Description
Object description
A very detailed and often humorous ms diary written by William Henry Sherwood, a former First World War soldier, and respected actor and director between the wars, in notebooks and on scrap paper, partly as an account for his girlfriend (and future wife) the actress Rosemary Johnson, with neat ms copies and typed transcriptions of some parts, together with a word-processed version (190pp) containing scans of photographs and explanatory notes by his daughter, starting in December 1941 giving some really insightful details of his work with repertory and ENSA concert and theatrical parties, with fascinating details of shows they put on including an ENSA tour to Castlefield, Cranfield, Bletchley, a concert at RAF Duxford, Debden in Essex, RAF Henlow in Bedfordshire, Oakington in Cambridgeshire, RAF Honington in Suffolk, spending Christmas in concerts at Chigwell and Northolt and at Mount Royal Hotel, trips to Drury Lane, more concerts in Bicester, Brize Norton and Benson, muted New Year celebrations, (January 1942) concerts in Kiddlington, Little Rossington, Upper Heyford, Hindhead, French Canadians not understanding their show, a Royal Engineer audience, Haslemere, Grenadier Guards, Chichester, Marines and Navy, snowy weather, preparing and rehearsing for a run at the Theatre Royal in Wolverhampton (February 1942), receiving a letter from the War Office recalling him to service as a Lieutenant Royal Engineers, and to report to Movement Control BTNI Belfast, Northern Ireland as a movement control officer, leaving Wolverhampton and travelling to Belfast, joining up with his unit in Castle Caulfield, Co Tyrone, details of his fellow officers, the poor food, his accommodation, going on hikes with fellow officers (March 1942), his duties, his opinion of the "slovenliness of the modern Army", humorous view of acronyms and abbreviations used by the Army, the officers' mess, acting as prosecutor in a Courts Martial case, attending a dance, hearing that friend Ken Attiwell had been captured by the Japanese, his thoughts on the Cinema, and cinemas remaining closed on Sundays, VD cases rising, views of his CO, Jack Shaw, a trip to Dublin, taking over as officer in charge of administration, messing in Parkenaur Manor House, Co Tyrone, taking over running the mess, descriptions of another trip to Dublin to visit his parents and sisters (April 1942), border checks, train journey, being 'chatted up' by a suspected female spy, the rising costs but lack of rationing and blackout in Republic of Ireland, a poem about his thoughts of Ireland not helping with the global struggle, practising with a Bren gun, getting rejections for his play, his leave being cancelled last minute (May1942), one of his men returning from leave two days late, US soldiers in Northern Ireland (June 1942), an Irish theatre company putting on his play, seeing another poor repertory group performing, moving to a transit camp in Larne, sailing to Scotland and then driving the transport down to Chester (July 1942), details of his Drivers and batman, based in Old Hall, visiting the Royalty Theatre, his digs being unsatisfactory so moving to the Peacock Hotel, work on a mobilisation scheme which should have been done by a more senior officer (a DAQMG), seeing Rosemary in shows in Southport, moving to Longmoor Camp, the Royal Engineer training camp, and the Movement Control camp at Weaness Down (August 1942), promotion to Captain, a friend being part of the Dieppe Raid, more trips to see Rosemary in Southport, journey by train to London and then to Glasgow (October 1942), boarding a Union Castle Liner, being a 'dry' ship due to US troops on board, sailing (November 1942), descriptions of the ship, accommodation, sleeping arrangements, and the journey, arriving in Algiers harbour, billeted in Hotel Oasis and at HQ First Army, the good welcome from the Algerians, air raids, becoming lousy, adopting a pet cat, mail, life in Algiers, watching films, spending time with a French family in Palestro (December 1942), buying turkeys from a farmer, Christmas, a visit to a show at Le Sphinx burlesque (brothel), moving offices to the top floor of the Institute Genevieve beside the St George Hotel (January 1943), and living at the Hotel Mondy, a friend being invalided home, thoughts on Eisenhower, moving to a billet with a French family (February 1943), a trip to Bourgie, seeing a play at the Opera House (March 1943), parades on Sunday, seeing a play where an actor's false moustache fell off, trips about Algiers (June 1943), a friend being killed when a ship full of mines exploded (August 1943), moving to join AMGOT (Allied Military Government Occupied Territories), flying to Palermo, Sicily (September 1943), messing with Americans, seeing the destruction caused by Allied bombing, the