There were meetings of the Debating Society, Model Engineering Society and Musical Society after school today.

   Today was Speech Day in Big School. I sang in the Choir. The Lord Mayor (Councillor J.C. Burman) was there. The Head Master (Mr. Morris) made a speech then invited the Bishop of Birmingham (Dr. Barnes, who is an Old Edwardian) to present the prizes. Dr. Barnes spoke, followed by the Lord Mayor, then Mr. Morris presented various Cups and Trophies. We ended by singing Jerusalem and the National Anthem.

   The Daring Dexters ended tonight and Dick Barton is coming back on Monday. Hooray.

   I went to St. Andrews this afternoon. Birmingham City beat Fulham 3–1. It was a thrilling match. Birmingham City:— Merrick; Duckhouse, Green; Harris, McDonnell, Mitchell; Dougall, McIntosh, Trigg, Bodle, Edwards. Trigg scored 2 goals, Bodle the other [on his birthday].

   The Band of the 1st Battalion Worcestershire Regiment, played before and after the match and at half-time, by kind permission of Lt.-Col. R.E.L. Tuckey, and they are going to play again next week. The Bandmaster is F.E. Hays, L.R.A.M., A.R.C.M. They are very good.

   Gilbert Merrick has been chosen to play for the Football League against the Irish League at Belfast on the 22nd, and Harold Bodle for the Football Association v the R.A.F. at Highbury a week later.

   After school there was a meeting of the Photographic Society.

   I listened to Dick Barton tonight.

   I went to the Junior Debating Society after school today. The subject was “Train Number Collecting”. Mr. Dunt was the chairman. I am a loco-spotter but did not say anything as I am nervous of speaking.

   There was a Civics Society meeting after school but I didn’t go.

   Grandad will be 65 tomorrow. He has now retired from the G.P.O., Fordrough Lane, where he has been a cabinet maker. He and Granma have lived at 23 Pretoria Road, Bordesley Green, for many years, and Granma died there on Sunday 24th November last year. They came originally from Nottingham but moved to Birmingham when Dad was quite young. Dad can not remember exactly when that was but he was born in 1907 so if he was 7 when they moved to Birmingham, that would be 1914, about the time of the Great War.

   Fred, Dad’s younger brother, still lives with Grandad. Grandad’s mother, my great-grandmother, also lived with them until shortly before she died, at Western Road Infirmary, on Monday 16th December 1940—a month after we got bombed out. Aunt Edna, Dad’s elder sister, and Uncle Albert (Ricketts) live at 61 Colonial Road, which is two streets away from Pretoria Road, with Botha Road in between. They have 5 children (my cousins):— Allen who is 20, Iris (16), Reggie (14), Bobby (7) and Margaret (6), so Grandad has 3 children and 8 grandchildren. Mam and Dad and Clarice (who was only about 1) stayed with them after we lost our home.

   [I later discover that Ernest Alfred Williams was born, on Wednesday 11th October 1882, at 52 Coalpit Lane, Nottingham. His parents were Edward Henry Williams (born 12th March 1858 at Havelock Street, Nottingham) and Mary Elizabeth Barker (born 1861 or 1862, presumably also in Nottingham). They were married at St Matthias’s Parish Church, Sneinton, on Sunday 9th April 1882 when Edward was 24 and Mary 19. He was a lace-making machinist and she a lace-worker.

   Although I was only 5 when Great-granma Williams died I can remember her quite well, especially her saying not to leave the spout of the kettle pointing outwards where someone could get scalded as it sat on the hob boiling the water on the back room fire. The front room is hardly ever used, except for laying people out when they die: Granma last year, then Grandad in 1962 and finally Fred in 1965. The Williams’ tenure of the house will then be ended after more than 40 years.]

   I went to St. Andrews this afternoon but Birmingham City lost 2–nil to Chesterfield. The kick-off was at 3.0pm. Birmingham City:— Merrick; Green, Jennings; Harris, Duckhouse, Mitchell; Dougall, McIntosh, Aveyard, Bodle, Edwards.

