Found Poems

Using Mrs Smith’s Diaries

Mrs Smith was a keen reader, often collecting books from the mobile library or swapping them with friends from around the village. Many of the books Mrs Smith owned were collections of poems and prayers which she could turn to when looking for motivation or inspiration. Using her enjoyment of poetry as a starting point we want to challenge you to write your own found poems, using Mrs Smith’s diaries!

Found poems are a great way to use existing text, in our case Mrs Smith’s Diaries, to create fun poems.

What you need?

- Extracts from Mrs Smith’s Diary (which can be found below) - Pencil and paper

Instructions

1. Read through the diary extracts below, and think about the theme. You might want to choose a month, or could choose a topic like hobbies, gardening or friends!

2. Pick out very short quotes which relate to your theme and arrange them in an order that reads well. The best way to do this is to read the poem out to yourself to see if you like it.

See our example below for some inspiration!

Extracts from Mrs Smith’s Diary

1955

January

Saturday 1 st - Tidyed up. Went to chapel with flowers. Grandma came in from 6 to 7.

Betty lent me a book & I read it, finished knitting Arthur's pullover.

Sunday 2nd - Chapel in the morning. Fire in room. Reading & resting. Wrote to Nellie,

Miss Smith, Auntie Lil & Ethel. Ken & Pat came for doggie jigsaw. Very cold.

Monday 3rd - Finished off Arthur's pullover. Washed stockings. Did some mending.

George Rowland called.

Thursday 6th - Office all day. Freda's for dinner. Posted Arthur's pullover.

Friday 7th - Cleaned thro'. Knitting & resting.

Sunday 9th - Chapel in the a.m. Had to come out because of coughing. Resting all

the day.

Tuesday 1 1th - Cleaned up. Went to clinic.

Saturday 15th - Tidyed up. Went to chapel to see to the flowers. Grandma & Maggie

came in at night.

Sunday 16th - Not very well. Indoors all day.

Wednesday 19th - Tidyed up. Went to Dr. Knitting Captain's mitts. Wrote to Violet,

Gladys, Emma.

Friday 21 st - Cleaned up just what was necessary.

Saturday 22nd - Tidyed up. Went to chapel to do the flowers. Grandma came at night.

Wednesday 26th - Cleaned up. Cleaned bedrooms. Went to Women's Own & to

Guild.

Friday 28th - Cleaned up. Went to society meeting at night. Mrs. Breed stayed for

supper.

Sunday 30 - Chapel in the morning. To Wellingore to tea & chapel. Mr. Rollins gave

me a ride there.

Monday 3 1 st - Cleaned up. Finished mittens for Captain.

February

Tuesday 1 st - Lovely weather. Cleaned up. Cleaned bedrooms. Went on Big garden.

Knitting, started John' s pullover.

Wednesday 2nd - Lovely weather. Cleaned up. Went to finish cleaning Raspberries.

Fish & chip dinner. Went to Fancy dress at night.

Sunday 6th - Chapel in the a.m. S- S. Prize giving. Eric Cowham, G'ma & I went to

night service.

Tuesday 8th - Knitting. A cold wintry day.

Wednesday 9th - Cleaned bedrooms. "Women's Own" & Guild at night

Friday I I th - Cleaned up. Lovely day. Went to Lincoln. 1/2 ton coal. £3.6.8

Saturday 12th - Snowy morning. Tidyed up. Grandma came in the afternoon. Alf

came at night.Cleaned up. Wrote to Jennie, Lilian, Mrs. Islip & Mary.

Wednesday 16th - Cleaned Bedrooms. Tidyed up. Mrs. Lawrence came in.Grandma

came in afternoon. Went to Guild with Freda.

Friday 18th - Cleaned thro'. Knitting. Very cold weather.

Monday 21 st - Wash day, lovely & fine but very cold. Went to see the boys sledging

on the hillside.

Wednesday 23rd - Cleaned bedrooms. Baked. Went to "W. Own then to Guild. Heavy

snow & blizzard.

Thursday 24th - Snowed up. Office until 3 0'clock.

Friday 25th - Bad weather. Cleaned up. Baked. Knitting.

Saturday 26th - A nice day. Cleaned up, all windows. Cooked dinner. Grandma,

Kenneth & I walked to Boothby to see snow drifts. G'ma came at night.

March

Tuesday 1st - Cleaned up. Knitting. Betty came in afternoon. Freda came at night.

Friday 4th - Cleaned thro'. Grandad had to go to bed, went across at night. Freda,

Ken & I went to Lincoln 1.30 home 4.30.