Italian Surrender, a trip back to Algiers, returning to Palermo and meeting acting friends in Tunis on the return journey (October 1943), his dismay at poor ENSA shows, moving to the Educational Branch of AMGOT as Deputy Director of Education with Robin Gayre, reusing fascist textbooks by tearing out the propaganda pages, the tension between staff and former fascist Italians who have switched sides, promotion to the rank of Major (November 1943), removing fascists from posts in universities, dinner parties, his opinions of Sicilians, the opening of Palermo University (December 1943), problems with the students, going shooting in the hills, thieves stealing his car's tyres, having an Italian POW as a mess waiter, social life, Christmas celebrations, Christmas dinner with the Cantinella family, attending a Greek orthodox wedding, political problems between separatists and anti-separatists in Sicily (January 1944), his staff, meetings with Cardinal Lavitrano and Archbishop Bello of Mazzara, and university professors, seeing malaria treatments at the Italian Military Hospital, social visits with the Tascas, Catinellas, and DuCrots, inauguration of the Accademia Peloritana (February 1944), travelling from Palermo in a LCT to Reggio, getting punctures while driving to Salerno, working in Naples, visiting Benedetto Croce in hospital, opening of an Academy in Naples, blaming the rise in VD cases on American troops, losing his luggage, political issues with the new government, seeing opera and ballets, meeting journalist Virginia Cowles, annoyance at the Education Division being filled with Italian academics, visiting Pompeii, the eruption of Vesuvius, watching the lava, checking on fascists wanting to return to jobs as school directors (March 1944), evacuations from the volcano, flying back to Palermo and then Algiers, catching up with old friends, returning to Naples (April 1944), going to the Allied Control Commission Night Club, leaving Naples and sailing back to England, ending up staying at his friend Evadne's house in London (May 1944), moving briefly to Swindon, Rosemary touring the country, returning to London as V1 flying bombs start landing (June 1944), meetings with Archbishop Godfrey, his CO, Robin Gayre, being in trouble for a book he wrote, preparations for joining the Control Commission for Germany, a journey to Ireland and a few days in Dublin (September 1944), commenting that for a neutral county a lot of citizens seem to be in uniforms of the British services, seeing a show at the Phoenix theatre, meeting the Vice Chancellor of Oxford University to discuss candidates for the Educational Branch, fire watching (October 1944), seeing Rosemary perform in the Gateway Theatre, Notting Hill, assembling a new staff, frustration at the thought of bad organisation in the control of Germany after the war, having inoculations, hearing of the successes of friends from Movement Control in Normandy, hearing that his successes in Sicily are being undermined by politics, SHAEF asking his branch to organise their educational arrangements for them, find staff and issue directions, friends including Rosemary going on ENSA tours of western Europe, flying to Paris in a Dakota (November 1944), travelling to Versailles, frustration that Civil Affairs hadn't allocated officer for educational jobs vetting schools and curricula, meetings with General McSherry and Brigadier Robbins, flying back to London in a US plane, a V2 landing nearby, travelling to Northampton, a trip to the Theatre Royal, Northampton, the copying of Weimar textbooks to be used in Germany, regarding the developments in the Control Commission with growing cynicism, returning to Paris for ten days (January 1945), the diary ending in May 1945 mentioning books being printed for use in German schools but one contentious one being included by mistake, with throughout his views on the reception of shows by the service audiences, as well as his personal thoughts about Basil Dean and the poor running of ENSA, pay for performers, trying to get a play he wrote 'Flowing Tide' produced professionally, and many references to his girlfriend, the actress Rosemary Johnson ('R'), who he married in 1946, films he saw, plays he saw, and his professional opinions of plays and actors, poems ('pomes') he wrote, news from home, as well as anecdotes he had learned of other friends and actors, reading as a 'who's who' of British acting, including Betty Bowden, Norman Marshall, Ruth Robinson, Henry Oscar (Drama Director of ENSA), Basil Dean (Head of ENSA), Evadne Price (whose husband Kenneth Attiwell was captured by the Japanese), Elsie Beyer (manager of The Globe Theatre in Shaftesbury Avenue), Jean Ainslie, Gwen Barryman, Joan Haythorne, Elaine Garreau, Mary Baugh, David Read, Tom Robinson, Colin Douglas, Katherine Cornell.
