Mossley Primary School diary/workbook, dating from 1971 when I’d have been about six.
Julie’s typewriter
TEXT READS:
Julie got a typewriter for christ she can type her naame
NOTES:
If there isn’t already a band called "Typewriter for Christ", somebody ought to form one!
I wonder who 'julie' was and if whether the acquisition of a typewriter at such an early age led on to a successful career as a writer?
I’m also mildly curious as to why I chose to illustrate a story, about someone getting a typewrite, with a drawing of a boat? Presumably because typewriters don’t often explode, I decided to stick to my usual more disaster-prone subject matter.
Richard’s hat
TEXT READS:
Richard has a mexican hat He wears it to keep the sun off him It is red and has lovely colours rounnd the edge of it
NOTES:
Richard must’ve lived in a different part of Ireland from me. I cannae ever remember being troubled so much by the heat of the sun, that I needed to don a sombrero.
Sunshine
TEXT READS:
we are having lovely sunny weather we put on our bathing costumes and lie in the sun we will get a lovely tan
NOTES:
Blimey! –more freak weather. Quick , Richard. Lend me your sombrero!
The drawing seems to depict the swing we had in our back garden with someone [possibly yours truly] on it. That battered old swing was a focus for many of our childhood games and served as a tent, a spaceship, a TARDIS and many other things besides, depending on what game we were playing at the time.
Plane crash averted
TEXT READS:
A plane and a concorde were flying when two boys were out playing They saw the two planes Smoke came out of the two of them then flames they went on fire the two boys went into the house They both got two hoses and put the flames out
NOTES:
Normal service is resumed with a nasty mid-air collision, averted by two boys with garden hoses. See how I skilfully wove my other obsession –Concorde, into the plot.
Andrew’s boat
TEXT READS:
Andrew came bace to-day his holiday He got a lovely boat It is orange coloured It has a white and purple sail
Sports day
TEXT READS:
on the 15th June it will be Sports Day we will run races and have great fun It will not be long now
NOTES:
You willnae be quite so enthusiastic, after you come a risible third in the 'Race With No Name'
Church fire
TEXT READS:
A church is on fire there is the fire engine coming The people cant get out The firemen chop open the door and the people get out
NOTES:
A new setting for my latest disaster –a burning church, full of trapped people.
Weather report
TEXT READS:
yesterday it rained all day Today the sun is shining again we will be able to play outside in the play ground at lunch time
NOTES:
Now that’s more like Irish weather!
The Ugly Duckling
TEXT READS:
The ugly duckling His mother said we will go for a swim They went for a swim The ugy duckling got stuck in the iee The wood cutter came He took his axe and chopped the duck out. The ugly duckling tun into a swan
NOTES:
Another fantastic plot summary by young Mr. matulevicz. Judging by the picture, I was more interested in the potential for disaster befalling the wood-cutter’s ship, forging its way through the ice, than with some soppy duckling.
Happy families?
NOTES:
No text with this one and no captions, so invent your own explanations.
Dancing Easter eggs
TEXT READS:
Eight littl Easter Eggs dancing The Easter Eggs all hide because a man is coming to eat them Two little boys are in a house and are eating Easter egss
NOTES:
What could you possibly add to this? —pure genius
Helicopter vs. boat
TEXT READS:
The rain is falling on a boat and a helicopter The boat is flooded inside The helicopter dropped a bomb on it It blew up The people got out They went away in the lifeboat The helicopter blew up itself
NOTES:
I think, after trains, cars, planes, Concordes [and churches!], I must have realised I’d not yet used boats or helicopters in any of my disaster plots.
Tadpole release
TEXT READS:
yesterday afternoon a big boy came in to our class He took our tadpoles away to a river and he watched them swim away to there new home
NOTES:
To seemingly everyone else on the entire internet: The last fucking time I got confused between "your and you’re" or "there, they’re and their", I can tell you!'
My family
TEXT READS:
This is my family There are 4 of us Daddy is the tallest mammy is smaller than daddy I am smaller than mammy Roy is smaller than me He is 4 years old