   There was a Junior Scientific Society meeting after school today. I played in a form Rugby match. Result Rem C 3 Rem A 12.

   There was a meeting of the Geographical Society after school.

   For some reason or other, the Special Bus did not turn up this morning and we didn’t get to school until prayers was half over.

   Birmingham City drew 0–0 away to West Ham United this afternoon. Since the 3 goals they let through in the first match of the season, Blues have conceded only 5 goals in their last 12 games. I wish they would score more though. George Edwards was playing for Wales against England today.

   Mr. Clement Attlee, the Prime Minister, came to Birmingham today to receive the Freedom of the City. Also made Freemen were General Sir William Slim (who is an old boy of King Edward’s High School), and Sir Frank Wiltshire.

   There was a Joint Debate with the Girls School this afternoon.

   There were meetings of the Archaeological Society and Junior Debating Society after school.

   Rem C played Shell A this afternoon. We won by two tries to nil.

   There was a Civics Society meeting after school.

   I went to St. Andrews as usual this afternoon and saw Birmingham City beat Bury 2–nil. Birmingham City:— Merrick; Duckhouse, Green; Harris, McDonnell, Mitchell; Goodwin, Dougall, Trigg, Bodle, Edwards. Bodle and Dougall scored.

   There was a special disc printed in the programme today, no doubt to count towards getting Cup tickets when the time comes.

   The famous Band of the Grenadier Guards played today.

   There was another Photographic Society meeting after school.

   The Musical Society and Railway & Model Engineering Society both had meetings.

   On my way home from school I went to town and bought the Ian Allan ABC of LMS Locomotives, 2/-d. It was published in June and is the 9th Edition. It is correct to 17th May this year, when there were 7,950 locomotives on the L.M.S.

   Mr. George Weldon, conductor of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, visited the school this afternoon to speak to the Closed Circle.

   Birmingham City were away to Southampton today but lost 2–0. Blues are attracting nearly record crowds at every ground they play, and the gates had to be closed today with many still trying to get in. It was also Wayman’s first game for Southampton.

   We put the clocks back an hour last night, so we are now back on Greenwich Mean Time. It was getting light at 7am and nearly dark at 4.30pm.

   I went to school on my bike today and felt very nervous as I was not sure how long it would take.

   There was a Debating Society meeting after school.

   I went to school on my bike again today. After school there was a meeting of the Junior Debating Society.

   Went to school on my bike.

   The Civics Society had a meeting today.

   As usual I went to St. Andrews this afternoon to see Birmingham City play Doncaster Rovers. They won 3–nil. Birmingham City:— Merrick; Green, Jennings; Harris, McDonnell, Ottewell; Goodwin, Dougall, Duckhouse, Bodle, Edwards.

   There was another disc in the programme. The music was provided by the Band of the Royal Worcestershire Regiment.

   We went to the Mission as usual. Recently, I asked Mr. Moore if I could have one of the little Alexander’s Hymns No. 3 which we use every week. I have been singing these hymns all my life and know some of them off by heart, such as There is a green hill far away (No. 304) which was the first hymn I ever learned. My other favourite hymns include:—

One day when heaven was filled with His praises 205
Standing on the promises of Christ my King 160
Jesus, I am resting, resting, in the joy of what Thou art 164
Jesus is all the world to me 98
Like a river glorious is God’s perfect peace 67
I was sinking deep in sin, sinking to rise no more 379
What a wonderful change in my life has been wrought 378
Take my life, and let it be, consecrated, Lord, to Thee 248
What a Friend we have in Jesus 195
I’m pressing on the upward way 165
Why should I charge my heart with care? 143
When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word 53
Simply trusting every day 44
How sweet the Name of Jesus sounds in a believer’s ear 256
Anywhere with Jesus I can safely go 100

   The little hymn-books measure 5½“ x 4 ³/₁₆” and are very worn, having been in use from before the War. They have red covers and were printed by Marshall Brothers Ltd., London and Edinburgh; with Paper Covers 2d. net; Cloth, 3d. net. Music edition: Paper Covers, 2s. 6d. net; Cloth boards, 3s. 6d. net. Miss Stanley, who plays for us, has the Cloth boards edition.