Saturday 5th - Cleaned thro'. Went to chapel with flowers. Went to the Dr. Miss

Hutchinson brought the medicine. Went to Freda's at night. George Bottomley called

late.

Sunday 6th - To chapel in the morning. Rested afternoon. Went to Freda's after tea.

Stormy day.

Monday 7th - Another stormy day with snow. Cleaned up. Knitting. Betty not very

well.

Tuesday 8th - Cleaned up. Baked. Auntie Liz came to G'ma's. Knitting.

Saturday 12th - Had chimney swept & fire back repaired. New cistern lid & frame

fixed. Mary came at 10 a.m. Fish & chip dinner.

Sunday 13th - Chapel in the morning. Resting during afternoon. T. V. at Mrs. Rollins

for Children's Hour. Went to see Grandma.

Tuesday 15th - Lazy day. Very tired. Went to Cecil.

Wednesday 16th - Went to the office in the morning, had dinner at Freda. Home

Missions at Guild. I read the lesson.

Thursday 17th - Cleaned bedrooms. Sent Recorders to Emma. Went to Ruskington

with Rev. Dalby, afternoon service communion. Dr. Soper. Home after tea.

Monday 21st - Wash day. Mangled. Scrubbed lav. Went to Wadd. At 4.30. Tea &

meeting at 7. Silverwood. Home by car.

Thursday 24th - Office. Finished footing socks. Mr. J came in. Resting & reading.

Friday 25th - Coal 4 cwts. £ 1-6-2 cash. Cleaned up. Wet day. Went to chapel to see

to flowers. Lincoln at 1 o'clock. New grey cardigan. Rauceby on 5.30 Mr. Sharp took

me from Sleaford.

Saturday 26th - A very wet day, indoors all day. Watched television including Boat

Race.

Monday 28th - Mrs. Jones washed. I went to meet Mrs. Brothwell from school.

Tuesday 29th - Went to churchyard & walked down with Mrs. B. Went down Poor

House Lane. Fox hunting.

Thursday 31 st - Office all day. Wrote to Emma & Mary. Tom rang up about Easter.

April

Friday 1 st - Office in the morning. Tidyed bulbs bed in the afternoon. Maggie called.

Washed hair.

Saturday 2nd - Went to see Dr. (Jones) then to Lincoln. Saw Enid. Freda & I went to

Brickyard for E? alm & took to chapel. Freda played organ. Uncle Fred came to

Grandma's.

Sunday 3rd - Morning service. Old age pensioners from Sleaford for service 3

0'clock. Flory Holingssworth. Chapel an night then to G'ma.

Monday 4th - Office most of the day.

Saturday 9th - Tidyed up. Went to Lincoln at 1 p.m. Tom went to football. We came

back with Rollin—. Tom gardened in the morning. Nellie & I went to chapel with

flowers. Grandma called in for a few minutes.

Sunday 10th - Easter Sunday - All went to morning service, resting in the afternoon.

Went for a walk after tea. Called at Norman's. Maggie with us for supper.

Monday 11 th - Bank holiday - Gardening till bus time. Arran Pilot tates, Exhibition

Long pod B. Beans English Wonder peas.

Tuesday 12th - To the Dr. then to Lincoln. New handbag. Knitting socks. Grandma' s,

Mrs. Rollins.

Friday 15th - Cleaned thro' Dug round Rose trees.

Saturday 23rd - Tidyed up. Baked. Went to meet Lilian at Lincoln 4.40.

Monday 25th - Had a lazy day.

Tuesday 26th - Lilian & I went to Lincoln 12.30, home 3.30. Went to see Grandma.

Thursday 28th - Another lazy day. Went to cathedral at night to hear Billy Graham,

home 1 1 p.m.

Friday 29th - Tidyed up. Showery day. Went to see Grandma & Freda at night.

Saturday 30th - Mary & Ted came at 10 a.m. Went to Lincoln at 10.30 to see Lilian

off on 11.30 train. Had dinner at Stokes café. Went to Alf's to tea. Home at 7.30.

Went to chapel with flowers.

May

Monday 2nd - A wet morning. Mary & Ted went to Norman's after dinner. They went

away 5.30. I went to see G'ma.

Tuesday 3rd - Lovely morning. Washed. Folded, mangled & ironed. Set one row of

late potatoes.

Thursday 5th - Office all day. Grandma's at night. Navenby won cup.

