Extracts from a notebook (MY-92-001MM001) kept by Glasgow participant Margaret Young (née Stevenson) during the 1930s and 1940s. The earliest entries, which date to 1937 when Margaret was twelve years old, comprise notes on school timetables, subjects taken, test marks, exam results, revision notes, library books borrowed and read (including plot resumes and notes on characters), and names of teachers and classmates. From January 1939, Margaret begins to record her film viewing, detailing dates of cinema visits, film titles, and names of actors; she also makes lists of favourite stars. The filmgoing record is kept up till September 1944, with a colour-coded rating scheme used throughout: from top-rated titles (Gone With The Wind on 26 August 1942) and star names (Errol Flynn, throughout) written in red ink and large capitals through to faintly squiggled red underlining of films and stars delivering somewhat greater than average enjoyment (Springtime In The Rockies starring Betty Grable, John Payne, and Carmen Miranda on 10 July 1943). The school-related records continue alongside the film lists until 1941, when books read and plays, operas, and musical comedies attended begin to prevail. Margaret nonetheless records seeing about 160 films that year, with April (nineteen films seen) being a particularly busy month. On the very last page of the notebook there is a record of favourite stars of 1941 and 1942, listed by gender.
This notebook is available to view in Lancaster University library and access can be arranged by getting in touch with Special Collections.