Monday July 26, 1976

A warm, overcast day. Maria's 18th birthday. She always looks and behaves much older though and this is probably a good thing - her being in her present condition. Nothing looks more pathetic than a child expectant mother. Janice Beaumont always looked ridiculously infantile and I winced each and every time I saw her.

Work was busy. Eileen is away on holiday for a couple of weeks.

The Royal Family returned from Canada today. It was the first time that all the family had been abroad together - that is the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh and four offspring. Prince Andrew has caused something of a sensation. Women everywhere are saying he's the most handsome bit of royalty they have ever seen. Even the unbending Sue Bradley on the EP thinks he's ravishing. She's old enough to be his mother.

Meanwhile: that night:- After tea with Mum, Dad, Lynn, Sue and Julie Nason, Peter's sister, I rang Maria to congratulate her on her birthday. She says John bought her a handbag, a purse, wallet, necklace and apron! For a guy who detests shopping he seems to have done rermarkably well. Lynn and Mum also have a word with her.

The bloody Olympic Games dominates the TV all night and at 10.30 after everyone had retired to bed (Dad started work at 10pm) I watched a western film until midnight.

By the way. I spoke to Delia Collis this afternoon.

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Wednesday March 19, 1975

Hectic day really. Kathleen and I are rushed off our feet, but we plod on regardless. After lunch, Janice, the high and mighty Mrs Beaumont, pays us a visit in the company of her daughter, a pretty little thing aged fourteen weeks. She stays for the bigger part of the afternoon. so no work got done at all really. You know how funny women are with chubby little blue-eyed nippers - all hysterics and 'Goo Goo, Gaa Gaa' &c.

Arrive home at 5.30 feeling rather knackered. All week I've been saying 'Michael, you're not going out until Friday - so don't you dare try', &c. However, Maurice is off work, so I'm doing a 5pm-12 stint, which means I won't be going out on Friday either, unless I go straight to Wikis. So Wednesday night looks very much like a pub night to me.

I feel lately as though I want to break from routine and do something completely different and wildly interesting. Painting perhaps, or even a bit of writing, but the former seems the most likely at present. Yes, from next week on, a new Mig Rhodes will emerge in these pages. The creative Mig. The out-door type of Mig. No, I haven't gone mad. It's the Spring in the air, I think.


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Tuesday December 10, 1974

Edward VIII abdicated 1936. Long day at the YP but enjoyable. As I came back from lunch Janice 'the Formidable' Beaumont, was on the phone from hospital announcing that she'd been delivered of a daughter yesterday morning. Sarah was thrilled to bits, but I can't raise any excitement at Mrs Beaumont's bundle of news. Janice was a bitch, and I can't say I miss her at all.

Meet Lynn and Alison on the bus and we are caught up in a hail storm on Hawksworth Lane. Have liver for tea and then do absolutely nothing for the remainder of the evening.

Whilst shopping in Leeds today I saw a good book entitled 'The Royal House of Windsor'. I'd love to start a book collection. In fact I'm more than tempted. I also got a new diary for next year. Sarah says she's kept a diary since the age of 9. You all know now that I write very little of interest here, but I keep a constant and cronological flow at least. As I've said before I'm no Samuel Pepys.

The YP and I had something in common this morning. An article quoted King Farouk from 1951 saying it was gradually becoming a true fact. I quoted King Farouk yesterday on the same subject of declining and toppling thrones. Clever boy, Michael. Clever boy.

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Tuesday October 8, 1974

Shocking day. Miss my lift with Mr Rawnsley and have to walk down the lane. The traffic is terrible. Don't arrive at Leeds till nearly 9.20. Busy day because Carol is still away - though we do manage to keep level and tidy. Eileen is much more helpful than Janice Beaumont ever was. Have no lunch and by 5 I'm quite starving to death.

Meet Lynn and Al (Dixon) on the 33 and we come home together. Thorpe Lane is certainly a straining walk on an empty stomach. Demolish a pile of liver and fruit pie. Do sweet sod all tonight and continue reading the Prince of Wales, which is fascinating. Haven't looked at the Duke of Clarence book since the weekend. It got slightly gorey towards the end & Dave Baker seemed interested by some of the intricate detail when I enlightened him with some of the facts on Saturday night.

Ring Lynne Mather at about 9 o'clock and we, or rather I, decide that we are to meet in Otley on Friday night. At first she thought I was going to bring all the mob with me, i.e. Chris, John, &c, but I made it quite clear I would be waiting upon her in a single capacity. She plays the typical 'hard to get' Miss at first but I tell her to be at the bus station for 8.30. No doubt she'll be late, but I am going to make it clear from the start that I will have no nonsense with her. After all, there's plenty more fish in the sea. More party political broadcasts all night, and bed at about 11 o'clock.