Monday 9th - A lazy day. A walk down Gas Lane, Smoots & up Etons Hill. Round by

council houses at night. Very cold.

Tuesday 10th - Another lazy day. Jennie went for a hair do. Went to see G'ma at

night. Very cold & showery.

Wednesday 11th - All went to Waddington at 10.30. Chapel re opening. Elsie opened

door. Chairman of the District, Annie [Bolly]

Friday 13th - Cleaned thro'. Wrote 8 letters - Emma, Mary, Nellie, Elsie, Miss Smith,

Ethel Bristow, Ada, Alberta. Went to see Auntie Joyce after tea.

Tuesday 17th raining & blowing gales all day. Snow at night. Cleaned up & ironed.

Went to Sleaford with Rev. Dalby. Easter Offerings service. Tea. Home at 5.20.

Friday 20th - Cleaned up. Went to Lincoln. Tax Office & Savings Bank. Went to

Auntie Joyce at night.

Saturday 21st - Went to Messingham at 8 a.m., home at 9.30. Tom & Jennie stayed

at Waddington for the night. First new tates (Bought ones)

Monday 23rd - Took tulips, narcissi & lilies of the valley. Went to Rauceby with

Hodson. Cut Graves. Called at Mrs. Jones & had dinner. Home with Hodson.

Tuesday 24th - Went to Lincoln at 10.30 to meet Nellie, Tom & Peter. Lunch at

Stokes' café. Savoy. "The country Girl" Home 5.30. Television.

Thursday 26th - Office until 5. Set "Sherwood" peas. G'ma & I went to vote after tea.

Home with Aunt ethel. Called to see Maggie.

Friday 27th - Cleaned thro'. Heard cuckoo. Had the last apple from my tree. Hoed

tates.

Tuesday 31st - Home with William Porter at 8 45. Very tired. Did some knitting,

finished socks. Did some gardening.

June

Saturday 4th - Mary & Ted came before 9 a.m. Set chrysanths & Mary set the mint.

Sunday 5th - Chapel in the a.m. Walked to Wellingore S.S.A Tea at George's. They

walked home with us for community singing.

Monday 6th - Went to Lincoln at 1230, home 3.30. Set stocks & salvia.

Wednesday 8th - "Women's Own" outing to Castletown. Jennie, Ted, Mary & I.

Emma met us at Chesterfield. Home 9.15.

Tuesday 14th - Late up. Cleaned all bedrooms, Room & Kitchen. Tidyed Pantry. Set

"Little Marvel" peas, mixed stock. Cut paper.

Wednesday 15th - County Show at Lincoln with Mrs. Toynbee. Elsie (Waddington).

S.S.A at night.

Friday 17th - Cleaned up. Resting & knitting.

Monday 20th - Not too well so rested & knitted.

Thursday 23rd - Office all day. Resting after tea then went to Evedon with George &

Lily.

Monday 27th - Dug flower garden & cleaned out sink.

Thursday 30th - Wash day. Circuit Rally at Brant Broughton. Night meeting only.

July

Friday 1st - To Rothley on the 9.30. Jennie met me & we had dinner in Leicester.

Saturday 2nd - 7.30 a.m. to New Brighton with Rothley Women's British Legion.

Home 12 midnight.

Wednesday 6th - To Matlock by train, to Bakewell by bus & on to Monyash. Home at

9.

Thursday 7th - Jennie came with me to Leicester for 10.30 bus. Home at 1.30.

Gathered 3 lbs strawberries.

Friday 8th - Office most of the day then resting. Mrs. Hutchinson came in. Went to

T.V.

Monday 11th - Wash day. 3 blankets. Washed pots out of Pantry.

Thursday 14th - Office in morning. Timberland Garden Party.

Saturday 16th - Cleaned up. Cooked dinner, first Broad Beans. T & J came 11.30.

We all went to see Frank. Elsie came after tea.

Friday 22nd - Staffed Jimmie's pullover. Cleaned up. Cleaned all windows. Gathered

last strawberries & 2 lbs. Rasps. Grandma came in afternoon.

Monday 25th - Cleaned wash house. Ethel Bristow came about 3 & stayed until

10.15. Broke spectacles.

Tuesday 26th - Cleaned lav. Cleaned up & went to Lincoln with glasses, to be

repaired.

Sunday 31st - Cooked dinner. Rested in afternoon. Chapel at night. Walked to

Boothby & looked in the church.

August

Monday 1st – Bank Holiday – Cleaned spare bedroom.

Tuesday 2nd - Still cleaning bedroom.

