Wednesday April 11, 1979

_. Warmer today, but still damp. Lynn came from her weekly shopping extravaganza at Morrison's and remained to dinner. David B came from the office seething with rage and hate after a confrontation with Messers Thompson & Spencer on the topic of his diabolical salary. I do believe he receives less than me. I find this mind-boggling. It means he is running a car, a home and a wife on something like £30 a week! I shudder at this because I find it hard to get by ~ and I have no commitments at all. My £30 is beer, whore, and bus fare money. Oh dear.

To change the subject Sarah and I are back communicating with each other. We plan to go to Lanzarote together in the autumn to stay with John & Sheila. Will this come about, or am I writing balderdash in order to fill a blank page? Wait and see, but at the moment we are deadly serious.

The election campaign dominates the news. I am saying nothing, but my mind is made up, and I don't need to be convinced by any political party and so I can ignore the whole thing until May 3.

Princess Michael of Kent has named her son Frederick. I am quite taken aback by this. It hasn't been used as a first Christian name in the Royal Family since Frederick Augustus, Duke of York [1763-1827], the _Grand Old Duke of York_ the second son of George III. Before him we had Frederick Lewis, Prince of Wales [1707-51] who is the new baby's great-great-great-great-great-great grandfather. Of course, George III was George William Frederick, and George V was George Frederick Arthut George, and George VI was Albert Frederick Arthur George. So it isn't altogether an alien name. Princess Michael's brother is Baron Frederick von Reibnitz.

Retired to bed at 1:00am.

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Monday April 19, 1976

Wake up at about 11.30 with Carole and Jackie. Feel horrible and revolting with hangover. I was the last person up drinking and the birds were chiruping like hell at 6.30am when I finally submitted to the call of the bedroom.

Jackie gets a lift into Bradford to start work at 12.30 and Carole and I walk home. Yes, we walked all the way to Guiseley along the Rodley canal which brought us out near Esholt Sewage Works on Hollins Hill. Did nothing but argue all the way home and she kept referring to the way in which I treated her last night. She dislikes the way I 'carry on' with other women and says that I don't 'give a damn' for her. I put her straight saying it is obvious that she thinks more of me than I do of her and that she is obsessed with the idea of us having a permanent relationship whatever the cost. My feelings, or lack of them, mean nothing to her & she professes her undying love for me when I've never once offered anything in return. This situation cannot go on. I tell her I enjoy her company but insist that I do not love her and this depresses her. The whole situation makes me sick.

She comes up at 8.50 and we all see 'The Good, the Bad and the Ugly' - not a good film, and I'm itching to see a programme on ITV about George III narated by the Prince of Wales. Bed at 12.30 and sleep like a log.

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Sunday June 9, 1974

Trinity Sunday. Up at about 11. Have a nice breakfast and go with John to the castle, leaving Uncle John and Auntie Sheila to do the laundry work, etc. We walk around the castle, peering through the fence into the private apartments - our curiosity enhanced by the fact that the Queen is in residence - and stand for ages watching a squirrel busily feeding at the foot of one of the battlements. At 3 we take a boat trip to Bovney (?) Lock, down the Thames, which is very boring, and I have a wild sneezing attack, almost like hay fever, which ruins the remainder of the day. We proceed, after our next excursion, to devour half a pound of cherries, then walk part of the Long Walk - with the castle at one end and the statue of George III (the 'Copper Horse') at the other.

John and I go to the Donkey House pub at 8.30 and I persuade J to leave before closing time because of my allergy. See Lord Peter Wimsey on tv.

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Friday October 5, 1973

MM's 18th birthday. Good old Jim Rawnsley (who is God to millions of council workers all over Aireborough) gave me a lift to Rawdon traffic lights and subsequently I was at school for 8.30. When Christine arrives she hands me a birthday card for MM which I sign forthwith. I decorated the envelope with a replica of the 'Royal Wedding' postage stamp which is to be released on Nov 14. The birthday boy arrives 5 minutes later and Christine gives him the card. He also receives one from Judith Lea.

At 10.0 I go down to Rawdon Library to avoid doing Economics which I cannot face on a Friday morning.

Later: having returned to Benton Park I attempt to copy up my George III essay. When I tell Christine, at 12.30, that I cannot go up to the Emmotts with her and MM, she goes into a frenzy and rips up my essay. The devils both rushed out leaving me only three quarters of an hour to re-write the whole thing (which I had in draft anyway). I am successful. They arrive back drunk at 2.0 o'clock. MM is then dunked in the sinks and sent off to his Economics lesson. At 2.30 he still looks pissed. Groves realises in Current Affairs.____________.

Later. Chris rings. We decide to meet at the Stansfield Arms down Apperley Lane at 8.30 - another enjoyable evening. A couple of dears from the Salvation Army come in selling magazines. Marita and I fill in a crossword. Andy arrives at 9.30. Coming home we see Haggis, who is now wed, and the Scottish bus driver nearly kills Andy over something he said.

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Wednesday October 3, 1973

Got up at approximately 7.45. Realise that I have to complete a George III essay by Friday and therefore decide to take today off school and spend my time making notes ready for the essay: 'Was George III harshly treated by his critics?'

I sit in the dining room until nearly 1 o'clock whilst Dad presses his uniforms and tidies around in general. Not making much headway with my notes. Mother comes in from the hairdresser at 1.30. Uncle Harry rings at 2 and invites himself here for dinner tonight - I do like Uncle H tremendously. Mum and I have a laugh about Auntie Dorothy - who is on a lone walking holiday in Scotland this week - leaving Uncle Les and the children at home. What a nut that woman is indeed!

