Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- January 1st 1939-31st December 1939 (Creation)
Level of description
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1 item paper
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Richard Herbert Sutton was born on the 19th August 1918 in Hong Kong with his family later moving to 31 Beccles Road, Great Yarmouth. Richard's father, H. Sutton, was a silk merchant. From January 1926 to April 1930, he attended Gorleston prep school, before moving to Gresham's school in May 1930, where he was editor of the school magazine.
In 1936, he became a history exhibitioner, before coming up to Jesus in 1937 to study history. In his third year, he also studied law. According to his tutorial file, Richard's strength of character was praised highly by the College's academic staff, particularly his 'good spirits' and 'hard efforts'. Although tall at 6ft 4, with a build described as less than robust, he was involved with various sports including rowing, hockey, and tennis.
Outside of sport, he had interests in poetry, writing some himself, and public affairs. A Conservative, he was active in the College Debating Society. Richard was also awarded a travel grant in May 1938.
Richard suffered from various medical issues and, although not serious, they had an impact upon his studies. In 1937, he suffered from eye problems, requiring a Certificate in Case of Illness to allow him to stay at home for much of his first term. His condition improved, although the eye problems returned in November 1940. While part of the Officer Training Corps (O.T.C) in the last term of his first year, Richard suffered a riding accident whilst on a parade that resulted in a broken arm. This left him unable to sit for his preliminary examination for History Honours in June 1938. Despite this, he still managed to obtain a 2:1 in June 1939 of the Historical Tripos.
On 10th February 1939, Richard signed up for active duty for the war. He became a Lieutenant in the Royal Artillery, serving in Italy from 1943, but was wounded at Anzio, in March 1944. After the war ended, he joined the Civil Service.
Unfortunately, he became fully blind in 1961 but judging from his tone in letters to the college, he remained in good spirits and wit. Richard died on 22nd October 2002.
Archival history
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Content and structure area
Scope and content
This item is a gift from Margaret, who is 'Kidlet', Richard's sister. This piece is particularly interesting as Richard provides insights into the build up and preparations in British daily life for the Second World War.
17th January - Attends the CUCA committee meeting and is one of the people asked to get a hold of seaperks for the Sunday teas.
21st January - Writes a rather amusing comment on the subject of his supervisions; he is always so hungry he doesn't pay much attention to them.
25th January - Attends the Queen's College Conservative Dance.
31st January - Makes a Union Speech but had to cut it down to five minutes.
Feburary 1st - Witnesses a procession of CUCS members with 'Save Spain' slogans.
6th Feburary - Writes a speech for the Alcock society on the Spanish Government.
8th Feburary - Falls off a horse again, although lands safely onto a mat.
14th Feburary - Interviews and secures various people after being asked to get some speakers for a debate thanks to a letter from Newell. Richard is sure to express his displeasure with such a task.
18th Feburary - Goes to watch the Lent Races.
24th Feburary - Acquires a motor licence from the Union.
26th Feburary - Hosts another Conservative party.
27th Feburary - Notes his own amusement about the maneuvering for positions in the CUCA.
4th March - Is asked to stand down from the election and complies.
5th March - Attends Conservative Business meetup and is elected libarian.
6th March - Elects several people to the Alcock Committee.
8th March - Receives a call during the night about Spanish refugees, presumably from the Spanish Civil War.
9th March - Inquires to the Union about the call the previous night. They cannot trace the call and so it is assumed the call was a fake.
10th March - Has lunch with a Hungarian called Vago. Together they discuss refugees and how Vago can stay in the country.
11th March - Watches 'Dracula' and 'Frankenstein' and while he found both of them entertaining, he comments that neither was horrifying.
12th March - Listens to part of the Papal Coronation.
13th March - Goes to the Union and votes in the election.
14th March - Writes his belief that the final dissolution of Czechoslovakia will only be a matter of days.
15th March - Notes his belief that the Germans have bitten off more than they could chew.
16th March - Settles some tough refugee cases. This is the date of Hitler annexing Slovakia, to which Richard thinks he will rue the day.
20th March - An explosion in a power station keeps Richard and his family in the dark for an hour.
31st March - Comes into possession of 'Mein Kampf'.
1st April - Notes down his love of Shakespeare's histories.
15th April - Makes a reference to his stamp collection which, according to him, has passed the 3000 mark.
17th April - Cycles to Yarmouth in order to get a PLA form.
25th April - Notes the rumors of conscription in all the papers. Gets his application for a Leaving Exhibition signed by Bernand.
26th April - After joking with a friend about who they would conscript, Richard listens to the news and discovers that conscription will indeed be applied. He writes a poem to celebrate.
27th April - Comments that news of conscription seems to be well received and that it may be one of the most monumentous events in English history.
28th April - Listens to a part of Hitler's speech, in which he tears apart the naval and Polish agreements. Richard also plans a questionnaire for prospective candidates with Kenneth Dauncey.