   [In 2003 I still treasure the little hymn book given me by Mr. Moore 56 years ago. But only recently have I at last been able to acquire the music edition — and in near-perfect condition, except for the faded spine. This gives me the names of the hymn-writers and the composers, which (since neither are given in the words-only edition) I have not known until now. No. 67, for instance, was written by Frances Ridley Havergal, with music by Rev. J. Mountain, who also composed the music for No. 164. Frances Ridley Havergal also wrote No. 248. The tune for No. 44 was written by Ira D. Sankey of Moody & Sankey. It is a coincidence that No. 143 and 53 were both written by Rev. J.H. Sammis with music by D.B. Towner. John Newton wrote the words of No. 256.

   There is a green hill is by Mrs. C.F. Alexander (1818–1895), who also wrote Once in royal David’s city (No. 322), Jesus calls us: o’er the tumult (288) and many other hymns. She was much influenced by the Oxford Movement. In 1850, as Cecil Frances Humphreys, she married Rev. William Alexander who subsequently became Bishop of Derry and Raphoe, and (after her death) Bishop of Armagh. He is not the Alexander who has given his name to the hymn book.

   Charles M. Alexander (1867–1920) was song-leader for the great evangelists Dr. R.A. Torrey (1856–1928) and J. Wilbur Chapman (1859–1918). He was an American but had a home in (or near) Birmingham, and was buried at Lodge Hill cemetery.

   A decade hence from this Diary entry, I shall conduct my first Evangelistic and Healing Campaign at Silloth, Cumberland, 21st October to 4th November 1957.]

   There was a Philatelic Society meeting after school today.

   Birmingham City beat Nottingham Forest away 2–0. The goals were scored by Alex McIntosh and Jack Goodwin.

   I read the papers as usual this morning. After dinner we went to the Mission.

   Snow fell today.

   We have had heavy snow again today.

   It is exactly seven years tonight since we were bombed out of 23 Belchers Lane. When the air raid siren sounded on Tuesday night, we had heard it over a hundred times since mid-August. Barrage balloons like silver elephants hung above us and searchlights pierced the sky. As the German bombers droned overhead with the eerie vibrating noise we had come to recognise, fighter planes and Ack-Ack guns tried to shoot them down. The noise was terrific. When a bomb fell there was an awful whistling noise then a momentary eerie silence before it exploded.

   The raid lasted all night. Bombs fell all around us and the ground shook beneath us. The land-mine fell at the bottom of the garden — where the Anderson shelter was — and when we clambered out at daybreak I could see the sky where the roof and ceiling had been. The front of the piano was blown out and standing on the opposite side of the room. The floor was strewn with glass and plaster and and splintered wood, but my Dinky toys somehow survived. Later I saw that close to where the shelter had been was a huge crater filled with water, with a bath from someone’s house half-submerged in it.

   Almost the entire city came under attack that night. 615 people were killed and over 1,000 injured, 542 of them seriously. Our house was all but destroyed and we never lived in it again, but it was eventually rebuilt, as the picture shows. [Traces of the Red Cardinal with which Mam had polished the bricks were still visible decades later.]

   It was the Royal Wedding today so we had a day holiday from school.

   I went to the match as usual this afternoon to see Birmingham City play Bradford P.A. They scored 3 goals in the first half, but only won 4–3. Ottewell (2) and Goodwin scored, and Frank Mitchell scored a penalty.

   Birmingham City:— Merrick; Green, Jennings; Harris, McDonnell, Mitchell; Goodwin, Ottewell, Dougall, McIntosh, Edwards.

   It is a year today since Granma died. I have written a notice printed in the Birmingham Mail:—

      WILLIAMS. — Minnie, November 24, 1946.
      She suffered much in silence, her spirit did
      not bend, She faced her task with courage,
      right to the very end. — Husband Ernest and
      all relatives

   After dinner I went to K.E.G.S. Camp Hill to see Mr. Howe.

