20091003

Friday August 16, 1974


Very warm and sunny. My half-day. John passed his test at 2 o'clock this afternoon and the events of this evening confirmed my long held opinion that dear Daddy is a bastard. I know it's not a nice thing to say about the man responsible for bringing me onto this earth but there it is. A typical Rhodes through and through. He refused to allow John out in the car on his own, making feeble excuses about it being dangerous____.To the Hare & Hounds with John at 7.30 and we attempt to get drunk before all the others come an hour later. John gets fresh within the first half hour but I stay quite normal. Gang comes between 8.30 and 9. Sit with Marita, MM and Denny. Decide to to Appletreewick tomorrow for the remainder of the weekend. John, in the meantime, is becoming all the more drunk, until 10.30 arrives and he finds himself unable to move. Chris takes him home and my designs to get MM and Marita into Wikis fails. I go alone. But inside meet Andy, Linda, David B & Carol & Christine. Home at 1.30 then pack a bag ready for tomorrow.

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Thursday August 15, 1974


Princess Anne was made a GCVO this morning - her 24th birthday. The Queen, in the citation, made reference to her daughter's "calm and braveness" throughout the kidnap attempt in the Mall on March 20, saying the same about Capt Phillips, who becomes a CVO, and Rowena Brassey, the lady-in-waiting, who becomes MVO. The lower class newspapers headed articles on this event "YES IT'S DAME ANNE", and "OH WHAT A DAME", etc. The papers no longer mention the fact that HRH is in line for the title Princess Royal. No doubt the princess dislikes this style and will not let Her Majesty revive it. Mind you, it is dowdy sounding for a young woman I do suppose.

Warm day. Sunny, but windy. Nothing of interest at the YP except my pay. Home at 6. Denny finally sent me the letter she owes me, and I decide to write back immediately. Mum is still not pleased about me going camping on Saturday, though she leaves the whole affair entirely in my hands.

John takes his driving test tomorrow and I only hope for the honour of the family that he will pass this time. He can do no more than try though. To change the subject, I now feel as though I made a mistake treating Judith Beevers the way I did. Recently I've missed our little 'tete-a-tetes' in front of the TV or in front of the TR6 - and in my own silly way I must have fancied her. Keep wondering whether or not to ring her. Don't suppose I will do. Hell, aren't I a burke when it comes to women? Look at the Bottomley Affair, which dragged on for months purely on my part, involving fantasies about the re-estabishment of a relationship, etc. Bloody well brainless, that's what am.

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Wednesday August 14, 1974


Rains all day. Bloody awful weather conditions for August. YP not outstandingly interesting & come home in rain, minus raincoat, at 5. Uncle Harry is here for tea - most pleasant, and I never tire of my favourite uncle's visits. What a character he truly is! Lynn and Sue are at Denny's until tomorrow and so Mum is left with Uncle H, John and I. Papa is also not with us due to work. See TV all evening including an interesting programme about the life of the late Earl of Suffolk & Berkshire, who was killed defusing a bomb in the Second World War. Uncle H was in stitches at the antics of this aristocratic war hero.

By the way, Denny rang me at 11am and asked whether I'd like to go camping on Saturday night. I say yes. Michael or Marita will provide transport and Denny will supply the tent. I think it's a good idea but Mama thinks otherwise - she's never been an advocate of outdoor sleeping, she has obvious objections.

At 10 Mum goes with Uncle H to collect Dad from work. John and I sit listening to Radio Luxembourg and discussing the American charts. Mum and Dad come from the pub at nearly 11 with fish and chips, but minus Uncle H who decided to make his way straight back to Wakefield.

Come to bed at 11.30 with a cup of cocoa and am in two minds whether or not to take a bath. Decide in the negative. An early night will do me goog for once.

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20090902

Tuesday August 13, 1974

Out of bed at 7.30. Quite a nice day really - weather that is, but not so at work. YP is miserable. Carol comes in and tells us that she's leaving in two weeks time to be a secretary or something. Grief, that means only Sarah, Kathleen and myself left after September. Janice is looking fat now and it is indisputable that she is "with child". Happy to leave at 5.

Home by 6 and have salad for tea. Feeling bored I ring Marita and spend 20 minutes deep in conversation with her about the forthcoming Bank Holiday, etc. We both agree that we ought to go somewhere nice for the weekend, though Mrs Akroyd is not happy about Denny taking Marita, MM and to the caravan. Quite understandable really. We joke about covering up from everyone our secret rendezvous at the Grey Horse on August 5. I promise to take her to Leeds Utd when the new season begins in September.

