Ruby Thompson(1884-1970) born in London England. Author of 43 journals. I (Victoria Aldridge Washuk Amazon Profile here) am her great granddaughter.
I inherited the forty-three diaries that span from 1909-1969. They were given to my grandmother, Ruth Ferris Thompson who was married to Ruby’s son, John Thompson (my grandfather).
Diary of my great grandmother Ruby Side Thompson (1884-1970) an English housewife and mother of seven sons living in Romford, London during World War Two. Her revelations on the war and daily life.
Ruby Alice Side Thompson was born in England in 1884. Ruby grew up during a time when education was just beginning to be encouraged for both upper and middle class women. Women were seeking new opportunities and equality. During the late 1890′s Ruby explored many radical political ideas of London, England. She met many famous people including the writers George Bernard Shaw and William Butler Yeats. The moth and the star: a biography of Virginia Woolf was written by Ruby’s sister Aileen Pippett. Ruby loved to read and always dreamed of writing famous novels. Ruby was not able to express her opinions or feelings about either the war or her marriage except in the privacy of her diary. Being able to do so was her saving grace. Many of the things she says in today’s world would be considered politically incorrect. Our children today have no idea what life was like then and what opportunities they have that would never have been possible 70 years ago. World War ll London Blitz Diary is being published on Amazon in 4 volumes. The 1st volume is out and the second will be published October 2011.
I thought that others might also find these diaries of interest and started posting a blog for the World War II Diary. In doing so I received reactions from people from around the world and this inspired me to publish them in book form for all to enjoy.
This is volume one of a four volume series of diaries written during World War ll. Volume 2 will be published in October 2011. These are Ruby’s outpourings of her experience during the war Bliz bombings that she could not always speak about. Many of the things she says in today’s world would be considered politically incorrect. In this very personal and historical account Ruby writes about her truth of the war and her marriage which she shares with no one but the diary. Some of her opinions will be disturbing to some people. To edit out Ruby’s opinions would be a disservice to Ruby so her words will stand as she wrote them.
“Messerschmitt war plan-es overhead, hearing the explosion of bombs being dropped around you and wondering if this is the day one will fall on your house.”
The Story Was Recently Printed in a London Paper as follows:
Great grand mother’s diaries
This is something that many of us can only ever imagine, but now a book containing the personal diaries of a woman living in Romford during the Second World War has been published.
Called World War II London Blitz Diaries, they were written throughout the war from 1939 to 1945 by Ruby Side Thompson who lived in Western Road and have now been published by her great granddaughter Vicki Washuk.
Vicki said: “Ruby’s diaries are just very interesting. I learned more about the war from her diaries than I ever learned in school.”
Frustrations
The diary contains information about day-to-day life during the war and Ruby’s worries as the mother of two sons (she had seven sons in all) who were both in the RAF.
Ruby also discusses her frustrations with being trapped in an unhappy marriage and a male orientated world.
One entry reads: “So this morning I feel I can’t worry about the war. I don’t care a hoot about Hitler, Goring, Ribbentrop and co. I can’t even care about the invasion of Finland, earthquake in Turkey. I just can’t worry myself, that’s what I feel.
“The war is a man’s doing: the earthquake’s natures and I can’t do anything about either.” In another entry she writes: “Ted left a few minutes ago for his evening of cards. I am furious with him, feeling downrightly that I hate him.”
Vicki, who lives in America, was passed the diaries by her grandmother Ruth Thompson in 1991.
A year ago she created a blog where she would regularly upload daily entries from Ruby’s diaries.
She decided to publish them due to the response she was getting from people all over the world.
Vicki added: “I feel great about sharing this information with people that may have no idea about what happened during the London Blitz and how it affected so many ordinary citizens every day.
“It is incomprehensible to me the stress so many had to live under.
“Ruby was outspoken and an early feminist, she could only speak in private about things that she could not speak about to anyone.”
