Monday March 16, 1987

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

Tony.

The 40th birthday of Anthony Ronald Brotherwood. Bev came at 6 much to Samuel's delight, and after a minor drama when the hairdryer conked out, we escaped at 7:30 to the Old Red Lion, where we chatted with the new landlord [serving his three customers]. He says he took £34 this afternoon. We have never been so quiet or as bad as that. On to the Penny Fun in Moortown for 8. As usual John and Janette were an hour late. "We don't want to go to Tony's too early", said John, and so we were there until about 10. On to Ringwood Avenue. _______. The place was packed. I didn't get much chance to speak to Tony or his ____ wife Margaret, but I chatted to Michelle [ex WH Smiths] , Chris, Pete M, &c. John and Janette were strangely quiet and left at about midnight. The Coles were there. I consumed much gin and became my usual silly self. Quite OTT splashing wine everywhere, doing handstands and ________. Wow. The modern mid-twenties single girl does come across as tarty, over-painted, over confident and quite frightening. Picking girls up in clubs must be quite awful nowadays. Tony managed to get rid of us at about 3am with the words "you can't carry on like this and at this hour on a Monday. _____. Last out with us were the Coles, Chris, Pete, Michelle and three of her friends.

The Sunday Telegraph reveals, much to my relief, that the great Victoria had little time for Victorian values because she was far too busy enjoying sex, pouring whisky in her tea, and swapping saucy pictures with Prince Albert. Thank God that at least one author intends to paint a less sombre picture of Her Majesty, even if it has to come from an American biographer.

Sunday March 15, 1987

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

2nd Sunday in Lent

Temple Newsam.

We phoned Susan early on and told her we would take the Nasons out for the afternoon. She didn't enthuse but we insisted. Over to see Mum's grave and then to Sue's for 12 with every intention of taking them to the Royalty for a few drinks and a roll in the mud but she was snappy and insisted we stay for a stew and Yorkshire puddings. At one point I looked at my watch and she screamed: "For God's sake, go to the bloody pub. I don't care." Is this the Sue we know and love? However, after our lunch we all did go to the Royalty for a drink and then on in the direction of Temple Newsam, where we looked at the farm and strolled around the park. The children loved it but Sue just wasn't herself at all. Stress must be the thing. She is so irritable with everyone. Surely, Peter cannot be all that bad? On to John's for 10 minutes at 5 o'clock. We arranged to meet at the Penny Fun, at Sainsbury's at Moortown tomorrow at 8. Just Ally and I worked this evening.

The former SDP leader Roy Jenkins received the consolation prize of a lifetime yesterday when he was elected  the new Chancellor of Oxford University, succeeding the late Lord Stockton. An unprecedented turnout of 8,309 Oxford graduates gave Mr Jenkins victory, with historian Lord Blake, Provost of Queen's College in second place and Mr Edward Heath third. The Midlands GP Dr Mark Payne received just 38 votes.

One of the finest collection of clocks in private hands goes on permanent show at Lyme Park, in Cheshire, early next month when the National Trust opens the house for the summer season. It was formed by Sir Francis Legh, who died in 1984. A private secretary to the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret, he shared a passion for clocks with his elder brother the present Lord Newton. Among the treasures in the collection are three by Tompion and one by Fromanteel. Francis was the last Legh to be christened in the chapel at Lyme, his family home for six centuries. Like so many other second sons he conceived a particular love for a property that could never be his. The collection will be handed over to Lyme on April 3, by Legh's two children Nicholas, a banker, and Laura, married to Lord Weinstock's son, Simon.