After lunch Mum and Dad go out.I play Rachmaninov's 2nd Piano Concerto on the stereo - at full volume. I feel like writing to June to tell her how much I love her and always will do. But it would do no good. She thinks nothing of me now.

Later: Uncle Harry arrives at 5.45 and eats meat and potato pie heartily. At 8.30, after an urgent telephone call from Chris, John and I go to the Fleece in Horsforth where Chris joins us at 9. We spend a very pleasant evening discussing the events of the past month or two.

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Wednesday April 25, 1973

Got up at 9.30. Had no breakfast and started my international trade essay. Argued with Dad about the loudness of the radio. I said if I couldn't have it loud then it wasn't worth having on at all. Aren't I a spoilt brat? June rang at 11. We talked for 10 minutes and decided to go out tomorrow night instead of tonight. It helps to break the week up because after Thursday I will not be able to go out until Sunday.

Believe it or not, the weather today is beautiful. The sky is china blue. The birds are singing. But for many people it is too late. The workers are back to work today. I wish we could go to Bolton Abbey today, but I do suppose it could never replace yesterdays enjoyable excursion because it takes more than a sunny sky to make a day a good one.

Lynn and Sue made the lunch - turkey again!! I am counting now. It's four days of poultry. Continue until 12 with my Economics essay - how really terrible!

Go with Dad to collect Mum for lunch. See June's sister outside her house on Netherfield Road. She doesn't look anything like June or Sue. Poor Sue has a cold after yesterday's bath in the Wharfe. She won't be going to the Emmotts tomorrow.

After lunch I get my Economics out again but the sight of it is quite nauseating. Go have a bath after helping Mum with a broken washing line. Sit browsing through George III until tea time.

Lynn brings her boyfriend Chris home. They ask Mum's permission to go to a party at Yeadon. Mum says yes. Salad for tea.

Spend the evening watching the telly. I have decided to write to the Queen Mother congratulating her on being a member of the Royal Family for 50 years. I have only ever written to a member of the Royal Family once before, which was last August when I wrote to the Duchess of Gloucester expressing my sympathy of the death of her elder son. A lady-in-waiting replied. The Queen Mother is one of my favourite Royals. Always serene and charming. Surely, the best thing George VI ever did was when he married Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon on April 26, 1923?

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Wednesday April 4, 1973

Uncle Peter 44. Am still reading Brooke's "King George III". Mrs Lane browsed through it this morning. She says that the diagnosis of the king's illness is over emphasised. She said: "what does it matter whether he was mad or had porphyria. It had the same effects." This may be true but I think the historians account of our loosing the American colonies was due to the insanity of George III is wrong. In reality it was the bad handling of events by the politicians who lost Britain her American colonies. Mrs Lane thinks I am mad for reading such "gossipy" books.

June and I had intended going out tonight but she is bogged down with her History and English projects at the moment. Anyway, a repeat of Monty Python's Flying Circus is on the television tonight and although I would do anything for June, missing my favourite tv programme is a bit too much to ask at this early stage. After all, we aren't even engaged yet.

My polling card came in the post today. I am now eligible to vote in the local elections on April 12. The question now arises: "Who should I vote for?" My mind is made up one way. I will never vote Labour, but the Liberals may be able to do something worthwhile. My first choice will of course be Conservative. Also in the post came my long awaited note from the medical officer. My entry into college depends on my passing the medical which is also on April 12. But as I told Groves today, I fail everything at least 3 times. He just laughed and walked out of the room. Before my actual medical I have to go for a chest X-ray in Leeds, and this is Monday April 9 at 10am. Next week is going to be a busy one.

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Tuesday April 3, 1973

You simply would not believe that the change in the weather could be so swift as it has been today. The sun was shining and a pleasant breeze blew the trees into a mad frenzy.

It was announced today that the Duke of Edinburgh is to visit the USSR in September. It's happened at last. I realise they would either send him or the Queen, because anything seems possible these days. To think that the Russians murdered Prince Philip's relations back in 1917. But the Russians will not be embarrassed. Princess Anne is also going, with Mark Phillips, for horse trials there. By the way, my view that the princess and the lieutenant will become engaged at Easter seems unlikely.

At school I continued battling through King George III which is very interesting and readable. Mrs Lane nearly broke down in complete hysteria when I told her of the way in which George II died. He was taking his morning cup of chocolate in his bathroom when he fell, and to quote Brooke: "delivered himself insensible on the corner of a bureau."

Mum today went to London to collect her £50 worth of clothes won in the newspaper competition. On my arrival home from the Chuck Wagon I found Mum in bed with her offerings hung upon the door. She enjoyed the day itself more than the actual gifts - which to me seem a little over-done and gory. She saw Eamonn Andrews with his wife in a London restaurant. According to Mum the man looks much better off the screen. I think he is a proper idiot. Work was nice. Sue R gave me a bottle of gancia "champagne" for my birthday, plus a card and a pair of paper doilies, not forgetting the brillo pad. What a sense of humour she has! Went to bed at 12.30.

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Monday April 2, 1973

Truly a freak day by all accounts! I awoke at about 7.45 to find a freak snowstorm banging against my bedroom window. After a small, hurried breakfast I made my way down the lane, and it was so cold that the snow which settled one me did not melt into my clothing. It is hard to believe that it is April. But April is always an eratic month.

June and I went to the shops as usual, but the day passed by completely uneventful.

At 2pm I went to Rawdon Library where I stumbled upon an interesting biography of King George III, with a foreword by the Prince of Wales. It is a very well written clear-cut book, and is one of the first to deny that the king was "mad" and instead is described as suffering from porphyria - a fact which I was aware of 2 years ago.

Arrived home at 5.15 still deeply emersed in my book. Came to bed at 10.30 and was still reading at 11.30.

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