Britain's largest diary eight times longer than 'War and Peace' He said: "The volumes document everything. You name it, it's in there. It would be a shame to look back in so many years time wishing we knew what had happened, or how something had happened. It settles family arguments too, my wife Barbara and I are always arguing about who we met, when we met them and how old they are. She has a wonderful memory and I have a very bad memory, but I have my diaries - although I have to say she is nearly always right. A lot of people are feature in the diary over the years and they often want to see what I say about them - I'm happy to report most of it is good. I can't stop now, when you've kept it up as long as I have you need to keep going. Mr Gadd started keeping his diary on a whim in 1947 and intermittently filled it in for many years until 1975, when he began keeping a detailed daily event log. He records the minutiae of his daily routine, from the time he gets up to walking the dog and what he has eaten during the day. One extract on September 9, 1988 says: "The day of the LP black disc is coming to an end, so they have been put away while they are available. In a years time they will be disappearing off the shelves and before long they will become collectors items as they clear out and the CD will take over. Mr Gadd has now put his diary on public display for the first time. Ten volumes and one index are on show this weekend at the Fontmell Magna Village Archive Society's 9th annual exhibition, held in the village hall.