I played football today.

   We went to the Warwick Cinema to see Abbott & Costello in Rookies Come Home, and Knights of Freedom.

   Dick Barton finished tonight.

   Dad and I went to St. Andrews to see Blues play Nottingham Forest. They won 2–1. Jackie Stewart scored and Frank Mitchell scored a penalty. The crowd was 40,000.

   Birmingham City:— Merrick; Green, Jennings; Harris, Duckhouse, Mitchell; Stewart, Dougall, Trigg, Bodle, Edwards.

   I played football with the boys today.

   I listened to the new serial, Adventure Unlimited.

   I went to Cubs tonight.

   I went to St Andrews. Birmingham City Reserves 1 Leicester 1.

   I played football for Circular Road today against Sparkhill R. We drew 3–3.

   Mam took us up town and we went to the News Theatre to see 6 Disney cartoons.

   Bradford P.A. 1 Birmingham City 2. Frank Mitchell scored a penalty.

   I played football today. Blues played a Friendly match in Scotland against Dundee Utd and won 5–1.

   I went to Cubs tonight as usual.

   Today I took Clarice and Julia to St Helens Woods.

   I have been to Hartfield Crescent School today to see Mrs. Wright and Mr. Olarenshaw.

   I went to town this morning and to Hartfield Crescent this afternoon.

   I went to St Andrews this afternoon to see Birmingham City play Cardiff. Blues won 2–nil. Cyril Trigg and Harold Bodle scored. The attendance was nearly 53,000.

   Birmingham City:— Merrick; Green, Jennings; Harris, Duckhouse, Mitchell; Stewart, Dougall, Trigg, Bodle, Edwards.

   We put the clocks forward an hour last night.

   We went to the woods again today. Leicester City 0 Birmingham City 0

   We returned to School today.

   This afternoon I went to see Noel Johnson (“Dick Barton”), who was making a personal appearance in Lewis’s.

   Yardley Swifts 8? Rovers 0.

   I listened to the F.A. Cup Final this afternoon. Manchester United beat Blackpool 4–2. Birmingham City drew 0–0 at Sheffield.

   We went to Olton today.

   Vic Oliver was at the Hippodrome tonight conducting the British Concert Orchestra. They were playing music by Beethoven, Tchaikovsky and Grieg. He used to be married to Sarah Churchill, daughter of Winston Churchill.

   It is the Royal Silver Wedding today, so we have had a day’s holiday from school. I went to the Post Office and bought the 2½d blue stamp then stuck it on an envelope and posted it to myself to make a “First Day Cover”. There is also a beautiful big £1 stamp but I could not afford to buy this.

   My letter with the new stamp came back this morning. It is postmarked “Birmingham 5.30pm 26 Apr 1948” and looks quite good. I have printed “FIRST DAY COVER” in the bottom left hand corner with my John Bull Printing Outfit.

   I went to the County Ground today to see Warwickshire play the Midland Cricket Club Conference.

   I played cricket at school. Tonight I played football for the Rovers. We played Yardley Swifts again and lost 3–nil.

   The football season ended today and Birmingham City have won promotion to the 1st Division!

   Dad and I went as usual to see them play Tottenham Hotspur. Blues kept the same team as for the previous five matches, but could only draw 0–0 for the third time in a row.

   Birmingham City:— Merrick; Green, Jennings; Harris, Duckhouse, Mitchell; Stewart, Dougall, Trigg, Bodle, Edwards.

   Their record for the season:— P 42, Won 22, Dr 15, Lost 5, For 55, Against 24.

   Next season they will be playing Villa!

   [Later on, I get a photograph of Blues’ winning team, signed by each of the players. Back row, left to right: Dave Fairhurst (trainer), Ken Green, Ted Duckhouse, Gil Merrick, Frank Mitchell, Dennis Jennings. Front row: Jackie Stewart, Neil Dougall, Fred Harris, Harry Storer (manager), Cyril Trigg, Harold Bodle, George Edwards.]

   We had the Music Competition at school today. I sang in Copland’s choir but Leeds’ won. A.J. Cooke (L.Mod.Lang.Div.) won both the Over 16 Pianoforte Class and the Organ class. T.F.H. Oxley (Cl.V) won the Under 16 Piano Class, D.A. Wright (Cl.U.M.) the Under 14, and G.T. Bruce (who is in my form, Rem.C) the under 12½. The best item was A.J. Homer (Maths.VI) playing the Trumpet in the Instrumentalist Class, he was very good indeed.

