Tuesday September 11, 1979

_. Busy day at the YP. The Brabournes have left Ireland and are now in London hospitals. The new Countess Mountbatten is in the eye hospital, and Lord Brabourne is at the King Edward VII Hospital for Officers. Timothy Knatchbull remains in Sligo at Mullaghmore. Broadlands opens again to the public tomorrow.

Phoned Ally. She spent the day in Harrogate yesterday with Graham and Charlotte [Smith]. _______.

Ally isn't eating. She asked me to join her tonight, but I simply cannot. I am already minus 30p and I cannot afford the bus fare into Bradford. So, it's no meeting until Thursday.

Do nothing this evening. The BBC has produced a series entitled 'Prince Regent' - but it fails to impress. Was George IV really as affected as Bill North?

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Friday January 13, 1978

Friday the Thirteenth. Can't remember whether today is supposed to be lucky or unlucky. One thing's for sure, it was the latter sort of day for Auntie Mabel. In Pudsey whilst out shopping this morning she bumped into her cousin Walter Basham (who is, or was, therefore, also my cousin). She remarked how ill he appeared and he replied: "Yes, Mabel, I don't feel too good" and without further ado he keeled over and died there and then in the street. Mabel is heartbroken. But that's the way to go though. Surely, better than lingering in some disinfected hospital ward for weeks on end?

Carrington's, Harrogate.

This evening Pete M came and we went to the Fox and Hounds. Joined there by Martyn and Chris. Tony was out with _______. From the Fox things went rapidly down hill. Peter wanted to go to Carrington's in Harrogate (where Lynne and I went a couple of times) and so this is where we had to go. A complete flop, so bad that at 12 we shot across the country to Oakwood Hall. I was startled to see how much the place has gone down since my last visit. It was really rough and I wouldn't have minded too much but for the fact that the three of us (Chris had gone home) were dressed up to the nines. Afterwards we dropped Martyn off at Ilkley and came back over the moors. The only profitable thing which took place all night occurred on Hawksworth Moor. Yes, a rabbit fell foul of Peter's van, and it's corpse was duly snatched up and carried off to Pine Tops in readiness for the Sunday dinner. Peter was shaken by the experience. He's not the killing type.

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Friday September 2, 1977

Woke up this morning to find myself sharing Michael's double bed. He turned to me, touchingly I thought, and informed me that I am the last person he will have slept with before his marriage. I thanked him for the honour and wished him all the luck with Eileen, and hope he will be as happy with her as he has been with me. Taking a second look at me he sighed said that perhaps he was being rather hasty.

Got a bus with Eileen and her sister, Christine and arrived at the YP at 9.30. Work was ghastly. I took two large pills to try and persuade my head not to unscrew itself, but remained quite lifeless until lunchtime.

Harrogate Arms.

Met Naomi, Carolle Jones and Graham Peel in the Wellesley. A couple of drinks brought me round fabulously and the afternoon was a painless one.

Dave B took me to the Harrogate Arms tonight. Sue, Pete N, Martyn, Tony, Mrs Cole, Mrs Townsend, &c. Then Naomi came in with Graham P, followed by Pete M, Steve Hudson, Denise, Carole P, and Fogarty. Chatted with Carole, quite amicably, as to why Dave B was without Lynn. (She's gone to a RAF dispay at Cranwell with David Greenwood). Beryl Greenwood phoned tonight.

A good night at Harrogate nicely finished off with a prawn curry in Guiseley. Dave B was on top form.

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Friday July 29, 1977

Went to Harrogate with Tony and Martyn. At the Harrogate Arms we were joined by Dave L, Peter M and Chris, Denise, Naomi and Yvonne, and several of the Lords and gentlemen in waiting. A hot sweaty atmosphere and my lager tasted like tonic water. I have actually lost my sense of taste since Ibiza.

Dave L: disgusted.

Chris says he'll call up with the holiday photographs in the week. _______. Dave L is disgusted at my not going to Gloucester despite all the invitations. Tony seemed fine with Denise. Martyn was smoking. Does he still imagine he's on holiday? Let's hope to God he isn't becoming addicted.

They talked of going to the horrible Il Trovatore. Sorry and all that but I just couldn't face an English discotheque with the scent of Playboy One lingering on my nostrils. They brought me home and I watched the film 'Georgie Girl' on the BBC.






