20090401

Tuesday March 20, 1973

What a day! Awoke at 7.30. Mum was tearing round the house screaming with excitement. She's won a day trip to London with £50 to spend on clothes. She entered a fashion competition in the Yorkshire Evening Post. She can hardly believe it. She was still chasing around in a mad panic when I left for school accompanied by Lynn and Alison at 8.20. It's the first time that Mum has won anything. She travels to London on Tuesday April 3.

Christine Braithwaite and MM were fun at school this morning. June arrived at 9.30. Just before she arrived Mrs Harris came in to say that June's file is missing, going on to say: "June is floating four feet above the ground at the moment, and cannot be bothered to find her file". What was Mrs Harris implying by this remark?

During Mrs Lane's 1st lesson I was reading my book on the History of Modern France 1800-71. Napoleon III was certainly a comical chap, and the historians do tend to "over do" his greatness somewhat. But what else can they do when they're doing the bloke's biography?

At lunchtime June and I made our usual excursion to Rigg's. The weather is really beautiful. Tomorrow is the first day of Spring. Passing the telephone box in Rawdon I had the idea of ring Mum saying I was Norman Hartnell seeking her sound fashion advice! June persuaded me to do otherwise.

Mrs Lane's afternoon lesson was very interesting. Liz Clapham, Mrs Lane's only lower 6th pupil came into our lesson to hear us discuss Chartism and its achievements. The first reaction is that chartism achieved nothing, which narked Mrs Lane. Her theory is this:-

Parliamentary Reform 1832 --->enabled the growth of chartism 1830s/40s/50s (a bit thin aint it?) - - -> model trade unions and working class organisations 1850s/60s - - - >Parliamentary Reform 1867 - - - >led to the Ballot Act 1872 - - - >etc

In the last 2 lessons we had our usual orgy of fun, frolic and excitement. Denise sold me a piece of liquorice stick, which I haven't seen in years. Dave also had some. June and I made our usual trek to the bus stop. My bus came at 4.50. We kissed goodbye.

Had tea and went to work. Home at 12 midnight. Very tired.

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Monday March 19, 1973

Awoke feeling very dry in the throat at 7.35. Had little breakfast and departed for school on the 8.30 bus. Mondays are such terrible days at school. The boredom is simply awful! We always end up arguing with each other (June and I). Dave arrived at the same time as me but I settled down in the study areas to do my Biology homework on genetics. Louise took my work into Mrs Stancliffe's class - who was surprised to see homework from me which is an obvious reaction due to the fact that I NEVER do Biology homework.

Oh what a rotten day it's been. June and I went through our usual Monday "make a nasty slanderous remark period" which lasts until about 4.

The Economics lesson was completely uneventful and I was most narked that my newsagent had failed to deliver my copy of "The Economist" which Dave shares with me.

June and I are certainly a pair of mugs, due to the fact that we went down to Rigg's for half the 6th form again. Shopping until nearly 1 o'clock. June is a real darling. The past 1 and half months have been like a dream. My main worry is that it will end one day. God I hope it isn't for many years (preferably about 70 or 80).

Mrs Lane wants me to give a talk on Chartism tomorrow afternoon for the benefit of the lower 6th group. The subject seems very straight forward, but knowing Mrs Lane she will almost certainly spring some surprise on us.

June accompanied me to my bus stop as usual and it came remarkably early. On arrival home I had tea and settled down to "overlook my homework". Came to bed at about 11. Mondays are always dreadfully boring days. Tomorrow ought to be more exciting.

