20090416

Saturday May 19, 1973

Get up at 11.45. Disgraceful aint it? Have a very sore throat. Go to Morrison's with Mum and Dad. See one of the bods who goes to the Emmotts with Tim Wallis's mother and father - say hullo. Come home and have a nice sirloin with mushrooms.

Go to Waite's of Guiseley to be photographed at 2 o'clock. Buy about 3 boxes of different throat pastiles. Come home and have a black coffee. Mum goes into Major Smith's next door. They leave for Germany on Wednesday to stay with her mother and he is paying me £1 to cut his lawns - which can't be bad.

At about 3.30 whilst listening to Radio 1 I hear a news flash saying that the Royal Navy has entered Icelandic waters to protect fleets of British trawlers. The Queen signed Orders in Council this morning to despatch the navy. Yet another burst of good old Imperial policy. Lord Palmerston would certainly be proud of todays British government.

Watch 'Dr Who'. Go to CW at 7. Pauline is thrilled at Sue's news. A very slow evening. Sue goes to bed at 11.30 but comes back 1 hr later - after having a nice hot bath. I have a beer and help make Sue scrambled eggs on toast for herself. Toffer brings us home at 1.30. Have cheese, egg on toast and come to bed at 2.30 after glancing at the latest 'Economist'.

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Friday May 18, 1973

Sue is pregnant! (Not my sister of course, but Sue of CW fame!) I said on Tuesday that I'd go down today and find her knitting. She can hardly believe it. The little bundle of joy is due on Christmas Eve - what a fabulous little Christmas present that will be!

Got to school at 8.30. Cowie and Ulrich are flat out with hangovers. I feel fine. Christine arrives 10 minutes later. They go off to York at 9.30 - another pub crawl - poor devils!

June and I go to the park at lunchtime. A beautiful sunny day. She says that she will never marry me - but not talking seriously. When I say that I'll have to marry her twin instead she changes her tune and says she'll have to marry me because she couldn't tolerate me as a brother-in-law.

Louise and I do Biology in the afternoon. Reproduction in plants! We laugh at the thought of geraniums copulating in a sweaty heap on the greenhouse floor!

Arrive home at 5.10 after waiting with June at the bus stop. We are meeting on Sunday at the local.

Got to CW at 7.30 - Sue is knitting! I immediately understand what this means - call Toffer "Dad" all night. They are both overjoyed. Home at 12.30 after a quiet evening.

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Thursday May 17, 1973

What a day! Got up late and get to school at 9.30. Do Lord Liverpool and Liberal Toryism until 11.45. June and I sit together until nearly 12.30.

Christine tells Dave and me that the Germans and the usual mob are going on a pub crawl round Horsforth tonight. How can I refuse such an invitation! However, June says she doesn't want to go. I feel terrible. But the dear Darling insists that I go alone. Alone, and without June with me for the first time in about 3 and a half months! A final fling before the 'A' levels as it were (or at least one of the last!)

John and I go to Dave's at 7.30. Cowie and his German penfriend Ulrich arrive later. Dave takes us up to the Fleece at Horsforth. Christine, Philip, Phil, Willie, Dietrich, Dale, Wolfgang, Helga, and Dave, Cowie, Ulrich and myself spent 2 and a half hours going round the pubs in Horsforth Town Street. I was 'pissed up to the armpits'. Too hysterical for words. Christine's Philip is great fun.

We decide to move on the the Intercon at Ilkley. Dave has to make two trips. A great night. Sober up at about 12.30. Every time the music breaks we shout "Rod Stewart" - the disc jockey laughs. He plays 'Cindy Incidentally' and 'Maggie' about 10 times. Dale is sloshed. Christine and Philip are a great couple. Finish at 2 o'clock.

Dave takes everyone home in the 1st trip except John, Phil and myself. We walk for four miles until almost 3am. Dave didn't half look hilarious driving off over Ilkley Moor with seven in the back seat. Have you ever heard a car full of Germans singing 'God Save the Queen', 'Four and Twenty Virgins' and 'On Ilkla Moor Bah't at'? Home after 3. Mum not pleased.