A girl calling herself 'Alison' rings at 6.30 and in whispered tones asks me to meet her at the Town Hall, presumably Leeds, at 8o'clock tonight. I tell her not to be silly, andshe says something about a Janet something-or-other, then the phone goes dead. Hell, these subs girls become more and more childish.

Ring Denny at her babysitting place at about 10. She is worried about a couple of airline tickets which she 'misplaced' at work today. I tell her not to worry. Surely they'll turn up?

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20090901

Monday August 12, 1974

Up at nearly 7.45. John saved the whole household from over sleeping. Mr Rawnsley takes me to Henshaw Lane wher he puts his car in the carriage before joining me on the bus to Leeds. Arrive at 8.45. A deputation of subs girls came across before lunch and told me that they'd started a fan club for me - and they requested that I give them details of my life and background, my likes and dislikes, etc, for a pamphlet. They carry on ringing me all afternoon and Sarah and Kathleen get quite sick and tired of answering the phone.

Home at 6 feeling tired, not having had an early nights rest for ages. Sit in front of the tv from 7 until the end of the 9 o'clock news. Go upstairs and leap in the bath whilst Mum argues with John and Dad about finishing the decorating in the kitchen. See more tv until the end of 'Emmerdale Farm' after 11. To bed at 11.30 and sleep immediately.

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Sunday August 11, 1974

Up at 1. Cramp quite gone. Nice lunch. Mum spends the afternoon either sitting in the garden or lying on her bed - one of her Sunday afternoon privileges. Denny, Lynn and I watch the tv - a film - then "Department S" and then "Alias Smith and Jones". Salad for tea at 6. Denny goes on the 7 o'clock 55. Pleasant day really. Sit on my bed counting my money and see that I have £3.15 to last me until Thursday. I need £2 for bus fares and £4.50 for Barclaycard and thus discover that I am £3 or thereabouts in debt. Ah well, worst things happen at sea. I shall have to employ an accountant to deal with my monetary affairs. John goes out with Pete M at 8.30 and Lynn, Mum and I sit around eating chocolates, drinking sherry, and watching 'High Society' starring Bing Crosby and Princess Grace of Monaco. Chris comes in with John for a coffee at 10.30. I go to bed at about 11.30. Lynn and Sue sit on my bed talking about holidays until nearly 1. Yet another late night! When will they ever end?



"Rock Your Baby" George Macrae.

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Saturday August 10, 1974

Mum gets John and I up at 7.30. To the YP for 9. Pleasant morning at work. I file a lot on President Ford and poor old Nixon.

Darling Denny rings me at about 10.30 enquiring about tonight's arrangemnts for the Scarborough trip. I ask her what she feels like this morning, being drunk last night, and she informs me that Peter Mather look he back to his place until nearly 5am. We laugh. Finish work by 11.30 and come straight home. Lunch with __ and laugh at the holiday photographs which the girls took in Spain. Poor Susan spent £5 having 40 of them developed.

See in the Airedale & Wharfedale Observer that Barbara Woodhead married last weekend. God Bless her. My favourite girlfriend is off the market, and I do suppose that type of female has now gone into complete extinction.

John and I go to the White Swan in Yeadon at 6.15, where Denny, Chris and Pete soon follow. Sit until almost 7 without seeing anyone we know. All the crowd are dressed in casual jeans and things and we feel rather stupid, Chris, Denny, John and Pete and I that is , being garbed in our Buckingham Palace garden party type outfits. On coach at 7.10 and leave for Scarbrough, which seems too far away to go just for an evening. On our arrival everyone goes to the pub except Denny and I who go find a fish and chip shop in the backstreets.At 10.20, having had nothing to drink at all, we go to the Penthouse Disco, which is the roughest place I've ever been to and even Denny says she will never criticise Wikis again. However, they play some fantastic music and we manage to enjoy ourselves without consuming any vast quantity of ale or spirits at all (see next page). Denny and I go for a walk on the beach at about 1.30am and we are forced to return quite early due to the drizzle which soaks us thoroughly. The walk certainly brought Denny from her semi-coma, and we were quite cheerful when we arrived back a the Penthouse. The others joined us at 2am in a shop doorway here we sheltered from the rain. Phyllis Whitethighs (our new name for Christine W) was an absolute bore all evening and shouldn't have bothered coming in that kind of mood. Coach at 2.30am - home by 5am. Terrible cramp in my stomach and no sleep until 7am.

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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...