Content description
A very detailed and often humorous ms diary written by William Henry Sherwood, a former First World War soldier, and respected actor and director between the wars, in notebooks and on scrap paper, partly as an account for his girlfriend (and future wife) the actress Rosemary Johnson, with neat ms copies and typed transcriptions of some parts, together with a word-processed version (190pp) containing scans of photographs and explanatory notes by his daughter, starting in December 1941 giving some really insightful details of his work with repertory and ENSA concert and theatrical parties, with fascinating details of shows they put on including an ENSA tour to Castlefield, Cranfield, Bletchley, a concert at RAF Duxford, Debden in Essex, RAF Henlow in Bedfordshire, Oakington in Cambridgeshire, RAF Honington in Suffolk, spending Christmas in concerts at Chigwell and Northolt and at Mount Royal Hotel, trips to Drury Lane, more concerts in Bicester, Brize Norton and Benson, muted New Year celebrations, (January 1942) concerts in Kiddlington, Little Rossington, Upper Heyford, Hindhead, French Canadians not understanding their show, a Royal Engineer audience, Haslemere, Grenadier Guards, Chichester, Marines and Navy, snowy weather, preparing and rehearsing for a run at the Theatre Royal in Wolverhampton (February 1942), receiving a letter from the War Office recalling him to service as a Lieutenant Royal Engineers, and to report to Movement Control BTNI Belfast, Northern Ireland as a movement control officer, leaving Wolverhampton and travelling to Belfast, joining up with his unit in Castle Caulfield, Co Tyrone, details of his fellow officers, the poor food, his accommodation, going on hikes with fellow officers (March 1942), his duties, his opinion of the "slovenliness of the modern Army", humorous view of acronyms and abbreviations used by the Army, the officers' mess, acting as prosecutor in a Courts Martial case, attending a dance, hearing that friend Ken Attiwell had been captured by the Japanese, his thoughts on the Cinema, and cinemas remaining closed on Sundays, VD cases rising, views of his CO, Jack Shaw, a trip to Dublin, taking over as officer in charge of administration, messing in Parkenaur Manor House, Co Tyrone, taking over running the mess, descriptions of another trip to Dublin to visit his parents and sisters (April 1942), border checks, train journey, being 'chatted up' by a suspected female spy, the rising costs but lack of rationing and blackout in Republic of Ireland, a poem about his thoughts of Ireland not helping with the global struggle, practising with a Bren gun, getting rejections for his play, his leave being cancelled last minute (May1942), one of his men returning from leave two days late, US soldiers in Northern Ireland (June 1942), an Irish theatre company putting on his play, seeing another poor repertory group performing, moving to a transit camp in Larne, sailing to Scotland and then driving the transport down to Chester (July 1942), details of his Drivers and batman, based in Old Hall, visiting the Royalty Theatre, his digs being unsatisfactory so moving to the Peacock Hotel, work on a mobilisation scheme which should have been done by a more senior officer (a DAQMG), seeing Rosemary in shows in Southport, moving to Longmoor Camp, the Royal Engineer training camp, and the Movement Control camp at Weaness Down (August 1942), promotion to Captain, a friend being part of the Dieppe Raid, more trips to see Rosemary in Southport, journey by train to London and then to Glasgow (October 1942), boarding a Union Castle Liner, being a 'dry' ship due to US troops on board, sailing (November 1942), descriptions of the ship, accommodation, sleeping arrangements, and the journey, arriving in Algiers harbour, billeted in Hotel Oasis and at HQ First Army, the good welcome from the Algerians, air raids, becoming lousy, adopting a pet cat, mail, life in Algiers, watching films, spending time with a French family in Palestro (December 1942), buying turkeys from a farmer, Christmas, a visit to a show at Le Sphinx burlesque (brothel), moving offices to the top floor of the Institute Genevieve beside the St George Hotel (January 1943), and living at the Hotel Mondy, a friend being invalided home, thoughts on Eisenhower, moving to a billet with a French family (February 1943), a trip to Bourgie, seeing a play at the Opera House (March 1943), parades on Sunday, seeing a play where an actor's false moustache fell off, trips about Algiers (June 1943), a friend being killed when a ship full of mines exploded (August 1943), moving to join AMGOT (Allied Military Government Occupied Territories), flying to Palermo, Sicily (September 1943), messing with Americans, seeing the destruction caused by Allied bombing, the Italian Surrender, a