Alison Duddy (Belfast

The one thing I think people should know about Roberta Hewitt is her sense of humour and that John wasn’t the only person in their household who had a way with words.

So many times, reading Roberta’s diary, I was struck by her sometimes pithy but frequently witty comments and observations.

Monday 31st [May 1948]: “Colin is a wee old man. I said he looked like something you would find dangling on the end of elastic to amuse children. His hair is white & still thick but cut bowl shape - & he had a very high necked thick white woollen pullover.” 62

She even included her own little doodle of Colin Middleton in her diary.

Thursday 14th [October 1948]: “J. not home from his mother’s so I had to wait at front door. I dare not ring for Miss Breen below us is giving off about us being in bathroom at 1 & 2 AM & wakening her. Her bedroom is below. She says she hears everything in our bathroom - it is so because we hear her. Very unpleasant. She is very nervous old maid - old maid being her trouble. We must try to be quiet J. says. I know it is going to give him constipation. He is very considerate.”63

Roberta Hewitt's 1947-1950 Diary. PRONI: D3838/4/2/1

62 Roberta Hewitt's 1947-1950 Diary (D3838/4/2/1): p.100 63 Ibid: p.100

Roberta Hewitt's 1947-1950 Diary. PRONI: D3838/4/2/1