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Sunday March 18, 1973

2nd in Lent. Awoke to the sound of all the people on Tranmere mowing lawns and pruning back those sprouting roses. It was 12.30 and the morning was gone. A beautiful sunny day. Went down for bacon and eggs and mushrooms. Absolutely delicious. After a quick chase around the garden full of "a host of golden daffodils" I took up the sunday newspapers. Tragedy. Mark Phillips has denied the rumours of his romance with Princess Anne. She denied the rumours 2 weeks ago. Is it curtains for the Christmas wedding? Yes, it seems as though at Easter engagement is now dashed on the rocks of disaster. Such a pity. Watched an old fashioned film on the afternoon film matinee spot. Then took to the bathroom for 40 minutes emerging feeling greatly refreshed and healthy. After tea Dave phoned and offered me a lift to the Emmotts in his car. What a tremendous feeling it was! Fancy, Dave being able to drive! Mum and Dad went out about 7.30. Dave called for me at 7.45. He drove away perfectly. We arrived at the Emmotts at 8. June was late and didn't arrive until 8.40. I sat in the bus shelter wearing my new bags feeling very miserable until her arrival. We stayed at the Emmotts until 9.30, when Dave gave June and I and Martin V-B a lift to The Drop in Guiseley - not a very nice place and much too modern for my taste. June wasn't keen either. On the whole it was a beautifully pleasant evening. Dave gave June a lift home to Horsforth dropping Martin V-B off at Rawdon Crematorium - rather appropriate. He dropped me off at my door at 11. Such a good day it's been. --==--

20090331

Saturday March 17, 1973

Got up at about 11. Mum told me that she would treat me today and give me some money for a pair of trousers!

The weather is absolutely remarkable for March, and only last night Sue R was saying we had had no winter with very little ice or snow.

Dad, who took to bed with a terrible cold on Thursday, is unable to enjoy this good gardening weather, being tucked up in his bed - sneezing like hell all day long. Because of Dad's illness Mum asked me to walk down to the shops in Guiseley to get her some bare necessities. Flour, eggs, bacon, cheese, etc. Came back and had lunch at 1. At 2 Mum gave me £7 - not counting the £2 I had given the girls to get me a jumper in Bradford. I made my way to the bus stop which fulfilled its purpose of providing me with a bus at 2.30. Arrived in Leeds at 3.15 making my way to Harry Fenton's. I found a pair of Oxford Bags for £3. Bought them almost immediately.

After looking round the very busy Leeds I caught the 33 Ilkley bus at 4.30. Back in Guiseley for 5.10. Mum was surprised to get £4 change. It isn't like me!

After tea of salad I went down the lane to work which was extremely busy all evening. Sadly, at midnight we altered the clocks again to 1am which means I will lose an hour in bed tomorrow. We sat with our beer and lager until 3 (2 in old time). Pauline was too fagged to stay any longer. Toffer gave us a lift home, and I obliged Pauline by lending her my Rachmaninov's 2nd Piano Concerto played by Maura Lympany - she will enjoy it, being a romantic. Got home at 3. Had no supper and came to bed 1 hour later after messing around with my diary (yes, you!).

Oh it's been an awful day without June on the scene. Roll on tomorrow. Night, night all. I'm so damned tired.

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Friday March 16, 1973

My Grandad Wilson was born in 1890. Christine B is 17. Dave passed his driving test! First time as well! I found out at about 1pm when June and I rang Dave's house from the phone box in Rawdon to be told by Mr Lawson that he had passed - we were over the Moon!

Got up at 7.30 and had breakfast, coming to school at 8.30. We should have had a 6th form meeting but nobody had put anything on the agenda. In Economics we did more ruddy essays on monopoly. I gave him his £1.60 first in order to put the old boy in a good mood.

At 11.45 we all sat about in the common room praying for Dave. I was convinced that he would pass. June and I crept out for the lunches at 12.30 determined not to be the muggins and get everybody's like yesterday. Coming back from Rigg's I stopped off at the telephone box, much to June's annoyance, who didn't like the idea of me ringing Dave. Benita was in the box talking to her boyfriend and we had to wait for several minutes. Mr Lawson seemed thrilled to bits, saying that Dave was up at Marion's.

We rushed back to school where Dave was sitting calmly and glum - pretending to have failed - but I soon made it known that I knew the true result.

After a very quiet lunch several of Groves Current Affairs group, including me, prepared the common room for a talk to be held on East Germany in the project periods. Louise and I went to Biology instead. Anything is better than listening to some pro-communist maniac banging on about some crap eastern Russified power as though it was God's gift to civilization - no thank you!

It was genetics again with Mrs Stancliffe - quite interesting.

June, Graham, Linda, Benita, Janet and I went down to the bus stop at 4.15 and I deposited £2 in my Post Office savings account. June nipped across the road and bought 2 juicey, green apples, instead of the divine cream eggs. It was enjoyable. I wrote "Mick=June 16/3/73" in the dirt and grime on the big black door next to the bus stop. My bus came at 4.50.

