20090615

Wednesday May 29, 1974

Up at 9.30. Brilliant day. Lynn and Sue take Mum into Bradford for the day and I go into Guiseley calling in at the library and pay a visit to the bank in order to question them about Barclaycard. The cashier scowled when I said I was 19. Buy 2 pork chops and an Express where I read that Princess Richard of Gloucester is 'probably' having a baby. She hasn't been seen in public since the end of April. Received a letter from Denny in answer to the one I wrote to her on Saturday - hilarious. I love her. She quite surprised me this afternoon when she rang from work to see what my reaction was to her passionate letter. We had a laugh about it. I made Papa his lunch at 2, then leapt in the bath in preparation for my rendezvous with the Virgins of the Yorkshire Post, namely the library girls. At the YP a letter awaits me from Austin-Clarke, which is even more ignorant than the first one he sent me. Kathleen makes a quick exit, wishing to avoid my protestations. Go to the Wellesley with Tony Kelly. A very busy evening. Home at 12. Mum awaits my arrival and I show her my latest obscene letter. She is furious and says she'll ring the swine tomorrow, but I manage to deter her. She tells me that Uncle Bert had his foot amputated yesterday and Dad especially looked most sad. Mind you, Dad becomes deeply emotional at most things. I'd hate to think that my brother would one day be undergoing such an operation. In fact I'd rather die first. I am very close to my brother. We've been virtually inseperable since birth. -==-

Tuesday May 28, 1974

Up at about 7.30. Back to the YP. Kathleen is once again at the wheel of power, and I tell her of my latest bother with Mr Austin-Clarke, over my money. She looks frightened when I say I've written to the old git, giving me that ' nobody ever actually writes to Mr Austin-Clarke' look. It rains in the afternoon, but by 5 it's brilliantly sunny with some wind. Austin-Clarke comes down to the office, and I thought he wanted to see me but he brought a bloke across to see Kate, whom I discover is to do the night duties commencing June 10. When Kate says he used to work in a travel agency I recall that Denny told me of the creep who worked with her and who had applied for the library post. I must ring Denny to get to know more sordid details about him.

Home at 6. George rings and tells us he's passed his driving test. Do not get out and in the bath until 9. See a film starring Glenda Jackson 'The Persecution and Assassination of Jean-Paul Marat As Performed by the Inmates of the Asylum of Charenton under the Direction of the Marquis de Sade'. It is of course the film with the longest title and I cannot really say that it is a good one because it isn't. See 'UFO' with Susan after devouring a tin of spaghetti and four slices of toast. Bed at about 1.


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Monday May 27, 1974

Bank Holiday in England, Northern Ireland & Wales. Poor Lady Jane Wellsesley is not going to be the next Queen Consort of England after all. In yesterday's papers the Prince of Wales is reported to have made comments about his so-called relationship with her Ladyship and he said he had never had any romantic interlude with her, adding something about all the publicity being: "awful." Getting Britain's heir to the altar is going to be more difficult than I imagined.

Back to the YP. Leeds looked dead, almost as if a nuclear war is about to take place. Felt sick seeing people standing about with suitcases waiting to be rushed away to holiday retreats - not that I wish to go anywhere in particular, but anything is better than sitting in the office all day. Just Sarah and Carol in - Anne is off and Kathleen is still on holiday & I don't care where the hell Janice is. Feel sick with work and get headache with the heat.

Home at 6. Ring poor Denny who says she finished with her latest love on Saturday_____. Judith rings and says she'll come to the Hare and Hounds for a late drink, but I don't really know whether she will or not. Chris says he'll also be at the Hare. John and I go at 8.15. Sit near the juke box with George and Jane having a tremendous time. Chris and Laura eventually join us, Laura being very charming for a change. Keith and Christine sit in another part of the pub. Judy and her friend Jackie come in at 11.30 and we stay at the Hare until 12.15. Back to Pine Tops for coffee and whatever else you, dear reader, thinks should have happened.