trip back to Algiers, returning to Palermo and meeting acting friends in Tunis on the return journey (October 1943), his dismay at poor ENSA shows, moving to the Educational Branch of AMGOT as Deputy Director of Education with Robin Gayre, reusing fascist textbooks by tearing out the propaganda pages, the tension between staff and former fascist Italians who have switched sides, promotion to the rank of Major (November 1943), removing fascists from posts in universities, dinner parties, his opinions of Sicilians, the opening of Palermo University (December 1943), problems with the students, going shooting in the hills, thieves stealing his car's tyres, having an Italian POW as a mess waiter, social life, Christmas celebrations, Christmas dinner with the Cantinella family, attending a Greek orthodox wedding, political problems between separatists and anti-separatists in Sicily (January 1944), his staff, meetings with Cardinal Lavitrano and Archbishop Bello of Mazzara, and university professors, seeing malaria treatments at the Italian Military Hospital, social visits with the Tascas, Catinellas, and DuCrots, inauguration of the Accademia Peloritana (February 1944), travelling from Palermo in a LCT to Reggio, getting punctures while driving to Salerno, working in Naples, visiting Benedetto Croce in hospital, opening of an Academy in Naples, blaming the rise in VD cases on American troops, losing his luggage, political issues with the new government, seeing opera and ballets, meeting journalist Virginia Cowles, annoyance at the Education Division being filled with Italian academics, visiting Pompeii, the eruption of Vesuvius, watching the lava, checking on fascists wanting to return to jobs as school directors (March 1944), evacuations from the volcano, flying back to Palermo and then Algiers, catching up with old friends, returning to Naples (April 1944), going to the Allied Control Commission Night Club, leaving Naples and sailing back to England, ending up staying at his friend Evadne's house in London (May 1944), moving briefly to Swindon, Rosemary touring the country, returning to London as V1 flying bombs start landing (June 1944), meetings with Archbishop Godfrey, his CO, Robin Gayre, being in trouble for a book he wrote, preparations for joining the Control Commission for Germany, a journey to Ireland and a few days in Dublin (September 1944), commenting that for a neutral county a lot of citizens seem to be in uniforms of the British services, seeing a show at the Phoenix theatre, meeting the Vice Chancellor of Oxford University to discuss candidates for the Educational Branch, fire watching (October 1944), seeing Rosemary perform in the Gateway Theatre, Notting Hill, assembling a new staff, frustration at the thought of bad organisation in the control of Germany after the war, having inoculations, hearing of the successes of friends from Movement Control in Normandy, hearing that his successes in Sicily are being undermined by politics, SHAEF asking his branch to organise their educational arrangements for them, find staff and issue directions, friends including Rosemary going on ENSA tours of western Europe, flying to Paris in a Dakota (November 1944), travelling to Versailles, frustration that Civil Affairs hadn't allocated officer for educational jobs vetting schools and curricula, meetings with General McSherry and Brigadier Robbins, flying back to London in a US plane, a V2 landing nearby, travelling to Northampton, a trip to the Theatre Royal, Northampton, the copying of Weimar textbooks to be used in Germany, regarding the developments in the Control Commission with growing cynicism, returning to Paris for ten days (January 1945), the diary ending in May 1945 mentioning books being printed for use in German schools but one contentious one being included by mistake, with throughout his views on the reception of shows by the service audiences, as well as his personal thoughts about Basil Dean and the poor running of ENSA, pay for performers, trying to get a play he wrote 'Flowing Tide' produced professionally, and many references to his girlfriend, the actress Rosemary Johnson ('R'), who he married in 1946, films he saw, plays he saw, and his professional opinions of plays and actors, poems ('pomes') he wrote, news from home, as well as anecdotes he had learned of other friends and actors, reading as a 'who's who' of British acting, including Betty Bowden, Norman Marshall, Ruth Robinson, Henry Oscar (Drama Director of ENSA), Basil Dean (Head of ENSA), Evadne Price (whose husband Kenneth Attiwell was captured by the Japanese), Elsie Beyer (manager of The Globe Theatre in Shaftesbury Avenue), Jean Ainslie, Gwen Barryman, Joan Haythorne, Elaine Garreau, Mary Baugh, David Read, Tom Robinson, Colin Douglas, Katherine Cornell.
History note
Cataloguer SJO