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Saturday March 14, 1987

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

We are such abnormal little people. Who else but we, the Rhodeses of the Moorhouse, would breakfast together, the father dressed as a jungle dweller in a ladies wig and green Wellington boots labelleld L and R, and then go along en masse, to a religious bookshop at Middleton, where I, the father, administered a large kiss and read a sickly poem to a poor 40 year-old with a familiar face [It transpires she works on the check-outs at Morrison's]. Poor Ally and the children sat in the heavily populated shop - strangely heavily populated with giggling housewives of no apparent religious leanings, call it what you will. I did my bit with a powerful delivery and the earnest Caroline was beside herself with glee and excitement. I think she set me up for this Tarzan event purely for her own pleasure. She is _____ a female Uriah Heap. She then said she had another friend who is also celebrating. I felt somewhat exploited when I was asked to do a double and give a 50 year-old dancing class instructor the surprise of her life too. Prostitution must feel quite similar. Back at the Moorhouse for 11am where Mum looked bemused. Margaret R phoned to say she couldn't get here for 12. Well, it was Margaret's 'pimp' who phoned. You know, Bill, or 'Our Billy'. This is the end of Margaret R. Maureen worked instead. The reign of Miss Rushton is over. Ally sends for the girls P45. Fin.

Cases of Aids reported around the world have risen by 1,766 during the past month, reaching 42,704 in 91 countries, the World Health Organisation said yesterday. There are now 686 cases in Britain, a rise of 48, and 31,036 in the United States, a rise of 1,500. - Reuter.

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Friday March 13, 1987

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

Saw Caroline again. She handed me a flimsy garment for my 'Tarzan act' tomorrow. Bloody hell, I take on some jobs. I really should have been a thespian. The smell of the crowd and the roar of the grease paint, &c.

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Thursday March 12, 1987

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

At our recent meeting with LG he asked: "were you in last Thursday?" "Yes", quoth I. "Did the Fisherman's Hut play you at pool?" "Yes", quoth I. "Well", he quipped beaming with humour, "you are a cruel, heartless swine for allowing an old man to keel over in your porch without ceasing to trade or to tend to him with your first aid expertise." Yes, the pillock of a landlord had actually phoned LG to report upon my behaviour during the abovementioned incident. LG sides with me. I was blazing. I really should go over and reduce that hideous little Tetley's house to rubble. I took a green-nosed Sam to nursery and I saw Caroline who reminded me that I am doing a 'kissogram' at Middleton on Saturday. In a religious book shop no less.

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Wednesday March, 11, 1987

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS 11 5NQ

Have I told you about Anthony Ronald Brotherwood's birthday party? He is 40 on Monday and his wife Margaret the Mouth with Mr C.H. Ratcliffe has arranged a surprise party for Tony and for all his long-lost acquaintances. John has invited me and Chris has phoned to see if I can find some ale. Chris was his old "1973 self". I would be so pleased to rekindle some old friendships because life can become very insular don't you think?

Dad and Clementine.

LG came yesterday at 3pm to put a Sam Smiths 'stout' button on my PLU. He was extremely amenable. He can be nothing else  when his employee is 70 per cent up on last year, and a clean, reliable 32 year-old to boot. He asked me how Dad is coping and I told him that he was upstairs. I was surprised that LG could remember all the facts about Dad, the details: Mum's passing/Horton/the police, &c. Looking seriously over his glasses he said: "Why don't we get him doing relief work?" Enough said. It isn't Dad's scene. Dad left at 2:30 for Mr Carlile's [dentist]. He is having gold teeth, like the villain in the Bond film.

Question: If male priests can be unfrocked, women priests will, when they eventually arrive, be "debagged"

The engagement is announced between Henry, Marquess of Worcester, eldest son of the Duke and Duchess of Beaufort, of Badminton House, Gloucestershire, and Tracy, younger daughter of the Hon. Peter Ward, of Cornwell Manor, Kingham, Oxfordshire, and the Hon. Mrs Claire Ward, of Callow Street, London.

A drugs trial involving the Countess of Cassillis was postponed yesterday when two Crown witnesses were unable to attend Ayr Sherrif Court. The Countess, 26, through Mr Ross Harper, her solicitor, denied possessing quantities of cannabis and amphetamines at her home at Kirkoswald, Strathclyde, last July.

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Tuesday March 10, 1987

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

Dad came at 2. I was in the cellar and he walked down with a pint of lager. Then upstairs for an hour where Clemmie wept at the sight of her long-lost grandpapa. She is so soft and only ever has a smile for Ally and I. I do not remember Sam being so timid. At 6 Ally and I went to Drighlington. Very impressed by the Valley Inn which has a lot of scope and is "our sort" of place I'm sure. Cosy corners, and cosy open fires, &c. We had four or five drinks before I had the opportunity to approach the tennant who proceeded to go green and splutter obviously unaware that LG had put us onto the scent. We Sam Smith employees are very sensitive people. We can smell rats from great distances. We spotted a couple on Saturday who were obviously Sam Smith recruits sussing us out. It made us uncomfortable. We left Drighlington at 8. Drank with Dad and went to the Chinese take-away.

