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My grandfather died when I was about six.

This is the writer Roland Allen. And many years later, when I was about six. This is the writer Roland Allen.

And many years later, when I was in my 20s, I found out that he had kept a diary for most of his life.

And I was given three diaries from the years 1938, 1939, and 1940.

Tiny, beautiful little things, smaller than an iPhone, fit in the palm of your hand.

Terrible, tiny, tiny handwriting, so I didn't even look at them for a couple of years

because they were just so hard to read.

But then when I did, finally, I got used to his handwriting, I cracked it.

And it really brought him to life.

This man who my mother had really adored and who I'd never really known,

and he became something of a character in my life.

This is from May 1938.

Wednesday the 11th.

He says,

Suffer in Bridge at Hoff House with Thomas,

belly still on the blink.

Thursday the 12th,

saw Thomas off at 4pm,

then went to the office and went to bed. Friday the 13th, just three

...