   Birmingham City lost 2–nil away to Cardiff City today.

   We have now started our exams. We had the Geometry exam. today.

   Today we had our English exam.

   Today we had Arithmetic, Art, French, History, Biology and Chemistry exams.

   This morning we had our Algebra exam.

   This afternoon I had to go to Camp Hill Speech Day to receive my prize. It was held at the Friends Institute, Moseley Road. The book I chose for my prize, Birds, Trees and Flowers, was published in January this year by Odhams Press Limited, Long Acre, London.

   It is a beautiful book with 384 pages, profusely illustrated with black and white photographs and numerous colour plates. The cover has now been embossed in gold with the seal of “King Edward VI Grammar Schools Birmingham” and a plate stuck inside the cover, “B.D. Williams, Form 1B, July 1947”. I shall treasure it always.

   We had Mapwork and Latin exams today.

   I went to the match as usual. Birmingham City beat Sheffield Wednesday 1–0 (an own goal) at St. Andrews.

   Birmingham City:— Wheeler; Green, Jennings; Harris, Duckhouse, Mitchell; Goodwin, McIntosh, Garrett, Bodle, Edwards. . Gil Merrick is injured so Jack Wheeler was in goal, and Archie Garrett is a new player from Northampton Town. Walter Aveyard, who has played only a few games for Blues, has had to give up playing because of injury.

   This evening we went to the Warwick Cinema to see The Jolson Story with Larry Parks and Evelyn Keyes. It was enormously popular when it was released last year, so it has come round again. Al Jolson featured in The Jazz Singer, the first talking film, which came out in 1927. He is now about 61, so Larry Parks takes his part, but it is Jolson’s voice singing the songs.

   The other film was Royal Wedding. [In 1951 there will be an American film of the same title set against the background of the wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip, starring Fred Astaire, Jane Powell, Sarah Churchill and Peter Lawford, with songs by Alan Jay Lerner and Burton Lane.]

   We now have all our exam. results. Mine are as follows:—

   Clarice was 8 today. I can remember the day she was born in 1939, and giving her a poppy; it was a Wednesday. I was born on a Wednesday, and Julia too — all three of us.

   When the Birmingham Mail came at tea-time, I saw straight away that Mr. Morris’s photo was on the front page. The article says “K.E.S. Head May Go To Leeds — Nomination as Vice-Chancellor”. It is quite a shock.

   The main headline is “Arab-Jew War Can Be Avoided”. There is going to be a new Jewish nation in Palestine, with Dr. Chaim Weizmann being suggested as its first President. He recommends that immigartion into the Jewish state should be controlled.

   Two German P.O.W.s have escaped at Cleethorpes.

   After tea I went to Dorling’s as usual and waited for the Sports Argus to arrive. Birmingham City won 2–1 away to Tottenham Hotspur this afternoon. Garrett and Dougall scored.

   It was the K.E.H.S. [carol] Concert tonight. I sang in the choir.

   The Xmas Number of the Sun comic is on sale at the paper shop. It comes out fortnightly and costs 2d — this issue is dated Tuesday 23rd December 1947. I don’t ever buy it as we get all our comics from Aunt Edna’s after Allan, Iris, Reggie, Bobby and Margaret have finished with them. Dad has his dinner with Edna about once a week (he cycles from the B.S.A., Montgomery Street, to 61 Colonial Road, Bordesley Green) and brings a pile of comics home with him.

   After we have finished reading them I have been taking the comics to Hartfield Crescent to give to the boys and girls in Mrs. Wright’s class. I made columns in my Challenge Duplicate Book, wrote the children’s names down the left hand side and the dates across the top, then put a tick in the appropriate box to ensure that each receives a comic in turn.

