So, the Happy Boy Harry, member of the Glories of Nature Gang in 1926, went onto become a successful man, a journalist and writer. He acquired his turn of pen whilst serving in the army during the Second World War. And spent a good part of that war convalescing in a hospital. It was here he wrote eloquently on army/ hospital life. His travels took him across India. And his vivid record of conversations, journeys, towns, hotels surely made  it into his books....? This is a hilarious excerpt from his 'mauve' notebook: 'Tonight at dinner (?) suddenly asks me: 'Have you been [...]

This boy's love of nature - what he calls the Glories of Nature - runs throughout his youthful memos to self. Tune in next week for what happens for this lad of the land later in life - when the Second World War calls him to a different, more painful Glory.

Who were you? What did you do for the H M Diplomatic Service? And for ENSA in 1945 and then for the Military Police in 1946? Were you an as much an enigma in life as you are on paper?

Born Kathleen Perry in Barrow-in-Furness. The diaries range from one from the 'Anti-Vivesection Society', to 'The Film Goers Diary' to five year diaries and a Letts School Girl Diary. The diaries catalogue the daily events in the life of an only child with two half sisters through her father's previous marriage. She was educated at the local grammar school, which she left at 16. Moved to London in 1963 to work in the Civil Service. Met John Johnson in London and married in 1972. Settled in Ashton near Helston. Her husband died in 1987. Kathleen did not have any children. [...]

A recent acquisition of 77 volumes. All pocket diaries ranging from leather bound to silver encased to Charles Letts edition diaries, to plastic diaries and simple slim papar notebooks cum diary. The diaries contain the odd newspaper cutting of note and all contain references to church dates; the early diaries often contain illustrations of mechanical designs and lists of numbers or formulas, and later diaries contain fewer references to mechanical design and more to physical ailments. The date range starts in 1922 when Mr Cooke is 10 years old. The entries are brief. In the 1920s references include childhood activities, [...]

We have just received an extraordinary five volumes by an astute and articulate Ms Daniels: 1925 (Bryant and May's Matches imprint), 1926 (Bryant and May's Matches imprint), 1927 (Bryant and May's Matches imprint), 1938 and 1944 - 1946. Each volume is written in copperplate. However, much of the space available in the early diaries is occupied by newspaper cuttings. Ms Daniels conscientiously records mainly public events, especially geo-political developments, that are of import. This is a particularly interesting period as the years leading up to and towards the end of the 2nd world war are covered. Ms Daniels offers her [...]