3rd May - Listens on the wireless that there would be no camp this year, which he finds 'pleasant but awkward'.
4th May - Has an encounter with Byfield, who is pro-Hitler and antisemitic. Needless to say, Richard finds this rather terrifying.
5th May - Attends a Cambridge Conservative Association Dinner.
6th May - One of his poems is published in the Cambridge Review and Richard himself appears in the Cambridge Evening News as one of those who is supporting Professor Inglis.
12th May - Makes a decision to go to the OTC voluntary camp at the end of term.
19th May - Attends a Conservative mass meeting. Confesses that he found Winston Churchill disappointing and thinks he's dangerous.
20th May - One of his poems is not published but he does not seem too disheartened by this.
22nd May - Writes this he is beginning to stress about revision.
26th May - Makes more appearances in print. First for his letter to The Daily Telegraph and the second for his poem in The Cambridge Review.
6th June - Goes to Barclay's to announce himself as the new Junior Treasurer, to which he is accepted with some hesitation.
10th June - Visits Bernand and signs up his exemption from conscription forms.
17th June - Receives his 2:1 result.
21st June - Fails a practical exam at Camp.
1st July - Comments that the international situation looks unpleasant again.
12th July - Attends his first two lectures for Part II Law Tripos, which he found easy and interesting.
13th July - Comments that he finds law more interesting than history but it is harder.
1st August - Meets with a friend who understands little English so they spend the time conversing in French, showing that Richard is fairly fluent in the language.
22nd August - Comments that there is 'Great worrying over the German-Soviet pact'.
30th August - By now his home is mostly prepared for air raids. Richard observes the multitude of Anderson Shelters arriving in the neighbourhood.
2nd September - Receives a notification from the OTC on what to do regarding the war situation and to this Richard laments that he is tired of it already. Evacuees and clothes arrive at the Floral Hall.
3rd September - Listens to Neville Chamberlain inform the country about the war, as well as speeches by the King, Greenwood and Sinclair. The garage is sandbagged.
4th September - Air raid sirens sound for the first time at 2:30am. Richard only walks about for a bit before returning to bed. Much to his relief, the evacuees are sent off today.
5th September - Writes that the lighting problem is almost settled. ARP business is settling down as well.
6th September - Dealt with letters to Cambridge about recruiting as well as blackout arrangements in his room.
9th September - Has an interview in Cambridge at 9:30am. He is recommended for a commission but fails the medical due to his eyesight.
11th September - Goes to the beach and observes evacuated children having the time of their lives.
12th September - Walks to see the new gun emplacement on the cliffs.
14th September - Mentions that he owns a typewriter.
17th September - Comments on the Russian invasion of Poland, saying it is a 'dirty stab in the back, if there ever was one'.
18th September - Since everyone is buying clothes before prices go up, Richard purchases a Harris tweed sports coat. Goes to see the naval guns with Kidlet. He thinks they won't be useful.
21st September - First time he goes down into an air raid shelter. Around this time he is also practicing the piano.
24th September - Goes to Church, aware that he is the only man of military age at Church.
1st October - Listens to Churchill on the radio.
2nd October - Sends an application to get a savings certificate out of the GPO. Sees 'Confessions of a Nazi Spy' which he thought was very well done, yet hardly discrete.
12th October - Signs on for the OTC again.
19th October - Remarks that he finds the idea that female officers are not allowed to be absurd.
26th October - An entry that reveals Richard is aware enough about the war to know that snow is falling on the western front.
28th October - Attends a meeting of the Undergraduate Council but finds the organisation pathetic.
1st November - Finds some solace in the fact that the war stopped the municipal elections for his family.
9th November - Goes around to see about a new room as he cannot continue to afford his current one.
11th November - Gets his blood tested for blood transfusion.
18th November - Sees the editor of The Cambridge Review yet finds him rather 'nasty looking'.
22nd November - Captains the College 2nd XI hockey. They drew all three matches versus the local REs.
25th November - Attends an evacuee care committee. Asks a friend, John Press, to read his financial statement.
27th November - Makes around £40 during the set up for a dance, which he assumes will end up being a good profit.
29th November - Day of the aforementioned day, which goes well.
30th November - Is aware of the Russian invasion of Finland.
4th December - Reports that the dance made about a £15 profit, which is a triumph.
12th December - Considers the ressurection of the League of Nations to be an interesting phenomenon.
14th December - Listens to a radio account of the Reichstag Fire Trial. Although he doesn't quite remember it at the time, he does acknowledge it must have been quite dramatic at the time.
18th December - Notes that Churchill made his speech on the scuttling of the Graf Spee.
31st December - Richard reflects on the year, thinking it was both spectacular and disturbing, which leaves him vaguely worried and not hopeful for the future.