   My favourite is Film Fun with Laurel & Hardy on the front, Joe E. Brown, Old Mother Riley and her daughter Kitty (Arthur Lucan and Kitty McShane), Max Miller, Sydney Warner and Gene Autry & Trigger and others inside; it is all in black & white. We also get Radio Fun, which is black & white and sepia brown, the Knock-Out, The Beano and The Dandy, which are in full colour, Chicks Own and Tiger Tim.

   The Sun and Comet are published by J.B. Allen, 10 Queen’s Road, Sale, Cheshire, and printed by Rembrandt Photogravure Ltd., Watford. They are not so popular, but the latest Sun is quite good. It has Good King Wenceslas on the front cover, with pictures to match the words of the carol, and Sherwood Outlaw (Robin Hood) on the back. There is also a serial “The Cruise of the Cormorant” by Arthur Catherall, and other stories; Soccer Tips by Jack Bray (ex Manchester City and England, now manager of Watford F.C.), and an article for stamp-collectors, which is about the Christmas stamps issued by Hungary in 1943.

   I finished my first term at school today. I sang in the choir. Mr. Cranmer conducted us for the last time as he is taking up an appointment at the B.B.C.

   Mr. W.E. Crowther has also retired. According to the King Edward’s School Chronicle for December, he is an Old Edwardian and taught at K.E.G.S. Five Ways before becoming Art Master here in 1919. His son was killed in the War. I have seen a Mr. J.J. Hart in the Art Room but it has always been Mr. J.B. Hurn who has taught us.

   Mr. Hurn only started here in September. Mr. W.L. Whalley, who takes us for Geography, was also new this term, and the other new masters are Mr. W.H. Babb, Mr. G.R.V. Dowling, Mr. A.C. Gosling, Mr. A. Hurrell, O.E., and Mr. R.M. Osborne.

   I had a surprise this morning when I received a Certificate of Merit from Camp Hill. It is for English and Mathematics.

   Birmingham City beat Barnsley 1–nil away today. Harold Bodle was the scorer.

   I played football today.

   Mam and Dad have given me my first Report from the High School:—

   Today we all went to the Olton cinema to see Scrooge and King of the Stallions. Scrooge was very good. It is an old film made in 1935, with Scrooge being played by Seymour Hicks and Cratchit by Donald Calthrop. Dad has a set of Charles Dickens’ books, so I have read some of A Christmas Carol on which the film is based.

   For Christmas I have had Birds of the Grey Wind by E.A. Armstrong, from Mam & Dad. It is a lovely book about the birds, flowers and folk-ways of Northern Ireland. It was first published in 1940 and this is a 3rd edition published last year, although the dust-wrapper says 2nd edition.

   I have also had a Boots Scribbling Diary which I can use as a kind of scrapbook to record world events.

   We listened to the King’s broadcast at 3.0pm.

   Birmingham City were away to Millwall. It was a goalless draw.

   I went to Blues match against Millwall. They won 1–nil with a goal by Jack Goodwin. 46,000 were there.

   Birmingham City:— Wheeler; Green, Jennings; Harris, Duckhouse, Mitchell; Goodwin, Dougall, Garrett, Bodle, Edwards.

   I went to St. Andrews this morning to get the players’ autographs after training.

   The snow is causing delays to buses and trains and affecting production in the factories.

   There is quite a stir about Bishop Barnes’s book, The Rise of Christianity and he is being condemned as a heretic.

   [The book is published by Longmans, Green and Co. and has 356 pages. Nearly half-a-century later I buy a second-hand copy which is inscribed “Hugh Ross Williamson 1947” on the fly-leaf — the well-known broadcaster.

   Dr. Barnes’s book is dedicated to “To my sons”, one of whom, John Barnes, writes Ahead of His Age — Bishop Barnes of Birmingham (Collins, 1979). I send Sir John a copy of my article “E.W. Barnes at K.E.S.” printed in the Birmingham Weekly Post, 23rd December 1956, and containing hitherto unpublished material which I discovered.

   My article about Dr. Barnes was thus published almost exactly 9 years after the above Diary entry.

   Dr. Barnes’s brother Sidney was a distinguished Warwickshire cricketer.]

[nothing written]