Handwritten 1941 Diary of a Wife and Mother in Pre-WWII California
0010043On offer is a fine diary recording the domestic and social responsibilities of a woman in California immediately before the United States entered World War II.
The author is unknown, but from the diary, we learn that she lives in or near Santa Rosa, CA, is a wife and a mother, and is 49 when she begins this book. Her entries are detailed and she takes care to provide a very good description of how each day unfolds. The author is very focused on her family, and seems to fit many of the traditional expectations of women of her time. Throughout the diary, she refers to her husband as “Dad.”
“Washed and dried clothes between showers -- dried colors in the house. Pot luck dinner at Social Hall tonite at 6:30 -- that’s too early for us so we didn’t plan to go -- dad went later to Council meeting -- they plan to call this Mr. Moorhouse to be our next Pastor -- at $1,500 per year. He may not want to come” (April 1).
“Have been with mother quilting this eve, ironing done and clothes put away, had to shop for eats” (June 24).
“Have been to Daisy’s to have hair washed and set. Corn cut from cob & put out to dry in the sun -- have it in the oven this eve . . . Mother picked a few quarts of blackberries -- we don’t care very much for them but so far have canned what she has picked, they are doing extra well this summer” (August 20).
This diary is a perfect window into the world of an American wife and mother immediately before the Second World War.
Details:
- Size 6.75″ x 4.25″
- Number of pages: 183
- Condition: very good
- 100% complete
- Handwriting easily legible
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