• Reference
    Z1606
  • Title
    The diaries of Leah Aynsley (b.1902, d.1989), resident of Bedford
  • Date free text
    1930-1965 (some additional notes date to 1980s)
  • Production date
    From: 1930 To: 1989
  • Creator
  • Admin/biog history
    Leah Aynsley was born in Sunderland on the 16th of January 1902. In 1921 her father moved the family to Bedford in search of work. This included Leah, her mother and her two brothers John (known as Jack) and James (known as Jim). The family resided at 66 Malborough Road, Queens Park, Bedford. Leah's brother John married Lily Barton in 1929 and lived in Luton with two daughters, Janet and Jacqueline. Leah's other brother, Jim, married Nellie Wilkinson in 1957; they had a son, John. Leah was employed as a typist/secretary. She worked for W. H. Allen, engineers, of Bedford, then worked for the Midland Motor Company (c. 1935) and the from 13 May 1935 until 10 March 1945 for the Igranic Electric Company Limited. She left her job at Igranic to be able to take care of her father. Leah never married, and resided at 66 Malborough Road until the 1980s, when she moved to Parkside Residential Home in Kempston. She died in 1989.
  • Scope and Content
    13 volumes detailing the day to day life of Leah during her time in Bedford. There is particular focus on the 1940s.
  • Exent
    1 box
  • Archival history
    On Leah's death, the diaries passed to her sister-in-law, wife of her brother James (Jim). After her death they passed to her nephew John. It was Leah's wish that the diaries be passed to the Record Office once her family had been able to read them if they wished, and John fulfilled these wishes, donating the diaries to the archive in September 2015.
  • Authority to weed granted
  • Level of description
    fonds