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Tuesday October 1, 1974

Sick of the YP at the moment, which is far too busy for my liking. Am getting on quite well with the new girl called Eileen (Byram), who is quite a pleasant __, though I found myself working much harder when Mrs Beaumont was sitting at the other side of the table. The Old, or pehaps I should say, Young Witch thought she was Catherine the Great of Russia. Eileen's got far more intellect.

Ring Denny at about 11. We are both having a day off on Oct 4, which should prove amusing. It think I'll taker her the tent back which has been hanging around in one of our out-houses since the Grassington weekend.

Mum is in a rotten mood when I arrive home, and think she doesn't like the idea of working full-time. However, Dad says she had a nasty experience with the bank manager this morning, and this must be a contributing factor to Mama's moody, explosive temper.

If my calculations are correct, the Duchess of Gloucester should have given birth by now. She's not been seen in public since the end of April, and I thought the baby was due at the end of September.

On the subject of gorgeous women, of which the Duchess of Gloucester is one, I'm looking forward to seeing Sarah Jane at Wikis on Friday. Dave B won't let it drop about me taking her off him last week, but I can seriously say she was MINE after about ten minutes of chatting up. Bloody awful boring evening. Help Sue with her homework, then go leap into the bath, purely for the want of something better to do. By the way, saw Judith Rushworth at the bus stop this morning. She's at college after all, and seemed to be in a much better mood than when I last saw her. Dad says that Mrs Rawnsley's been walking around today dressed completely in black, and he suspects a family bereavement.

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Monday September 23, 1974

Nothing to report other than the fact that I've taken over Mrs Beaumont's desk, which commands a better view of the YP newsroom.


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Friday September 13, 1974

Last day at the YP before Windsor. Janice leaves today. Thank the Lord she is gone.

Go to the Hare and Hounds in the evening where we see the photographs of our Grassington weekend which Dave B's had developed so soon. Dave Lawson is also a member of the party and it's the first time I've seen him since last weekend._______.Mum and Dad join us for a drink and we bid farewell to them because when we get in tonight it will be too late to make any farewells of any kind. Dave, Chris, John, Denny, Carol, Phyllis Whitethighs, &c, go to the Tudor Bar at Burley-in-Wharfedale. Good laugh is had by all.

On to Wikis, all except Dave L who refuses to patronise the place, though he promises to come on Friday September 27. Home at 2 after a thrilling evening. I think that John and Carol are going out again, but you know what the "happy family" are like. Far too much of this 'here today, gone tomorrow' attitude. I think John and Carol make an attractive couple.


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Monday July 8, 1974

Wake up at 6am dying for a drink. Stagger to the lounge and attack a couple of oranges to quench my terrible thirst. Leave for the YP at 8, meeting Judith R jut before leaping onto the train. She received the letter I wrote last week, and found it amusing, or so she said. Nice girl Judith is. One cannot go far wrong with a girl like that. A pity she doesn't fancy me - I quite fell for her in the autumn of last year, but am quite recovered now of course. Guiseley Station is looking even more posh in readiness for the Royal visit on July 10. Philip is coming to Denny's 18th birthday celebrations no doubt! Looking forward to getting pissed that night.

Janice is 19 today. She's been a good deal more civil since Stuart Beaumont made a honest woman of her, and I quite like her now.

Ring Judy at about 8.45. She says that Jackie is going to marry the bloke she's been living with for the past fortnight. I laugh at the thought of it. John is quite relieved. Sit in the bath thinking about my next holiday in September. Will John and Sheila approve of me taking Denny to Windsor? They've only got the one spare room. Anyway, I can do no more than ask permission to bed down with the dog in the dining room. Really looking forward to seeing Denny on Wednesday. I expect she will be in love with some Spanish waiter or something.

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Saturday May 4, 1974

Mum gets me up at 9 and I go to Leeds on the 9.20 55 bus. Kathleen, Anne and Janice are working, and I do my usual routine until 1.30 when I go, leaving horrid little Janice to fend for herself. I wander out into the Headrow and find myself deep into a march of the Leeds Communist Party, which is hardly my cup of tea. My intention is to go to Burton's Arcade, but the heat, crowds of communists, and my lack of patience makes me decide not to bother.

Home after 3 and have a couple of chicken sandwiches and two beers. Mum, Dad, Sue, Peter, John and one of Dad's police friends are watching the FA Cup Final between Newcastle and Liverpool. Princess Anne presented the cup to Liverpool who win 3-0. The poor princess looked disgusted when the crowds were singing their own version of the National Anthem.

