Jeanette Colegrove diaries

Table of Contents

Summary Information

Abstract

Administrative Information

Controlled Access Headings

Summary Information

Repository

Historical Society of Pennsylvania

Creator

Colegrove, Jeanette.

Title

Jeanette Colegrove diaries

ID

4319

Date

October 1936-September 1940

Extent

0.2 Linear feet ; 3 volumes

Author

Finding aid prepared by Susan Kearney.

Language

English

Text [Volume]

3

Text [Volume]

2

Text [Volume]

1

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Abstract

Jeannette Colegrove (1914-1984), was born on Corry, Erie County, Pennsylvania, but by 1940, she was living in Philadelphia and working as a reporter. In these three volumes, she documented her daily life from late 1936 to late 1940. She wrote daily entries that ranged in length, but she nearly always covered the weather; her work at The Philadelphia Record ; visits with and from friends and family; general travel, particularly back to her hometown of Corry; shopping or other amusements; and church visits.

She mentions many names throughout the entries. Of particular interest is the first mention of "Joe McLaughlin" in the second volume dated 3 February 1938 with regular mentions of him after that date. One entry typical of her eye toward detail notes that on Friday, September 23, 1938 she went "to Piccola's for dinner with Joe McL to see A Woman's a Fool to be Clever." She married Joseph P. McLaughlin, a fellow-reporter, in 1940. Genealogical records [not in the collection] indicate that Jeanette died on August 9, 1994 with the last name "McLaughlin."

In general, she meticulously kept track of her finances, noting how much she paid each day for room and board, food, carfare, and anything she purchased. She listed daily amounts spent within and next to each diary entry, and at the fronts of each volume she recorded her general income and expenditures. Movies and restaurants were some of her favorite activities; her entries abound with minute details about movies, actors, and her favorite eateries such as H&H [Horn and Hardart].

Some examples of her entries include the following:

November 3, 1936 - "happy crowds near midnight. A real landslide for Roosevelt"

November 26, 1936 - "Thanksgiving - we worked. Saw Gimbel's parade."

December 31, 1936 - "to see Walter Huston and Brian Aherne in Othello."

January 1, 1937 - "ate breakfast at H&H and the street full for the Mummer's parade which went by the Record from 11-3."

November 27, 1937 - "Army 6-Navy 0"

May 8, 1938 - "Dinner at Stouffer's and heard War Admiral won the Kentucky Derby"

June 2, 1938 - "saw Katherine Hepburn in Quality Street."

October 29, 1938 - "saw The Sisters with mother"

September 3, 1939 - "Joe called to say France and England in the War."

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Administrative Information

Publication Information

 Historical Society of Pennsylvania ; 2023.

Access restrictions

The collection is open for research.

Provenance

Gift of Robert W. Hull, 2019.

Accession number 2019.047.

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Controlled Access Headings

Genre(s)

• Diaries.

Geographic Name(s)

• Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social life and customs--20th century.

Personal Name(s)

• Hull, Robert W.

Subject(s)

• Diaries--20th century.
• Social life and customs--Philadelphia (Pa.)--20th century
• Women--Pennsylvania--Philadelphia--Social conditions.
• Women--Pennsylvania--Philadelphia--Social life and customs.
• Women--Social life and customs--20th century.
• Work environment—Pennsylvania—Philadelphia—History—20th century.

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