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Wednesday May 16, 1973

In the post we receive a wedding invitation for cousin Brian's wedding to Valerie Hutchinson on July 7, 1973. Weddings are always fantastic affairs. When cousin Derek married Jennifer last September, Dad and Auntie Eleanor caused a hysterical sensation by dancing Spanish dances in Auntie E's lounge after the reception. Uncle Jack nearly died laughing. I will of course have to get the day off work - Sue won't really like it.

Spend the day with Lord Liverpool again quite interesting really. Have the usual liaison with dearest June at the bus stop from 4.30 to 4.50. Kiss goodbye. Come home and watch 'Coronation Street' and do Queen Victoria and Lord Liverpool revision. Come to bed at 10.35.

Oh God! Hear on the news that the Queen has asked to go to Northern Ireland more regularly, along with other members of the family. Mr Willie Hamilton, MP (Lab, Fife) will be pleased. I forsee a massive depletion in the descendants of George V. God Save the Queen!

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Tuesday May 15, 1973

A wonderful day. Sue Crosby has fallen in love with one of her ankles! Yes, she spent about two hours today festooning it with wild flowers and dandellions - surely one of the greatest love stories since Victoria and Albert, David and Wallis, Romeo and Juliet, Elizabeth and Philip, etc.

Weather is tremendous. We sat outside - that is June, Dave, M. Stott, Christine and the usual rowdy crowd. June wore her red jumper - smashin! Read 'Lord Liverpool and Liberal Toryism 1822-30' in the history lesson with Mrs Lane. Spend from 12.30 till 1.30 going to Rigg's with June. Christine was livid at the long wait: "You're not fetching my bloody yoghurt again," she yells. I say: "That's no skin off my nose."

June leaves me to revise for most of the day.

Have rabbit pie for dinner. Very nice. Go to the CW at 7.30. Sue R is quite sure she is pregnant - but it's happened before, and the pill (since she came off it in August) plays silly tricks with the ovaries until they don't know whether they're coming or going. Anyway she is sending a sample of something away on Friday and we'll know the result soon after.

Came home at 12.30 and was locked out! Took me until 12.55 to get in. Harry Monkman next door woke up at the racket, but John, Lynn or Susan did not hear me! Mum and Dad came from Pudsey at about 1am. Came to bed at 1.35.

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Monday May 14, 1973

Having a lazy day and do not intend writing anything. School was boring; June was delightful; weather excellent; food average, etc. Sorry if I've disappointed you.


M.R.

Sunday May 13, 1973

3rd after Easter. Another stay at home Sunday. June wants me to revise, which I do. See a good old film on the television: 'Kind Hearts and Coronets'. A real good laugh.

Dave rings at 6 but I say I am not going out - he didn't particularly want to go out either. Had a bath in the afternoon and relaxed with 'Queen Victoria' until about 8.

I must go to Bradford Library next week. I have books out which were due back on April 21. I will probably be bankrupt after paying the fine. Go to bed at about 11. Goodnight all.


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Saturday May 12, 1973

Stay at home. Everybody watches the rugby final on the tv. Earl Mountbatten of Burma presented the trophy. I think that the earl was the last of Queen Victoria's descendants to have been born in her lifetime (June 1900). Prince Philip, his nephew, looks very much like him. It is a known fact that the earl was in love with one of the Grand Duchesses murdered at Ekaterinburg with her parents, Tsar Nicholas II and Tsarina Alexandra. The recent film of Nicholas and Alexandra was heartbreaking. Dave and I saw it at Yeadon. Even Dave was emotional when, in the last scene, the Royal Family were all exterminated.

Go down to the Chuck Wagon at 7. Sue and Toffer have usual argument but they cheer up by 11 o'clock. Sit with a couple of glasses of beer until nearly 1. Come home at 1.30.

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Sunday March 25, 1984

 Moorhouse Inn British Summer Time begins 3rd Sunday in Lent Bacon sandwiches and the Sunday Telegraph. Fuss about the Queen's visit to ...