Private Papers of Mr and Mrs E Harwood

Ts transcript (1,389pp) of an extensive series of letters written by Evelyn Harwood to her husband during his army service, describing daily life on the Home Front in Kendal, Westmorland with two young children (1940 – 1945) and mentioning: her feelings of loneliness and stress; the price of food and other necessities, and the difficulties caused by rationing; preparations for Christmas and Christmas celebrations; taking in evacuees (1941 – 1942); trips to the cinema; growing vegetables in the garden; the children's education; spring cleaning and decorating; her thoughts on the morale of the Germans; her pregnancy and the birth of their third child (1944); VE Day celebrations and her thoughts on the peace; and her thoughts on adultery during wartime (1945). The transcript also includes Ernest Harwood's brief, but interesting, diary covering his service in the Army during the Second World War, and including descriptions of: his training and social life at Norfolk Barracks, Sheffield, then at Whitley Bay, Northumberland and finally on a 'special clerical course' in Aldershot (1940 – 1941); passage to Egypt on the troopship SAMARIA (1941); his posting to General Headquarters, Middle East Forces, Cairo; a more detailed description of Christmas celebrations in 1942; transfer to Headquarters, 8th Army as a clerk to General Montgomery (1942); typing orders for the Second Battle of El Alamein and typing Montgomery's private diary; the visit of Winston Churchill to Tripoli; service in Italy (1943); his perspective on D-Day; service with Montgomery during the campaign in North West Europe (1944 – 1945); and his demobilisation and return to civilian life (1945). Also included are ts transcripts (275pp) of Evelyn's letters and Ernest's diary (1934 – 1939 and 1946 – 1991) which provide further information about the family; and copies of five photographs of Mr and Mrs Harwood and their children.

Cataloguer ELG