The Hoyle Diaries: Part 3

Continuing our blog series written by volunteer, Katherine Bett, about the diaries of Winifred Hoyle (1880-1952). Catch up on Part 1 and Part 2

Chapter 3: Winnie

One of the Archives’ earliest accessions is a collection of household accounts and diaries of “Mrs F J Hoyle of Sonning”, and they provide a unique insight into middle-class life in the late 1920s and early 1930s.

They are the accounts of Winifred Bower Hoyle (b. 30th April 1880, d. 23rd June 1952 aged 72), who kept these diaries when she was aged 45-54 and living at 37 Devonshire Road, Palmers Green, North London. Her husband, Frederick (Fred), who worked as a clerk in the War Office was from Sonning; they later moved there, and it was where she died. Winifred’s diaries were given to the Archives two years after her death by her husband and were catalogued under the reference D/EX88

These diaries give an account of life as a married, middle-class woman in the late 1920s and early 30s. Without these diaries, Winifred exists in the archives merely in the census, birth, and death records. Her diaries are therefore a valuable asset, however it is not easy to create a picture of the woman at the heart of the story.

Firstly, it took several readings of her diaries, and a deep dive into Ancestry to find out her name. The catalogue simply lists these items as ‘Household accounts and diaries of Mrs F J Hoyle of Sonning’. F J being Frederick James, her husband. She doesn’t write her name in the diaries – after all, why would she write about herself in the third person? She doesn’t need to put her name on the front of her books, like a child might do with a school exercise book, because hers are the only diaries in the house.

By guessing the age of her husband and children, as well as including Sonning as a place, I was able to search Ancestry, find the family tree and discover the author: Winifred Bower Hoyle, who was born in Coleford, two miles east of the Welsh border in Gloucestershire.

Now I had a name, I set about learning more about Winifred as a person from the entries in her diary.

Domestic duties

From the many diary entries, it is clear Winifred’s main priorities were her family and home. As such, it is very exciting when time-saving household appliances are introduced.

The 13th August 1928 was a particularly busy and exciting day:

‘Fred helped with washing in morning. In the afternoon we went to Madame Tussaud’s (packed with people) then on to stores (bought washing machine), had tea then to Trafalgar Square + on to Westminster by bus, Abbey closed. Walked in St James Park! Flowers beautiful, saw historic buildings etc. Air Raid practice on London. Lots of aeroplanes.’

The washing machine gets another mention four days later when it arrives: ‘I like it’. The very next day she sells her mangle for £1 to next door. She says she knows it was a good price because ‘Second hand man had offered £1.’

It was not until April 1930 that she ‘finished paying for washing machine’. It’s unclear from the accounts how much each instalment cost, but the nearly two years paying it off was important enough to warrant its own entry.

However, not every labour-saving device was accepted – in early January 1928, a ‘man came and demonstrated the radio vacuum cleaner’. Winifred dismisses it in four short words: ‘no good to me’.

Clothing

Clothing is clearly a love of Winifred’s. It’s the main category of purchase that is itemised in her weekly accounts, and she often underlines when she buys wool. She bought a knitting machine in instalments, and, like most women at the time, she made her own clothes. In May 1929 she writes: ‘Finished my tweed coat. Am very pleased with it – does not look home made’.

At the end of 1931, she notes one particularly expensive buy: £2 7s 6d on an evening dress, paid in part with a twenty-five shilling voucher she won for coming second in a Window Dressing Competition.

There is also much excitement in a trip to Pontings, where Winifred buys a ‘costume + blue hat to match’. She makes a note of the lady who served her, in case she needs to go back and get advice on altering its shape.

Leisure

In Winifred’s spare time not looking after her family or the house, she was still very busy being involved with various church missionary groups. She gave addresses to the ‘Fellowship of Marriage’ and toasts at ‘Ladies Festivals’.

However, we do not get much detail about these events from Winifred herself. In fact, the most detail we get comes from an entry written by her daughter Dora on 20th November 1930:

‘Mother went to the Lady’s Night. She had a box of real silk hankies as a present. Aunty Marion was ill and could not come. Mrs Sean was there. She was not very nice to Mother. Mother had a cocktail but she did not like it. There were no oysters. The food not as nice as usual. Mother danced nearly all dances. She had on last year’s frock done up. The Worshipful Master was Mr Elvin. Mother went in a car with Mrs Brown, Mrs Badeley and some of the other ladies. Thomas cried when she went. Violet looked after us. I have a cold. Dora.’

It is only as the children start to grow older that she has more time for herself. Alongside her husband, she joins Tom and Marion on a trip to Wisley Garden and travels ‘100 miles in 3 hrs’ for a holiday to Gloucestershire.

We hope you’ve enjoyed leaning about Winifred and the Hoyle family over the past few blogs. If you’re interested in viewing the diaries yourself, why not book a visit to the archives.