   Played cricket.

   La Chaux de Fonds 2 Birmingham City 3

   We had a School Photograph taken today. Fortunately it was a lovely sunny day. It was quite a complicated affair as there are 684 boys in the school and 41 masters to get in. We were arranged in a curve to match the movement of the camera which swung from (our) right to left, and in about ten rows with the Shells and Removes sitting cross-legged on the ground.

   I learned today that 2 Channel Islands Special Stamps are to be issued next week but will be on sale only at the G.P.O. in Victoria Square. They are 1d red and 2½d blue and show seaweed gathering.

   Berne 0 Birmingham City 2

   The Channel Islands stamps went on sale at the G.P.O. in Victoria Square today. I managed to get them for my album.

   The King and Queen visited Birmingham today. We had a day holiday from school. We went to town very early and managed to get a place close to the entrance to the Council House where we saw the King and Queen quite closely. I could see that the King was wearing make-up to make him look better.

   Basle 0, Birmingham City 5

   Today was Half term holiday.

   Zurich 1 Birmingham City 1

   Half term holiday. We spent the day at the Lickey Hills. We went on the 31A ’bus to town then caught the 71 tram in Navigation Street. We took sandwiches with us. As it was Whit Monday there were thousands of people there.

   [The picture is of tram No.433. It was introduced in November 1912, has a United Electric body, Mountain & Gibson truck, two 40 h.p. motors and air-oil brakes.]

   Lucerne 0, Birmingham City 1

   We returned to school today after the half-term holiday.

   I went to the County Ground this afternoon to see the second day of Warwickshire’s match against Yorkshire. Warwickshire scored 184 (Dollery 95, Taylor 30, Wolton 21) and Yorkshire 210 (Watson 59 n.o., Wardle 32; Hollies 5 for 54, Grove 4 for 52).

   I passed the County Ground on my way to school as usual. Warwickshire won by 54 runs. They scored 222 in their second innings, Taylor making 81 not out and Donnelly 28; Coxon took 6 for 46. This left Yorkshire needing 197 to win, but they lost both openers without a run on the board and could make only 142 (Watson 52, Wilson 35). Tom Pritchard took 5 for 41, including 4 of the last 5 wickets for only 18 runs. It was Warwickshire’s first win over Yorkshire at Edgbaston since 1893!

   I went to the County Ground today to see Warwickshire play Essex. Tom Pritchard was again in great form with his fast bowling. He took 7 wickets, six of them clean bowled, for 71. T.C. Dodds scored 61, Pearce 51 and Rist 40. Warwickshire lost Hill, Taylor, Ord, Townsend and Wolton for only 38.

   Warwickshire were all out for 149, giving Essex a lead of 79.

   There was an exciting finish to the match at the County Ground. Warwickshire, needing 254 to win, were 249 for 8, but Dollery made the winning hit so they won by 2 wickets. Dollery took 2¾ hours to score 78 n.o. It is Warwickshire’s third consecutive victory.

   I went to Cubs as usual tonight.

   At school today Mr. Morris introduced Mr. T.E.B. Howarth to us. He will be our new Head Master after Mr. Morris leaves.

   I went to Bournville Sports Carnival this afternoon to see Reg Harris, the World Champion cyclist. About 10,000 people were there. Unfortunately he did not take part as he missed his heat. However, we did see him attempt to break the 400 yards grass record but he was unsuccessful because of the sodden track. Wilf Waters won the Brooks Bowl in the 500 yards scratch race.

   Bill Hawkley ran brilliantly to win the One Mile Invitation race in the very fast time of 4 mins. 16.8 secs. Winnie Jordan (Birchfield Harriers) won the 100 metres Olympic Preparation event in 12.7 secs. and Tom Collier (Small Heath Harriers) the 400 Metres Olympic Preparation event in 50.1 secs. Bordesley Green Technical School won the 4×110 yards Schools Relay Championship.

   I asked Reg Harris for his autograph but did not get it.

   I wrote a letter to Boy’s Own Paper today.