The Queen today opened the new London Bridge with the words: "it is closed for the first time ever - so that I can open it." She certainly has a sense of humour.

Went to the Chuck Wagon at 7.30. Sue gave me a piece of apple pie and cream. Quite busy. Home at 12.45. John was watching the end of a film. I sat listening to the 1812 Overture but sadly played very low owing to the time and fact that everyone was in bed. Came to bed at 1.30.

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Thursday March 15, 1973

Six long, beautiful, halcyon weeks together! Got up at 7.30. Had a small breakfast and left for the bus with Mum and the girls who are going to the dentist in Rawdon. Got to school about 8.50. Sat watching Christine B finish an essay on Bernard Shaw's St Joan . Mrs Lane was interogating Sheila for the first lesson, leaving the remainder of us in the Library revising Chartism. After break she started on me and what a shock I received! She actually liked my Russian essay, saying that out of the lot I had improved my standard of work more than the others. She says I'm past "O" level, but touch and go when it comes to "A" level standard. I left the room feeling quite content with myself.

At lunchtime June and I took about 13 orders for lunch to Hinchcliffe's. We were shopping until 1pm. Never again!

Groves said today that Mr Elliott had seen him about his visit to the 6th form on Tuesday afternoon. Evidently, the Fuhrer was disturbed about the size of the crowd sitting about in the common-room doing nothing. The study areas were all full, with Dave, Christine B and I. Thankfully, no mention was made of David's cigar.

The afternoon was supremely boring and Christine, Louise and I simply sat about in answer to Mr Elliott. Surprised to see Louise in conversation with Chris, who seemed so happy with her - just like the old days!

At 4 June did not fancy a cream egg which I said was symbolic of our relationship. She ate an apple instead, whilst I devoured an egg on my own. My bus came at 4.45 and June and I promised to have a cheap evening staying at home instead of making our regular voyage to the Emmotts - June is so considerate about money and understood my point of view of being short of cash due to ther fact that I owe Ayling £1.60 for several Economic text books - Ugh!

Came home and had dinner. Sat watching the TV until 10.30. Such a boring evening.

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Wednesday March 14, 1973

Dave, who takes his driving test on Friday, was attacked by Groves today for not doing work in lesson time. Next time he is found in a similar situation he will be expelled until further notice!
Poor Dave is quite cut up about the whole sordid business.

My test went down very well but I always worry about what Mrs Lane's reaction will be. I suppose it's only natural to feel this. Ayling gave me my Monopoly essay back with a 16 out of 25 for it - meaning 64 per cent. He was quite pleased with it.

At lunchtime June and I made the decision to go the Emmotts tonight as well as tomorrow because we get fed up with waiting all the way from Sunday to Thursday to go out. At 4.15 we went down to the shops, June being chaperoned by Linda, Benita and Janet. Benita is really eccentric. She wears black fishnet tights and very sombre dresses, and being very small she looks too funny for words. Her eye makeup is frightening,but June says she only does it get noticed.

Arrived home at 5.10. We had rabbit pie. Watched the 6 o'clock news. Marion, Countess of Harewood and the Liberal leader Jeremy Thorpe were married in a London register office today. (I bet you're saying: "what the hell is so important about that?" Well, it isn't so important, but they are desperate for headlines.). The news tells of more Trade Union threats to the poor government, etc.

Down the lane for my bus at 7.15. June was waiting for me outside the Emmotts looking simply divine! (Swoon). We sat around the corner away from the sight of Ivy, who becomes quite broing after the first 5 weeks! We sat on our own the whole time. Helen Willis came across for a chat - I haven't seen her for about a year - however, she's the same giddy girl.

Andy, Linda and Christine (White?) came in without Christopher. I wondered where he must have gone. June and I waited at the bus stop until 11.10. Having a very romantic, beautious affair in the crude looking bus shelter. My bus came at 11.10. I left June waiting for her 55.

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Saturday May 5, 1984

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds Poor Diana Dors has run down the curtain and joined the choir invisible. Aged 52, she has suffered from cancer. We laz...