did homework.
Read comics.
Handed my play in at school.
Had woodwork class all the morning at school today.
Went to see Aunty Sylvia in the hospital
Did homework.
Read comics
Got eight out of ten in my composition at school.
Bought a Hotspur I have ordered it so I will get every issue from now on.
Read comics.
Did homework.
Had a bath.
Although I have a cold, I attended shul, but didnt go outside all afternoon.
Mr. & Mrs. Berman came from
Read comics.
I still have a cold.
Attended Sunday classes at shul.
Stayed inside for the rest of the day.
Mr. & Mrs. Berman went back to The City of London
Read Hotspur comics.
My cold is better today.
Went to school.
Did homework
Heard radio.
Our case for our house is coming up in court a week from today.
Attended Hebrew classes at shul.
Lately I have found out a lot of things which I dont like.
a. That mummy looks in here whenever she pleases
b. That
the Tfillin [ritual boxes and straps to be worn in prayer]
which Daddy has bought me in
c. That said Tfillin cost £210s (Mummy said £4)
I dont like this at all
Did Homework
Read comics
Heard radio
Read comics.
Did homework
Heard radio.
Today was a very rainy day.
Mummy and Myrna are going to
The examinations at school will start on the first of December.
Sold for 8d the Lil Abner comic which I bought for 6d.
Aunty Sylvia finally came out of the hospital.
Did homework.
Received my tfillin from Daddy in
Bought my weekly Hotspur (2d)
Got 8 out of ten in my Truth Drug composition at school.
Noama Berman came to be with Aunty Sylvia who is in bed.
Did homework.
Attended shul. Before the childrens service a man came into the hall & said that he wanted to talk to one of the pupils. The boy came out and the man started shouting and yelling about how this boy had hit the mans son (also a pupil) at school and had given him a black eye. The man caused quite a commotion, and, when he finally left, Mr. Hyams said that he had never seen anything like it before.
Mummy & Myrna went to
Saw Renegades and Blondies lucky Day
Played with mecanno.
Attended classes at shul.
Read books. Heard radio.
Most of the day it was raining.
I may have to go to Grandmas and sleep
there if Noama, Aunty Sylvia, and Uncle Leonard go to
Got 6 ½ out of 10 in a history test at school.
Started casting my play.
Had another Bar Mitzvah lesson with Mr. Hyams. He showed me how to put on the tfillin.
We had the court case in
Uncle Leonard, Aunty Sylvia, and Noama went
to
Had a lesson in putting on the tfillin with Mr. Hyams.
I am very angry.
I spent a rotten night with Uncle George.
Uncle Leonard came back from
Had another Bar Mitzvah lesson with Mr. Hyams.
What annoys me most is the thought that Myrna
must be having the time of her life in
I sprained my ankle at school jumping off a desk. It hurt so much that I could hardly walk. Uncle Leonard banded it up for me.
Got a letter from Mummy, and one from Uncle Marsh.
Mummy and Myrna came back from
My ankle is still pretty bad.
Went with Mummy and Myrna to see The Overlanders and The Bride Wore Boots.
Attended shul.
Read some books and magazines
Wrote an essay on Rabbi Hillel at Sunday Shul classes.
Visited Mr. and Mrs. Chester.
Went to the recreation night at shul, but
only two other people showed up, so it broke up at
Had another Bar Mitzvah lesson with Mr. Hyams.
Got a letter from Aunty Nan and Uncle Mort asking what I would like for my Bar Mitzvah. I started to answer the letter, but Mummy said that she wanted to read it, so I packed up. I think I have a right to a little privacy, and I feel quite justified.
Acted out my play Aint It the Truth? at school. Mummy typed it out in the evening.
Wrote my letter to Aunty Nan and Uncle Mort at school, and I surprised Mummy by showing it to her in the evening.
Had Hebrew classes at shul. Heard radio.
Got 57% in my arithmetic exam at school.
Had a French and Geography exam. Got 2 out 10 in the Geography exam. This was the lowest in the class. I dont know anything about English Geography.
Did Homework.
Had a geometry and another Geography test at school. Got 7 out of 10 in the Geography test.
Did homework.
Went to the library. Took out The Captain of Glendale.
Heard radio.
Played with my fretwork set. Made a tea mat.
Had a half-day holiday at school today.
Went with Mummy and Myrna looking around all the shops to get me a birthday present. We decided on a model steam engine.
Started reading The Captain of Glendale
Had a haircut and a bath.
Attended Shul. My Bar Mitzvah is next Saturday.
Went with Mummy and Myrna to see A Matter of Life and Death
Heard radio.
Played with my fretwork set.
Attended Sunday classes at shul.
Continued reading The Captain of Glendale
Mummy is making a beef-steak pie for my birthday tomorrow.
Visited the Marxes. Played Monopoly and beat Myrna there. Had tea and supper there.
Did Homework.
Today is my 13th birthday.
Received a microscope from Mummy, a game called Solitaire from Myrna, a set of mathematical instruments from Uncle George, and a Conjuring set from Uncle Leonard and Aunty Sylvia.