At 6.15 MM rings. He says that David, Marita and himself are going to the ABC Cinema in Leeds and asks me to join them. I say I'll ring Marita which I do at 6.30 after first contacting Chris. Marita picks me up at 6.45, with her mother, and we then get David, then MM. We go see 'The Great Gatsby' - starring Mia Farrow and Robert Redford. The others hate it, but somehow it doesn't have the same effect on me, and I enjoyed it. We all go back to MMs_____. Marita looked dead. David seems to have something wrong with his eyes. Marita brings me back at 1.30.

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Tuesday April 30, 1974

Rose at 7.30. Very warm and sunny. Surely, today must be the best day we have experienced this year. Very busy and at about 3 Kathleen was furious about missing pictures of Billy Bremner which for some reason are in London! Janice was a bitch all day and I was relieved to get away from her at 5. Anne and I walked down Wellington Street in the warm sunshine which was a fantastic feeling after being cooped up in the YP all day long.

See the state visit on the 6 o'clock news. Queen Margrethe positively dwarfed the Queen, who was 7 or 8 inches smaller. The Queen was in powder blue and the Danish sovereign in canary yellow. Feeling furious that no consensed showing of the visit is on tv tonight. Evidently the BBC think that the sporting activities of Jack Charlton, and the prospects of having Francois Mitterrand as President of France, is more important than the visit to this country of a foreign head of state.

Do the lawns with Dad and find the lawnmower sadly dilapidated since I last saw it. Tv in the evening is, as I've already said, dead, and I turn, in my boredom, to 'Have his Carcase' by Dorothy L. Sayers.

I am working on Friday night and am taking Thursday afternoon off and when I told Helen this she look like she'd been told she had six months left to live. Sadly, my Fridays will be spent at the YP for several weeks now. Bed at 12.

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Wednesday April 24, 1974

Up at 7.30. Morning passes quickly and I get a bus home at 12. Carol had some bad news this morning. I think her grandmother died, or something. Janice and I were sitting with her when she received a phone call. She was upset.

Nice lunch. Just Mum, Dad and self. Quite infuriated that Barclaycard hasn't let me know anything. I wanted a spending spree at the weekend and unless I get a card this will not be possible.

See 'Coronation Street' on tv. Anne Walker was playing Lady Bracknell in 'The Importance of Being Earnest'.

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Monday April 22, 1974

Boring day. Kathleen and I are working Thursday evening again & we are both taking Wednesday for a half-day. Carol and Janice were green with envy at our arrangements - such horrid girls they are! Come home on the 33 bus which makes a happy diversion from the usual rigmarole on the train every night.

No one rings and I spend a quiet evening in front of the tv. 'Lord Peter Wimsey' by Dorothy L. Sayers is very good indeed. It follows on next week.

The Prince of Wales is docking at Portsmouth on HMS Jupiter tomorrow and I can forsee a revival by the Press of the 'Will he marry Lady Jane Wellesley before or after Christmas?' theme.

Bed after a bath at 11.30. Saw a terrible programme about (Christopher) Ishwerwood, the homosexual who wrote 'Cabaret' in which Judy Garland's daughter rose to fame as 'Sally Bowles'.____.

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Tuesday April 16, 1974

Mum wakes me at 7. My first day back at the YP. I feel weak and ill after last night and vow never to drink gin again. I have a coffee and leave Uncle H asleep in the lounge, not venturing in to see him because it cannot be a very pretty sight. At the office I find a letter on my desk: "Dear Michael, I have some rather depressing news for you. David is leaving the night staff this Sunday (last Sunday for you), so you will have to do a night duty when Ray has his night off; don't panic. I will try to work a late shift with you and stay until about 10pm so it shouldn't be too bad. I've arranged your extra payment and will sort out transport when I get in on Wednesday. It's all a bit sudden and came as quite a shock for all of us. We''ll have a talk about it when I come in. Hope you had a lovely holiday!! Kathleen." My eyes lit up when I saw the sentence about extra payment. Anyway, I quite look forward to getting away from horrid, little Janice Williams. My new driving licence came today and at least I can drive round Aireborough legally again. John took a day off, regardless of what Dave Slater wanted him to work and I've told him he does right. Why should he have only one day off at Easter when all other civilized beings on earth have 2? At 8 I have a hot shower, then see the news on tv and a documentary on Baron Philippe de Rothschild, the French wine producer. Come to bed at 11 and read the Bruce-Lockhart diaries. -==-

Saturday February 9, 1974

Mum woke me at 7am after only 4 hours sleep. Completely dead. Feel as though I've died in the night and the angels have forgotten to come and fetch me. Still, it was well worth it, and I arrived home at 2.30 this morning after a ten minute car ride over the moors with Ray.