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Friday October 22, 1976

Lynne and I go to the Damn Yankee at Harrogate at 8.30 for a pizza. Fantastic. Then go up to Thornton-le-Dale calling in at the Royal Oak at Old Malton first. Get to Thornton-le-Dale by 11.30 and find Mrs Mather in not too good a mood, but she soon cheers up. No Peter of course. Only Mr & Mrs M and Karl. It takes Lynne some time to unwind at weekends. Work dominates her poor mind until well into Saturday. A darling she is though. No more for now.

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Saturday August 21, 1976

Lynne comes at 1 o'clock and the two of us go to Harrogate for a couple of hours where we both buy jeans [£10.95] from 'one of them' denim shops. On the way we called at the Square & Compass at North Rigton for drinks, but we're plagued by about 48,000,000 wasps and make a sudden departure at high speed. Harrogate is unbearable on the best of occasions but in this tremendous heat it's even worse.

Get Christine W a revolting perfume spray from Boots and Lynne and I nearly die laughing after smelling it. Home at about 5. Lynne goes to Jean's for tea.

Chris comes for Sue, Pete and me at 8.30 and we go down to the Hare. See Tony in the main bar and arrange to go out with him on Thursday. Move into the party at 9 o'clock and stay until after midnight. Not the best party I've ever been to, but we managed to laugh at one or two things. Lynne is so unpossessive. Drink lager and gin and tonics, and distinctly remember licking a lot of people. Well, it makes a change from the usual boring conversation. I'm now the World Champion Licker. It's four years of solid training now until Moscow, 1980. Poor Carole came in with Peter but only stayed about an hour. She looked drawn and unhealthy. Her presence quietened me down a good deal. Back to Pine Tops for coffee and a photographic session.

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Sunday May 23, 1976

Rogation Sunday. Drive home from Marilyn and Carol's flat at about 8.30. My eyes pour with water and itch. Eileen, Michael and Helen are the only survivors, or so it seems. Christine & Roger are in Mum & Dad's bed, and Denise and Peter are in Lynn & Sue's room.

We make breakfast - Eileen and me that is - and one by one they drift downstairs. My cat fever soon passes and breakfast is followed by a wrestling match between Christine & Roger. She was so drunk last night. It's my first real conversation with Roger, who isn't half as bad as he likes to make others believe.

Helen goes off and Keith makes an exit with Denise in the direction of the moors. They get back an hour or so later and make breakfast for themselves.

By 12.30 Eileen and Michael have gone, and at 1pm I stagger into bed. I am woken ten minutes later by Carole on the phone. She chats about last night. She didn't attempt to do herself in. All she did was cut her finger on a Martini bottle which she accidentally dropped on the drive. She says she knows I hate her, which just isn't true, and goes on to say she will always love me. I don't say anything of importance andgo back to bed. Can't sleep at all and get up for good at 2pm. Watch a Shirley Temple film with Keith who comes at 2.30. We drive over to see Denise and the three of us go to Harrogate's Valley Gardens in the spitfire. It's something of a squeeze but we have a laugh. The fresh air did a lot to revive me. Keith and Denise are hand in hand all afternoon _________________. Back to her place for 6.30 and home for 7 o'clock. Bid farewell to Keith until next weekend. Chris and Pete call in at 8.15 just as Lynn and Sue return home. The three of us go to Linton and then to Grassington. End up in the Fish Dish in Ilkley at 11.15. A good evening out which I undertook with my fly open until a gent let me know I was being indecent in the Devonshire.

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Sunday April 6, 1975

Low Sunday. Up at 10.30 - my throat crying out for liquid refreshment. Dave B is doing the housework downstairs, and Neil is sat in the lounge with an extra large grin on his face. For ten or fifteen minutes I sit incapable clad in John's dressing gown clutching a glass of God sent orange juice. Dave took a few photos of me, and then I disappeared into the bathroom to prepare for the arrival of Mr Lawson.

Dave comes at 11.15 and we drive to Pannal near Harrogate in heavy rain. Meet Taff, a friend of Dave's from Worcester College of Education, along with his girlfriend and a snobby cousin. The snobby cousin was accompanied by his even snobbier girlfriend, Dorothy. We went to the Travellers' Rest where we had some truly obnoxious lager, and then move on to the Scott's Arms at good old Sicklinghall. Dave I kept getting lost on the country roads, and we finished up supping rum and oranges until 2pm. Driving home we pass Harewood House, and I persuaded Dave to come look round. He thought the gardens were fantastic, and I was surprised when he took an interest in the interior of the stately pile. Haven't been to Harewood for about six years, so I'd forgotten what most of it was like inside. Dave enjoyed ths story about Lord Harewood and Miss Patricia Tuckwell. Went into Harewood Church in the hope of getting a glance of the last resting place of the late Princess Royal, but don't see anything. Once again, I feel as though I'm well on the way to puncturing my bladder, and my exit from the little church can hardly be described as dignified.