Thursday 4th - Had day at Lincoln. Nellie got new dress. Lunch at Stokes's café. Tea

at Castle café. Radion "White Christmas"

Sunday 7th - Had a lazy day. Freda came in after S. School. Tom & Jennie went at

7.30. Grandma came in. Wrote to Emma & Honington.

Monday 8th - Wash day. A very big wash.

Tuesday 9th - Made Blinds & curtains.

Wednesday 10th - S. S. outing to Skegness. Mrs. Burr & I went together. Rollins went

to Norfolk.

Friday 12th - Cleaned thro'. Lincoln 2.30. home 5. York express to Colchester.

Honington.

Tuesday 16th - Dug in big garden. Tidyed up. Knitting.

Saturday 20th - J & T came at 11.30. Went to see Frank at 1.30. J & I had tea at the

Regal & went to see "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers". Tom had tea at John's.

Monday 22nd - Nellie came at 11.30. Cleaned cupboard & washed ceiling. Grandma

came in at night

Tuesday 23rd - Papered kitchen. Fish & chip supper - Grandma came at night.

Saturday 27th - Janet at Jennie. Belvoir Castle with Ewerby W. Institute.

Sunday 28th - A quiet day. Weather damp. Mary went to church. Frank & I to chapel.

Hilda came to supper.

September

Thursday 1st - Office until dinner time. Went to Q.M. at Metheringham. New minister

welcomed. Rev. & Mrs. Dalby & Mr. & Mrs. Chambers.

Saturday 3rd - Cleaned up. Grandma came in the afternoon. Freda & family went to

Scarboro'. Maggie came at night. Wrote to Mrs. Islip, Littlefair, Ada, Miss Smith.

Monday 5th - A wet day. Tidyed up. Wrote to Mary & Mrs. Jones. Reading. Mr.

Johnson came in. Paul got his bird.

Tuesday 6th - Dug up potatoes. Mrs. Bainbridge came in, also Grandma. T. V.

Friday 9th - Cleaned thro'. Started Jimmie's grey pullover.

Saturday 10th - Cleaned up. Cooked dinner. Knitting. Freda & family came home.

The boys came for me to across. Maggie came up after tea. Took flowers to the

chapel at night.

Thursday 15th - Lincoln at 10.30 to meet Nellie, Peter & Jennifer. "Calamity Jane"

Regal. Home at 8.30.

Friday 16th – Tidyed up. Lincoln at 11.30 with Maggie to see “The Dam Busters”

Home with Hodson 5p.m. Baked after tea.

Monday 19th - Wash day, all done & ironed by 4.30. Resting & knitting.

Wednesday 21st - Cleaned thro'. "Women's Own" started. Guild committee meeting

at night.

Friday 23rd - Lazy day. Knitting, Walk up High Dyke in the afternoon. Guss called at

night with something.

Sunday 25th - Late up. Ada & I went to Wellingore for tea. H. F service at night. Mr.

Newton Loynes.

Wednesday 28th - Grimsby W. W. Mrs. Burr, Mrs. Wood & I went to Cleethorpes for

lunch. Lily Islip & Elsie were at Grimsby. T.V. when I got home.

Thursday 29th - G'ma came in very cross. Ada & Mary came at 10 a.m. Went up lane

& down Chapel Lane in the afternoon. Mary went at 5.30. Knitting.

October

Saturday 1st - Ada went to Wellingore. I cleaned up. We went to chapel with flowers.

Had a fish & chip dinner. Mrs. Rollins, Betty & Maggie came in afternoon. Grandma

came at night.

Tuesday 4th - Cleaned spare bedroom & room & soot out of kitchen grate. Knitting &

resting.

Wednesday 5th - Wash day. Women's Own, Mrs, Wood. Very wet afternoon &

evening, mangled & ironed. Eisteddfod trials.

Thursday 6th - Cold & stormy day,at the office until 4.30. Baked & listened to

wireless. Wrote to Emma & Jennie.

Friday 7th - Tidyed up. Set 2 rows strawberries. Had a rest after dinner. Guss called.

Went to T.V

Saturday 8th - Cleaned up & baked. Went to chapel to decorate. Went to re-opening

of Welbourn chapel with Mrs. Burr. Saw Mrs. Breed, Bursnall, Mrs. Clark & lots of

others. Came home with Mr. Smith.

Monday 10th - Gardening & big garden.

Saturday 15th - Eisteddfod. Making sandwiches from 9.30 to 12.30. Went to

Wellingore at 2.15 with Uncle Cliff. Tea at 4.30 in village hall. Jennie came 5.30 bus.