Wrote a composition called Nature in Her Fury at school. Got 51% in my science exam, which wasnt too bad as most of the marks were below 40%.
Had a Bar Mitzvah lesson with Mr. Hyams.
Heard radio.
Bought a five-year diary (13/9) for Uncle Leonard whose birthday is December 12th.
Attended Hebrew classes at shul.
Did homework
Played with my microscope.
Heard radio
Received £2 from the Abrams by mail, and £22s from the Arcuses.
Got 54% in my French exam at school. There were only 5 people above this. Had a physics exam.
I got 29 out of 40 in the algebra exam at school. The highest was 35 and there were only 3 people above 29. Got 9 out of 10 in the graph exam.
Played with my fretwork set and completed another mat.
Heard radio.
Today was Uncle Leonards birthday. Gave him the diary.
At school got 70 in my Physics exam (the highest mark) My term mark was 61 (about second from the top)
Aunty Sylvia came back from
Tomorrow is my Bar Mitzvah.
Received a check for a gineau [a guinea, = £1 + 1 shilling] from the Chesters and a W.H. Smith Library book subscription from Aunty Tilly and Uncle Aubrey.
Came third in the Geometry exam at school
Daddy, Mr. & Mrs. Berman, and Aunty Nan
came from
Had my bar mitzvah at shul today. Ate lunch at a guest house where Parents had arranged it. My only presents were a set of brushes from Douglas Chester and a book called Tomorrows Bread from Mr. Hyams
[Fixed to the page is this Bar Mitzvah
announcement from the Jewish Chronicle:
BRILLIANT. Ashleigh (Junior).,
only son of Mr. and Mrs. V. Brilliant, and grandson of Mr. and
Mrs. H. Brilliant, 226 Old Christchurch Road, Bournemouth, and
Mr. and Mrs. L. Adler, Toronto, Canada, will read Maftir and Haftara
at Bournemouth Synagogue on Saturday, December 14, 1946.]
Attended classes at shul.
Daddy gave me a wrist watch.
Daddy went back to
Stayed in all afternoon.
Did my homework.
Heard radio. Read books.
Had a class rehearsal of my play at school.
Did homework.
Received as bar mitzvah presents,
a pair of roller skates from Aunty Nan & Uncle Mort, a wallet from cousins Doris & Manny, and a book called Great Stories of all Nations from Uncle Abraham.
At school my class position was 7th.
Received a football as a Bar-Mitzvah present from Uncle George.
My play will be presented tomorrow afternoon at school.
Read Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde
Heard Radio.
Did homework.
Tomorrow is Grandmas birthday. Bought her an egg-timer
The school concert was put on in the afternoon. My play was in it.
Today is Grandmas birthday. Gave her the egg-timer.
Went to Myrnas school concert with Mummy and Myrna in the evening.
Uncle Leonard tried to blow up my football and the bladder split.
It snowed today.
Mummy is going to
Stayed indoors all day.
Morry Leavy came for supper.
Read comics.
Mummy went to
Bought a Hotspur (2d)
Today was the last day of the school term
We may be moving into our new house soon.
Attended Shul.
Went with Myrna to see The Little princess and Turned Out nice Again
Daddy here from
Uncle George got a new bladder for my football, and Uncle Leonard blew it up.
Attended a Chanukah service at shul in the afternoon. Afterwards there was a tea and a prize-giving. At the prize-giving I won two books for general proficiency and the essay which I wrote on Rabbi Hillel. One was called A Book of Jewish Thoughts and the other one was called The Jewish Festivals
Received a portable gramophone as a bar mitzvah present from Grandma and grandpa Brilliant. I really like it a lot.
Stayed indoors all day.
Heard radio.
The Christmas holidays have started
Played with my football in the school yard.
Went to the library.
Today is Christmas eve
Heard radio
We are moving to
Today is Christmas
We are leaving for
Stayed indoors all day.
Heard radio.
I am certainly glad that we are leaving
Came to
We had supper at the Bermans. I slept there.
We are moving into our new house tomorrow.
We moved into our new house today. We spent most of the day
unpacking. Our adress
is
Much of our stuff has been damaged. Well, we finally have a home of our own.
Did a lot of unpacking.
Visited cousins Wally and Anita [
Read books.
Our kitchen here is very small.
Many of our dishes have been broken in transit.
Took nails out of wood. [Probably out of packing
cases.]
We are still unpacking.
Played with my tinkertoy set
Uncle Leonard and Aunty Sylvia and Micky & Ruth Bush came to visit us.
Read comics.
Set up my books in the book-case.
Daddy is ill so he stayed home from work today.
Read comics.
Went shopping for mummy.
The Kings came to visit us in the evening.
Read books.
Cousins Jesse, Max, Phyllis, and Jimmy came up to visit us in the evening.
Read Comics.
Well, it has been a pretty eventful year,
but Im getting rather tired of eventful years.
My wish for 1947 is that It will be a quite [sic] and
peaceful year, and that we will all settle down happily!
HAPPY