10th August 1911.
Dear Diary,
Iโm so excited for the next year. My brother is getting married to Geraldine, and Iโm going to be a bridesmaid. They wonโt wed until June 15th, which is ages away, but still. A wedding. In my family. Weโve not had one for years.
2nd September 1911.
Dear Diary,
Geraldine is lovely. Sheโs a sister Iโve never had. Sheโs inspired me to go into the services. She works as a maid at a hotel in London, but she has given me the address to write to for a position that is far more exciting than what I currently have.
19th September 1911.
Dear Caitlin,
Mr James would like you to attend a meeting on 21st September, in London, regarding your recent request to join our Premier Service attendants in a brand new enterprise.
Dear Diary,
I had to write that from the letter I received yesterday. Oh, Iโm excited. Short notice, I know, but this is how they work, according to Geraldine. Stephen tells me Iโm being silly, and should stay with the Co-op, but I have so much more to offer. Geraldine says that with my nature, Iโd be ahead in no time.
25th September 1911.
Dear Diary,
Iโm so excited. Stephen and Geraldine have congratulated me on me gaining my new job. I canโt believe it myself. Iโm confident enough with people who I know, but not with a lot of strangers. Mr James told me that Iโd won him over with my smileโฆ which is odd as I never do when Iโm nervous. But he must have seen it.
5th October 1911.
Dear Diary,
Iโve not heard from Mr James for a while. Stephen says itโs my fault for taking things to heart, Geraldine says itโs Mr Jamesโ fault as heโs very busy. I think Iโm to blame because Iโm too nervous.
15th October 1911.
Dear Diary,
Still no news from Mr James. Geraldine has said that she will speak to Mr Jamesโ associate, to see what is happening. Stephen has told me I was rash to leave the Co-op, but I had to.
11th November 1911.
Dear Diary,
Iโm so excited. My new uniform has arrived: a lovely white pinafore, black dress, shirt, and lovely hat. I need to buy some new shoes, my current ones are worn.
2nd December 1911.
Dear Diary,
Stephen and Geraldine have bought my new shoes. Iโm eternally grateful. I canโt wait to serve them proudly at their weddingโฆ in fact, Iโm going to give them the best wedding ever (if I can).
5th December 1911.
Dear Diary,
Stephen has told me Geraldine is very ill with flu. She can hardly breathe. I hope she gets betterโฆ I know itโs a few months off her wedding, but we have so much to talk about. I want to do her proud.
15th December 1911.
Dear Diary,
Geraldine just called around with Christmas cards. Sheโs looking so much better I canโt believe it. Mrs Colmthorpe from round the circle has had the flu for weeks. Doctor Simmons has been out to her twice. Geraldineโs simply magical.
24th December 1911.
Dear Diary,
Stephen has brought the Christmas decorations around. They look lovely. Wreaths and holly, ivy, streamers and berries. He spent four hours decorating the parlour. It feels so Christmassy.
25th December 1911.
Dear Diary,
Geraldine has bought me a good luck trinket. A bracelet to wear โ secretly โ for when I start my new job. She says we all need something secret when we start something new, to help us along. Thereโs a place in the trinket for a small photo graph of whomever I want. I may take Stephen and Geraldine with me.
1st January 1912.
Dear Diary,
Oh my goodness. Happy new year.
Iโve met the most incredible person ever. Even Stephen likes him. Heโs just started at the Co-op where I used to work, and heโs marvellous. Heโs a butcher, but he says he is destined for other things.
5th January 1912.
Dear Diary,
Harold called around again. Heโs lovely, I want to be with him all of the time, but I canโt. I have my walk to learn. My talk. My shoulders need to be in the right place.
1st February 1912.
Dear Diary,
Iโm so excited. Harold wants me to go to the Spring Dance. Iโve never been asked to any dance beforeโฆ I blush thinking about it. Stephen and Geraldine goad me. But now I start to wonder if I should continue to see Harold.
22nd February 1912.
Dear Diary,
I donโt know what to do. Harold has discovered my birth date, and now knows that Iโm not as old as I said I was. Only a couple of years, but a lie is a lie. But it was Geraldineโs idea, so was I very wrong in saying it in the first place? Harold isnโt very happy.
4th March 1912.
Dear Diary,
Geraldine has fallen out with me. She says she never told me to tell Harold my incorrect age, although she did. Stephen hasnโt said anything about that, but looks at me as though Iโve done something wrong. He told me yesterday that Harold is the next in line to become a supervisor at the Co-op and I could have got my job back if I hadnโt have lied. But Diary, I never lied. I just never said.
8th March 1912.
Dear Diary,
Harold dropped a birthday card off for Geraldine, without speaking to me, although he handed it to me with a slight smile. The postman dropped a letter off for me as well. Iโm so excited I canโt write anymore!
10th March 1912.
Dear Diary,
Itโs been a couple of days โ hectic days. Harold has said that he understands why I caused confusion with my age, as I do look younger than I am anyway. Geraldine has started talking to me again after I apologised for saying that sheโd told me to lie about my age. And Stephen has asked if I want to work with Harold at the Co-op. But I canโt. But I canโt say anything either.
20th March 1912.
Dear Caitlin,
You are to report to Southampton on 8th April to ensure you are fully conversant with the current company protocols.
Dear Diary,
Iโm so excited. Iโm going to be conversant with protocols, whatever that means! I had to tell Geraldine about the letter, and she sat dumbfounded. She couldnโt believe that Iโd actually been accepted, although she said that she knew that I would. She told me that she wouldnโt tell Stephen.
30th March 1912.
Dear Diary,
Iโm so apprehensive. Have I made the right choice in taking this on? Iโve never worked in services beforeโฆ and I have to travel miles away to a different town to do it.
31st March 1912.
Dear Diary,
Iโm so excited. Iโve thrown my apprehensions away, and Iโm going to do it! I need to have some money to get Stephen and Geraldine a lovely present for their wedding โ theyโve made me Chief Bridesmaid now. And Stephen has asked Harold to be Best Man.
6th April 1912.
Dear Diary,
I have to go to London again tomorrow so I can start to learn how to do my new job. Harold, Geraldine and Stephen threw a rather nice party for me last night, to send me off. Iโm excited, dear Diary, but apprehensive.
9th April 1912.
Dear Diary,
Iโm VERY apprehensive. Iโve learned how to do the servicing job, and Iโve learned the correct manner in which to speak to people โ I was a natural, the teacher said โ but itโs two months off Stephen and Geraldineโs wedding, and I want to be back for it. I donโt want to let them down.
10th April 1912.
Dear Diary,
There are lots of us here, Iโm so excited! We all look so good in our new uniforms. Iโve made a new friend in Betty and we both hope we can share a cabin together. Bettyโs lovely. She asked to see the photos in the secret trinket that Geraldine gave me, and she said that Geraldine reminded her of her sister. When we get back in a few weeks, Iโll ask Geraldine if Betty can come to the wedding, to see if they are related. Well, stranger things have happened. This ship weโre serving on looks fabulous. Even the name sends shivers down our spinesโฆ โThe Titanicโ. Bettyโs so excited! She says this is her pathway to a great future! Iโve told her this is just the start of her journey, but now is the important bit. A new adventure. We donโt know where weโre going to end up, but if we continue to feel as good as we do now, weโll always feel good. Weโre both so excited!
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