Meeting at 6. Home with Uncle Cliff.

Friday 21st - Bingo knocked over. Went to Lincoln at 12.30 with Kenneth - tax office,

bank, etc. Tea at Stokes. Savoy to see Archie Andrews, Freda & boys. Tan twin set.

Sunday 23rd - Indoors all day. Televiewing. Mrs. Brothwell & Dick came.

Thursday 27th - Cleaned thro'. Very cold day. Put flowers in chapel.

Saturday 29th - Jennie & I went into Leicester with Reuben. Bought mirror & fruit

spoons, home at 1.30. Indoors the rest of the day.

Sunday 30th - Jennie & I went to see Captain at 3 0'clock & home at 5.

November

Tuesday 1st - Janet went to Australia. Indoors all day. Developed a bad cold. Got up

at 12 a.m. J. went to meeting.

Friday 4th - Indoors all day. Wound 16 balls of wool. Tom went up to the station.

Saturday 5th - Left Rothley 11.45. Leicester at 12.30, home 3.30. J & T came with me

to Leicester. Freda mada a fire. Boys had Bonfire.

Monday 7th - Wash day. Cleaned Brasses. Did Ethel's curtains.

Wednesday 9th - Bazaar. Went to cut up in the afternoon. B. opened at 6 & we were

home by 9. £44.

Thursday 10th - Office all day. Metheringham to Circuit Rally at night. 5 bags coal £1-

17-6

Sunday 13th - Chapel in the a.m. Mrs. Rollins in the afternoon. Freda's at night

Thursday 17th - Office till 3. Knitting at night.

Friday 18th - Cleaned up. Lincoln at 11.30. New combs. Knitting.

Tuesday 22nd - Office in the a.m. Knitting. Jimmie had teeth out.

Wednesday 23rd 0 Lincoln with Freda 9 a.m. Home 12.30. Fish & chip dinner. Took

class tickets out. Guild at night.

Friday 25th - Nellie & I went to Louth, new shoes & curtains. I wrote to Peter &

Grandma. Knitting navy blue.

Saturday 26th - All day indoors. Knitting. New green cardigan. Tom went without his

lunch.

Wednesday 30th - Wellingore Fair. Cleaned thro'. Knitting. Guild at night. Mrs.

Lawrence came in.

December

Saturday 3rd – Cleaned up. Ethel came at 10:30. Jennie & Tom came at 12:30. Baked,

went to chapel with flowers. Tom went out in the afternoon. Ethel went at 2:30.

Grandma came in at night. Church fair.

Monday 5th – Jennie & I went to see Elsie at Wadd. J & T went to John’s after tea.

Tuesday 6th – Lincoln at 11:30. Looked at 13 St. Catherine’s Grove. Dinner at Stokes

café. Went to see Frank. J & T went on 3 train.

Wednesday 7th – Cleaned thro’. Knitting. T.V. Guild concert at night.

Saturday 10th – A day indoors. Old folks Christmas tea & concert at Rauceby.

Wednesday 14th - Cleaned up. Women's Own. Mam came. Vent to T.V. Kenneth here

the other went to carol service at Grantham.

Thursday 15th - Office in the a.m. Wrote letters & card. Nativity Play at night.

Friday 16th - Cleaned thro' & baked. Shopping. Went to T. V. Washed hair. Wrote letters

& cards.

Sunday 18th - Chapel in the morning. Christmas dinner. A fire in room. Freda came in

at night. Tom rang up.

Monday 19th - Mary went at 9.30 a.m. A very cold frosty day. Resting & knitting.

Wednesday 21st - Cleaned bedrooms. Ironed. Knitting. Went to T.V.

Friday 23rd - Cleaned thro'. Windows, Pantry & Pass. Shopping. Tea at freda's. Icing

christmas cakes.

Saturday 24th - Tidyed thro'. Went to chapel with flowers. Went on the 2.30 bus to

Ewerby. Nellie & Tom there when I arrived at 4.40. Mary, Nellie & I went to midnight

service at church.

Sunday 25th (Christmas Day) - Mary, Nellie & I went to churchyard and with flowers.

Called at Hilda's. Indoors rest of day. Mary & Tom went to church.

Monday 26th – indoors all day. Hilda & George came to dinner, tea & supper.

Thursday 29th – Office all day.

Saturday 31st – Indoors all day. Vicar called in the afternoon. Sat up to see the new

year in.