The seventh Lord Ventry, the engaging "lighter than air" Irish peer who has died aged 88, was a certified 'aeronaut', a balloonist, and an inveterate champion of the airship. In 1949 he began work om the Bournemouth, the first airship to be built in Britain since the ill-fated R-101 crashed in 1930. The sausage-shaped dirigible, with an envelope 108 ft long and a capacity of 45,000 cubic feet, was all set to make its maiden flight at Cardington, Beds, in July 1951 ....

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Monday March 9, 1987

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

Stocktake. Mr. Crump came. What a Dickensian name, eh? Very sensible. He gave us a £58 surplus. I planned this eventuality. Dad is slowly driving us insane. It was planned that he would come here tomorrow so enabling us to go minus children to the Pig & Whistle again, but he has taken in some dreadful walkers at Waltergarth, and has now asked to be excused. He is going to come late tomorrow so that we can go to Drighlington and inspect the Valley Inn which LG has mentioned. I do have the impression that father's nearest and dearest are fading in his affections somewhat. He doesn't seem to find any pleasure in the fact that we may be venturing forth on life's pot-holed highway.

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Sunday March 8, 1987

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

1st Sunday in Lent

David Andrew Baker is 31. Aunty Mabel is 68. The two Margarets opened up and we went to Auntie Mabel's where we were joined by Auntie Hilda. I was reprimanded by H. We haven't seen her since John and Janette's wedding last September. The Gadsbys have just had a new fitted kitchen at Wilsby, but H isn't enthusiastic. They say Clemmie resembles Frank and that Sam is a Wilson. A Wilson! He is the image of his Dixon mother. On to MM and Marita's at 3. They are having a lunch party for old friends David and Fay - garlic was wafting everywhere. Large gin and tonics and two hours later we left at 5. Ally very pissed on g & t's she took to her bed and collapsed until 8, leaving me and Samuel with a chicken and Yorkshire puddings. Ally came down to the bar groggy at 8:30. Just the two us worked.

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Friday March 6, 1987

 Moorhouse Inn

Stricken: Herald of Free Enterprise.

"Our" Lynn is 29 today. She phoned at breakfast time to say thank you for the cards but when Ally asked whether she liked her birthday present which we left with her in January [table mats from County Durham] she went very quiet and had quite forgotten to open the parcel. She told us that Jacq is pregnant and due on September 6.

This evening a terrible tragedy occurred. A Channel ferry from Zeebrugge, Belgium, sank minutes after sailing with the loss of life of almost 200 Britons. Watched newsflashes at one and 2 in the morning and went to bed very morose. What a ghastly way to go.

Viscount Brookeborough has died aged 64. 

Viscount Morpeth, who resigned his commission in protest at the Government's defence policy, wants to become a Liberal MP, it was revealed yesterday.

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Thursday March 5, 1987

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

One of those awful days when I was keyed up and ready to have a heart attack. We played the Fisherman's Hut pool team, from Pool in Wharfedale, in the competition here, and during the evening when I was in the bar with no staff an old boy - a friend of Joe House - collapsed in the porch and the Fisherman's Hut landlord called for an ambulance and sat with him and his two companions until the emergency services arrived. Then he, the Fisherman's Hut guy, launched a vicious attack upon me saying how disgusted he was that I that continued 'pulling ale' whilst an OAP lay bereft in my foyer. When I tried to reason with him he argued that a normal publican would have switched off his beer pumps and given first aid to the victim instead of taking money and 'turning a blind eye'. I was livid, like a wounded beast. I hadn't even been party to this pathetic scene, the porch being out behind closed doors away from the active body of the pub. Sod them all.

Dinda Fermor-Hesketh [nee Hunt] wife of John Fermor-Hesketh, gave birth to a daughter, Alice Mary Louisa, on March 5.