Home at 5. Fish and chips with John, Lynn and Dave. See tv all night. 'Bedazzled' starring Peter Cooke and Dudley Moore was fabulous. Laughed myself into a semi-coma, or just about anyway.

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Sunday October 13, 1974

18th after Trinity. Before I recount the days events I ought to say something about Cousin Jackie, who is my favourite relation of all time, other than Uncle Albert. Never did I imagine that a small, pale, pig-tailed young girl of yesteryear would develop into a glamorous, well-proportioned young lady with tremendous prospects. I only hope she'll come to stay with us for years to come.

Up at about 12 for lunch. Sit listening to the radio and laughing with Jackie about Chris Ratcliffe. She was talking about him in her sleep, or so Lynn says. MM & Marita and even David come round after lunch and I pay Marita for the Appletreewick pics.

MM isn't coming home again from Sheffield until Oct 31, and David's not back from Worcester until Nov 1. Carol comes too, to cut John's hair. She also does Mum's hair. After tea & 'Pick of the Pops' Jackie departs for Pudsey, and John goes out with Carol, George Waite and Jane, to Harrogate.

I sit in front of the tv all evening until Lynn and Dave come back from the cinema. Dad, who comes in shortly after 'the lovers' arrive, gives David the breathyliser test. He was 'over the moon' and no doubt telling everyone down the Hare next week that he's been breathylised by a genuine policeman. Show Dave our photo albums, which kills him. Bed at 12.30.

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Monday August 26, 1974

Denny wakes me at 10.30. We have toast and lark around. Chris brings John and I home at 12.15. Lunch with Mum, Dad and Lynn who is bored sick of staying at home but she cannot come out with us this afternoon because she expects a social call from Miss Dibb.

The papers are full once again with stories of a romance concerning the Prince of Wales. The young lady in question is Miss Davina Sheffield, daughter of a dead colonel. I have given up hope of ever seeing the heir to England's domains walk down the aisle with his bride by his side. Somehow, I thought she (the bride) would be Lady Jane Wellesley, but I cannot see the future King marrying a convicted drunkard.

Chris picks John and I up at nearly 2. Carol is with him. We go to Dnny's where Dave B sits in an armchair looking horribly pale, and he continues to look ill for the remainder of the day. We go to the Dyneley Arms where we meet Andy and Philip Cartwright. At 3 move on to Harrogate and the fair. Thunderstorm there. Get a thorough soaking. Have an enjoyable time. Stay until 6. On to the Travellers Rest for sandwiches and a few drinks and a game of darts. Home at 8 and decide to stay in. Feel very tired. See the end of the film: 'It's a Mad, Mad World'. Bed after 12.

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Thursday April 11, 1974

Up at 9 o'clock. Decide to go with Lynn to the cinema this afternoon. The weather is deteriorating slowly, and by Saturday will shall be six feet under the snow no doubt. British weather never fails to let us down at Bank Holiday time. At 10 I go into Guiseley to get a birthday card for Judith, who is 19 tomorrow - find an amusing one. I make a call at the library and glance at the first volume of the diaries of Bruce-Lockhart, who died in 1970. They seem quite interesting, but I've read Nicolson's diaries for the same period, dealing with the Duke of Windsor, Mrs Simpson, Sybil Colefax and all that lot. Glance at the Times whilst in the library and see that the Earl of Snowdon made his maiden speech in the House of Lords yesterday. He spoke on disabled services or something equally mundane. He didn't make the same mistake as Lord Harewood, who made a very controversial maiden speech on hanging or something. Princess Margaret came to Harrogate today, arriving at Yeadon of course. Unfortuntately, Lynn didn't want to accompany me to Yeadon so I decided not to bother going on my own. Anyway, I only saw Princess Margaret the other month, and she won't have changed very much I do suppose. At 2.15 Lynn and I go with Mama and Papa to Yeadon. They go to Morrison's whilst Lynn and I go to the cinema. See 2 horror films which last until 6.30. Lynn is rather terrified, but I am unmoved. The trouble is that my imagination doesn't begin to work until hours after the film is finished. Horror films are often more gripping in the dead of night. -==-