I have found it helpful to keep alphabetic lists of various things, some brief descriptions of what or who they are and where they are mentioned in the notes on the diaries. I did this when I found myself describing the same person or place twice and/or when I found I had forgotten who someone was. These 'things' include:

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• People - these are organised by alphabetical order of family name (surname). In cases where I only know the first name, I have used that within speech marks. In the case of married women, the main entry is under their married name but their maiden name is also included with a reference to their married name. 

• Shops and other businesses

• Chapels and churches - particularly Methodist chapels and churches. Where there is a chapter with a main description of a particular chapel, this is shown in bold. 

• A list of Ministers at Bourne chapel

• Cinemas, theatres and concert halls - as with chapels, where there is a chapter with a main description of a particular cinema, this is shown in bold. 

• Hospitals

• Parks, public spaces and places of interest - interpreted fairly broadly. I am gradually changing this to be a list of all places mentioned in the diaries but this is work in progress. 

• Railway stations

• Websites that are cross-referenced in the notes

• Books that I have referred to.

  

I also came across references to the Methodist conference taking place in various cities including Nottingham. I tried to find a list of where the annual conferences have been held but have not found such a list. I have therefore compiled a list as best as I am able. This dates from 1932 to 2021 but there are various gaps. So if you know where the Methodist conference was held in any of the following years please do let me know - 1933-37. 1939-46, 1947 (I believe this was in Nottingham but confirmation welcome), 1948-1951, 1953-1955, 1978, 1997 and 2007. 

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My grandfather worked in Station Street for most of his working life. According to the 1911 census, the Parkin family were occupying numbers 70, 72, 74 and 76 Station Street. When his diary starts, in 1914, he was working in his father’s shoe workshop there. Later, he became the owner of the shoe business and ran it until he retired in the late 1950s. The Parkin family lived there from when my mum was born in 1934 until 1951 and mum and dad also lived there briefly after they were married in 1956. Both mum’s and grandad’s diaries talk about people and places in Station Street and I have been gradually building up a picture of what it was like “then” and what it is like “now”. Here I take an imaginary walk up and down Station Street both “then” (circa world war 2) and “now” (2021).