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Sunday May 26, 1974

Sunday after Ascension. A very hot day. Lynn, Mum and Susan sit on the back lawn with Christine Dibb and John and I prepare to be carried off to Apperley Lane by the young 'get up and go' girls. They collect us the Alfa Romeo at 2.30 - Mum and Sue couldn't resist coming onto the drive for a quick nosy. We sit watching tv - a horrible film - then listen to records. Judith and I take Louis for a walk and I get covered in filthy horse-flies in the woods at Esholt. Having had no lunch you can imagine the starvation which I was subject to, and this prompted me to make a suggestion about fish and chips. Judith and I went to the nearest fish and chip shop in the Alfa Romeo and we came back laden with that greasy delicacy which has sustained the working classes for about two and a half centuries. Those females are certainly a pair of poor liars. They must imagine that John and I are demented or something. However, we are going to play them at their own game - should be rather fun. They bring us home at 7 and refuse to join us this evening for Andy's birthday celebrations. Meet at the Yorkshire Rose again. Andy is 18 today and he must have been drinking for three or four years now. The law breaking swine. On the whole it was rather a hysterical night out - we did all the pubs in Otley and surrounding areas, coming back to Wikis to find it closed. Carol S and Bruno make a good couple, much to the heartbreak of Chris, who fancies Carol far too much. All back to Keith Brown's. Horrrible. Laura made the coffee which was quite nice. Bed at 2. -==-

Saturday May 25, 1974

Wake at 8.00am. Feeling quite lively and in very good spirits. Decide to go to the YP immediately before having time to change my mind. Arrive at 9.15 to fins Sarah quite surprised because in my note last night I said they'd see me when they'd see me, or something. Janice was her usual silly self. Nice seeing Carol again. Never did I think for one minute that the day would dawn when I'd be missing her, but I must admit she is very likeable and quite motherly, and most unlike Sarah, who arouses quite different emotions within myself - if she only knew! Think of Judith last night and hope to God we'll see each other again. But I see no use in worrying about it - I've done far too much worrying over females. The papers are full of Marcia Williams becoming a life peeress. God! Wilson will be knighting his tailor next! Meet Chris at the Hare and Hounds at 8.30. Ring Denny who tells me she is going with her lover to the Stone Trough. I am horror struck when she says she is going to Bridlington with him for 2 days. I tell her not to go and she sees the light. She says that tonight she will finish with the blackguard - she's only known him since last Saturday! Judith rings and invites John and I to Apperley tomorrow for a record session in the flat. Of course we'll go. I can hardly wait. Meet at the Yorkshire Rose. We all go on a pub crawl taking in the Royalty, Malt Shovel, and the Hare and Hounds. Bruno brings John and I home at 11.30 - due to the extension because of the Bank Holiday, and I must admit I was rather drunk. -==-

20090613

Friday May 24, 1974

Quite a memorable day romance-wise. Lounge around all day and do sweet sod all until I go into the YP. Quite a good evening, which I discover to be my last on night duty for a while, other than Ray's day off of course.

Tony Kelly, my drinking companion, suggests we try the Wellesley, which is on Wellington Street, and unless you know anything about famous nineteenth century personages you won't have made the connection between Arthur Wellesley and Wellington. Of course, Arthur was the 1st Duke of Wellington.

Go to Wikis by taxi at 12. All the mob are therein, and Bruno is also amongst the crowd, making passes at Carol Smith, much to the disgust of poor Chris, who is quite infatuated with her. Chris goes at 12.30 - having a lift from Raymond. John is with Judith B and I soon take my rightful place. At 2 she brings us home and I invite them in for a coffee, which they willingly do, remaining until 3.45. We sit about reading our LP covers and arguring about pop singers in general. Then it happened, at about 3.45, outside Pine Tops, leaning on the Alfa Romeo - we kissed & for a brief minute or two I was in paradise. She says she isn't going to Wikis anymore and when I say she is 'nasty and evil' for not coming to the party at Pontefract next Friday she agreed, adding: 'I don't like parties.' I now realise just how easy it is to become infatuated with someone.

PS - saw dear Helen, who was once the property of Keith Brown, at Wikis, with another man. We exchanged niceities but that was all.

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Thursday May 23, 1974

To coin a trendy phrase: 'Piss Off'.


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Sunday April 1, 1984

 4th Sunday in Lent Mothering Sunday New Moon Sunny, bright, &c. Smothering Sunday. All Fool's Day. Busy. Rob came and so too did th...