Stagger down the lane at 8 after waking Sue. Get the train as usual. Carol, Kathleen, Sarah and me are the only bods working this morning - and strangely enough Carol is very nice with me. It appears to me that Janice and Carol must have had a conference to decide upon a policy of 'Let's be nice to Michael for a change'. It certainly does make a change anyway.

At 12.15 I walk into Leeds with Kathleen and Carol - arrive too late to catch my train, which is pulling out of the station as I arrive. My arrival home is therefore delayed until nearly 2 o'clock. Have chicken for lunch.

At about 8 John and I go to the Emmotts, but I feel too tired to drink more than a pint. Hear from Chris that Andy was awfully sick this morning. Laura, Pete, John and Chris decide to go to a better pub, and I say I'm going home. They all look shocked. At 9.30 Pete goes down for Andy, and we change places, as Andy arrives, I go. Home for 10 o'clock. Mum and Dad are out at Esholt, and Sue is babysitting. I sit with Lynn and Christine Dibb in front of the tv which was working all the way through until 1am!! See a horrific film - 'The Norliss Tapes', which even scared me! Films rarely drive me to the paroxysms of fear, but this one did. Bed at 1.

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Friday February 8, 1974

Quite a satisfactory day with very little hinderance from the girls. Frankly, Janice was being most civil with me for a change. Kathleen seemed a little bogged down with work, but I suppose the head of a department does tend to take on more responsibilities.

Have a funny afternoon. Laugh ourselves silly when we hear that the miners are still going on strike although they have no Government to argue with. The General Election isn't going to have the effect which Mr Heath thought would come about. Undoubtedly, the country falls into a worse state every day. Everyone in the Emmotts tonight agreed that the Conservatives should be re-elected, but most thought that Uncle Ted should go.

John and I get the 7.30 55 - meeting Andy on the way. Dear Christine White joins us - followed by Laura (ugh) and Paul. Chris doesn't come until after 9 o'clock. The Emmotts is packed by 9.30 and when MM and Marita come we are packed in like sardines. Helen and Keith pile in and I give her my stool, spending the remaining 45 minutes crouched on the floor near Chris and Ray. _____MM and Marita leave us and we decide where to go for the remainder of the evening. Keith mentions the 'Speak Easy' again, which was suggested last Saturday. We decide therefore to go to the 'Speak Easy' at Keighley. John and Andy go with Keith in his car. Helen and Christine go with Ray, and me and Chris go with Laura and Paul. All the way over the moors, arriving at the place at about 11. I always thought Denny was a good dancer, but Helen is also gifted here. If she wasn't going out with Keith I could quite fancy her.

The 'Speak Easy' is a brilliant spot - inexpensive and quite classy with it as well. Much better than the so-called 'Cat's Whiskers', which may as well have been named 'The Dead Bears Bum' for all I care. Dance through until 2. But John and I are mad about the drink arrangements. Everyone seemed to be buying drinks for each other and leaving dear brother and me out. Bugger them. The past months have shown that John is the only real friend I've got - the others tend to 'take the piss' out of me.

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Tuesday January 29, 1974

Dad points out that in the present 'crisis' the Royal Family know what to do and that is to get out! It seems as though the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince of Wales, Princess Anne and Capt Phillips are all out of the UK. Even Lord Snowdon seems to have deserted the sinking ship. However, the good old Queen Mother is still moving among us, and what we woulod do without that dear lady I shudder to think.

Quite a busy day. Typed the paper up this morning. Janice was on half-day. I am taking Thursday and intend goint to Rawdon Library and calling in at Benton Park.

Train strikes will take place next week, and I am now beginning to seriously wonder whether the whole country will live to see the first daffodil of Spring. A General Strike cannot now be avoided. Lord Carrington made suggestions that a 'Two Day Week' will be seriously considered by the Cabinet. The Confederation of British Industry says economic collapse of unprecedented proportions can only arise from such an action...and all MPs can find to argue about is whether it is immoral for a man and his wife to take a bath together! I think it's a very good thing. The poor woman who suggested the idea must think that is an original idea! All the best couples have bathed together since the beginning of time.

Mum and Dad go to Esholt at 9. Sue and I make beans on toast. See a good tv programme about Hugh Heffner, owner of the magazine 'Playboy'. Oh, what it must be like to own all that wealth!