   I received a letter from Boy’s Own Paper today. I also wrote to the Birmingham Mail.

   I didn’t go to the Test Trial at Edgbaston as it rained nearly all day.

   My bicycle has been stolen from 23 Pretoria Road. Dad used it to go to work and went there at dinner time to see Grandad, leaving the bike in the entry. A few minutes later it had gone.

   It has rained most of the day.

   The Birmingham Mail has published the letter I wrote on Wednesday. It is headed “Engine Numbers”.

   Sir, — As an engine spotter for more than three years, I can honestly say I have never yet seen an accident caused by this hobby. The majority of spotters do not, as Steam Jacket says, “hang about a station for the sole purpose of making a list of numbers” — we learn from experience all about the locomotives themselves.

   Many boys are members of the “Spotters’ Club” which binds members not to trespass on railway property, nor hinder railway servants in the execution of their duty, and to stop others from doing so. Members do not usually trespass on railway property, etc., because to do so would jeopardise all privileges. There are competitions, special notepaper, a discount on A.B.C. loco books, pen friends in foreign countries, special club greeting cards and visits arranged to places of interest.

   Because a few boys make a nuisance of themselves does not mean that everyone does the same. It may be an unprofitable hobby, but certainly it is not dull. — Yours etc.

   SPOTTERS CLUB NO. 8316

   Acocks Green.   (Age 12)

Unfortunately they have missed my name off. [This is my Spotters Club badge.]

   I went to the midday concert at school [today, an organ recital given by Dr. Willis Grant. The two other recitals this term include one given by several members of the Musical Society, and one by Dr. Ian Parrott of Birmingham University, who is to play some of his own compositions].

   There was no cricket at school today due to heavy rain so I came straight home. We listened to “Mrs. Dale’s Diary” in the afternoon.

   Mam and Dad have gone to the pictures as usual. Uncle Silas (A) with Jean Simmons and Derrick de Marney is on at the Olton. After it finishes tomorrow night the cinema will be closed all next week for redecorations, re-opening on Monday week with Walt Disney’s Fun and Fancy Free and The Navy Steps Out.

   Today was Field Day at school.

   Went to town.

   We went to the Olton cinema to see Walt Disney’s Fun and Fancy Free in Technicolor. It consisted of cartoon stories with Jimmy Cricket, Bongo the Bear, Jack and the Beanstalk etc. The other film was The Navy Steps Out.

   I went to the County Ground to see Warwickshire play Lancashire.

   The Scout has published the letter I wrote, and it has won a Chart:—

Dear Gray Eagle,

   I thought you would like to hear something about our Pack, the 1st Victoria, Birmingham. The Troop was founded in 1910 and the Pack some years later. We have our own Den, which we call ‘Baden Nook’.

   We meet on Tuesdays, and sometimes we play football in the school playground. You can just imagine 30 Cubs all tearing after the ball, but everyone enjoys it. Afterwards we have Star work, and then a Grand Howl. Several Cubs have their Second Star.

   In 1940 the Pack won the District Championship, and last year we were the runners-up. A football team was started this year, and the team won the first match and lost the next.

         B.D. WILLIAMS, Senior Sixer.

This letter wins a Cub Law and Promise Chart for Sixer Williams’ pack.

   There is a printing mistake in the letter as it was 1946 when we won the District Championship, not 1940. [In my press cuttings album compiled two or three years later, this letter in The Scout is dated July 12th 1948, a Monday, which seems unlikely.]

   I sang in the Choir today to the Governors.

   We went to Reg and Ruth’s wedding at Yardley Old Church at 3.30pm. There was a reception afterwards at Yardley School. Reg is Mam’s youngest-but-one brother. He was 21 on April 4th. All the family were there:— Granma and Grandad Smith, Leslie (31) and Nancy (whose real name is Dorothy), Harold (29) and Nellie, Arthur (27) and Greta, David (18), Grace (15) and Joyce (14). Grandad is 56 and Granma is 54.

   After tea there was a band and dancing.

   I went to John Maund’s party at 92 Shirley Road. He was 13 on Friday.

   It has been rainy and thundery all day. There was no play at Edgbaston in Warwickshire’s match against Cambridge University.

   I received a Cub Law and Promise Chart today as a reward for my letter in The Scout. I played cricket at school today. We won by 4 wickets.