(Greed, greed, envy envy, etc).

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Monday January 28, 1974

Nothing much today. Kathleen is now well and truly at the helm of the ship. Janice Bloody Williams will receive a mouthful of naughtiness from me before the week is over and done with. The little bitch really puts my back up. Oh, she's so superior. The poor child is taking on all the airs and graces of Carol, who is no more than a strip of a girl herself. I can tell you, it's not an easy life working with 5 bitchy females.

The Commonwealth Games are dominating the few hours of evening tv which we are permitted to see. The 10.30 deadline is quite pathetic. Poor Mr Heath looked awful on 'Panorama' tonight. Joe Gormley, Mick McGahey and all those train drivers cannot be doing his health much good. Not forgetting the miners. However, I admire the Prime Minister for showing courage and fortitude and not giving into the demands of the miners, who are controlled by a strong Communist force. My opinion is that the present dispute has nothing to do whatsoever with wage claims. Instead it's an outright attack by Marxist union men to overthrow the elected government of this country. Evidently, Mr Heath thinks so too.

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Saturday December 29, 1973

Get up at 6.30 shower and dress and leave for the YP at 8. Every national newspaper has Lady Jane Wellesley on the front page. She's staying with the Prince of Wales for the New Year at Sandringham. The Telegraph predicts a New Year engagement, which I think is absolutely ridiculous. Both Miss W and Janice are off - we spend a quiet morning. Only the second Saturday on which I have worked for the YP. Finish all my my work at 12.10 and bid farewell to Kathleen and Sarah. Go down Wellington Street to the Railway station buying a 'Private Eye' on the way. Home by 1.0. Do absolutely nothing all afternoon and see 'Dr Who' again - the greatest series on tv. See 'The Generation Game'. Bruce Forsyth married Anthea Redfearn in Windsor on Christmas Eve. He's a fantastic wit - when he and Frankie Howerd get together it's totally hilarious. Chris rings at 7 and asks us, meaning John, Denny and myself, to go to the Fleece. We carry out his orders. We find Andy propping up the bar where he's been since 7.30! He isn't pissed either. Denny's been supping since 8 o'clock. Chris, Pete, Laura and Maggie come ages after and I am feeling very uncomfortable in the heat of the bar. At 10 we set off for Chris's house. David and MM are outside the Fleece, and Denny (who is sick of Laura) drags me into the back of MM's Datsun and we go to the Ratcliffe residence. Plenty of drink - and Tamla - as usual. I remain quite sober but we all have a good time until about 5am. Andy, John and me crush into Chris's bedroom, where I fall immediately to sleep until the following afternoon - fully clothed too. -==-

Monday December 10, 1973

Abdication of King Edward VIII, 1936. Miss Went is away for two days and a relaxed atmosphere prevails at the YP. Little Janice is far too domineering in her attitude to me - I'll put her in her rightful place before very long.

Praise be to God in Heaven! It's happened. The Burtons are back together again. Poor Liz was wheeled out of hospital by a jubilant Richard, and the couple flew to Rome to spend Christmas with Sophia Loren. This really does go to show that true love always finds a way. Liz said she'd separated from Richard because 'we love each other too much'. Eh?

Poor Mark Phillips is in bed and not with Princess Anne it seems. The poor boy has gastro-entiritis. Must be all that South American food he's been getting. Poor chap.

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Monday October 22, 1973

Get the train to Leeds. See Judith Rushworth who laughs at the fact that I am not nervous about my first day at work. I must be funny that way.

Arrive at the YP at ten to 9. Sit about waiting until about 10, when some sort of personnel chappie drags us off (three of us) to a lecture, followed by a free lunch in the canteen. I do not meet the library staff until after 2 o'clock.

The other troops:

Kathy, 30, spinster, quite attractive with specs. Nicely spoken - good sense of humour.

Sarah, attractive, sophisticated, 20 year-old; unmarried, dark hair, expensive looking clothes, good make-up, childish voice, looks spoilt.

Janice, 18 year-old, typical Yorkshire girl. Looks very young, south Yorkshire accent, engaged to be married, down to earth, well meaning, no beauty. You always know where you stand with her.

Carol. Married. 20 years-old. Speaks with a plum in her mouth but is very unsophisticated, fat, immature, hates authority, work-shy, frustrated doing what she's doing thinking it's a waste of time.

Certainly a diversified bunch. I like Kathy, Sarah and Janice in that order. My opinions were formed immediately. I was shocked to find that Kathy was 30, thinking she was 23 or 24. She'll make a good boss.

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