Thursday May 7, 1981

 _. To Club St from the YP. It poured with rain and I had to run, coatless, yes run, from the bus station to meet Ally waiting for me in the car. She looked very pretty wearing her hair up. She isn't feeling too bright.

Had lamb chops for dinner. Spoke to Dave G afterwards. Frank requires Billy's address for the wedding invitations, but David is none the wiser, and says he'll phone back tomorrow.

The Trade and Industry Secretary is to ban sales of  'Die Aktuelle', the naughty German magazine. The Prince of Wales and Lady Diana say that the transcripts are of conversations that didn't take place between them, and yet they are still to be published in Australia, the Irish Republic and in Europe. The British journalist involved, Simon Regan, has been forced to quit his Suffolk cottage because of the numerous death threats and barrages of abuse from his otherwise genteel neighbours. It is heartening, and shows we still have some patriots left. 

Other royal news: Roddy Llewellyn is marrying his ladyfriend, Tatiana, on June 27. Peter Phillips, the Queen's grandson, is a page boy on Saturday at the wedding of his aunt, Sarah Phillips and Frank Staples, a seemingly octogenarian stockbroker.

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Wednesday May 6, 1981

 _. Stonehouse Inn excitement is escalating. Mum cannot sleep because of it. Dad too lays awake thinking of his snug bar and individual pork pies. I only hope they pull it off. One more disappointment and they'll give up the pub idea forever.

Watched 'Private Schulz' by the late Jack Pulman on BBC2. I was in fits of laughter.

To bed with Robinson Crusoe. I'm going simple.

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Tuesday May 5, 1981

_. Ally has woken up with a cold sore, and is very grumpy because of this. She drove off after breakfast looking like misery personified. 

Bobby Sands, the IRA hunger-striking MP for Fermanagh and South Tyrone died this morning in the Maze Prison. No doubt senseless bloodshed will follow. Unless legislation is hurriedly enacted I envisage another IRA hunger striker taking the seat at the coming by-election. What a mess.

It is alleged that on the recent royal visit to Australia the Prince of Wales's phone was tapped and a tape was made of HRH talking to Lady Diana Spencer and the Queen. Furthermore, it transpires that transcripts of the intimate conversations are to be published next week in a West German magazine. It seems that some are determined to ruin the royal wedding. Poor Lady Diana's first month in the full glare of royal limelight has not been pleasant. The poor girl must feel threatened. The papers are full of the bugging scandal. The prince's office has been in touch with our ambassador in Bonn and Charles is seeking an injunction against the unpronouncable magazine in the West German high court. 

Ripper: schizophrenic?

The [Yorkshire] Ripper was back at the Old Bailey today. Sutcliffe's defence says he is schizophrenic. Fun and games, eh?

Hilda and Tony came for drinks. Pub speculation grows.

-=-

Monday May 4, 1981

St George: Bank holiday?

 _. Bank Holiday in the UK -- New Moon

Climbed out of bed at about 10 o'clock. I am far from happy about celebrating this May Day bank holiday. It shrieks of communism. Why can't we celebrate on St George's Day instead, or the Queen's Birthday?

We took a completed banns form to Mr Nudds, vicar of St Wilfred's, Lidget Green, and then went aimlessly towards Otley, where we had a brisk walk in the deserted streets. Driving back to Guiseley we spied Susie and Pete driving into the Fox & Hounds car park, and so we joined them for a couple of drinks. Afterwards we went on to West End Terrace and she made us fish fingers and chips. We washed it all down with lager.

Back to Pine Tops after 7.

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Sunday May 3, 1981

 _. 2nd Sunday after Easter

St Paul's: loony congregation

Family party this afternoon. They seem to be becoming a regular thing. But first Ally and I went to church. To St Paul's, Esholt, to participate in the morning service and hear our banns read. One realises at times like this why the Church of England is crumbling into obscurity. The goings on at St Paul's had nothing whatsoever to do with life here on earth in the latter part of the 20th century. It was as though Mr Ward and his loony congregation are cocooned in a time-warp. The new-fangled Alternative Service Book was used and the congregation have to do more hailing and chanting than the vicar. Since last year the Lord's Prayer is now almost unrecognisable. What a bloody shambles.

Back at 12 for a family party. JPH, obsessed with Richard, spent the day next door. Catherine took her first steps across the room walking from auntie to auntie.

Mum and Dad went to the Stonehouse Inn at 7:30 with John and Maria, calling at the Roebuck [at Otley afterwards]. Ally and I went on to Lidget Green.

-=-

Saturday May 2, 1981

 _. Despite what I said earlier in the week I gave in and spent the day on a ladder painting the house white. Life went on quite normally beneath me. JPH is making a big impact. Maria came and then went [she seems to be obsessed with Otley]. John spent the day under his car on the drive, and was joined by Jimmy Macdonald, and his wife, Karim. Ally occupied herself with Mum and Catherine. My little niece calls me 'Mikey' or 'Micah'. Finished daubing paint at 6:30.

Ally and I went to Burley-in-W to 'baby sit' for Frances whilst Lynn and Dave went to join Sue and Pete at the White Cross. The baby decided she wanted to feed in the middle of 'Dallas', and so the US saga had to wait while Ally found a bottle. Lynn phoned twice from the pub and came back feeling guilty at abandoning her daughter.

Home to Pine Tops after 12.

-=-

Friday May 1, 1981

 _. May Day, for what it's worth.

Uneventful at the YP. Carol J's birthday passed once again into the annals of history. She has become quite impossible in recent times. We cannot take much more. 

To Guiseley for 6. Mum and Dad went to Pudsey. Ally came here. John was here too, covered in oil underneath his ailing Ford Escort 1300, on the drive. Good to see him. JPH was next door visiting his friend Richard, and no doubt organising things.

Tea time was a bit of a circus. Dave B called in with some plans of the Stonehouse Inn and surrounding land. He was downcast. The seven acres, he says, are worthless. We had sausages, eggs and chips with John, still covered in engine oil, and JPH prodded an egg, ate half a chip, and demanded we release him to go play with Richard. John made no attempt to make the lad eat, and so I gave him his liberty. JPH reminds me so much of his father at a similar age. He attracts dirt like a magnet and is the epitome of the naughty child portrayed in childrens story books.

Ally and I spent the evening watching tv. Mum and Dad returned from Pudsey at 9:30.

-=-

Thursday April 30, 1981

 _. Went shopping to Safeways. Carried bags of goodies onto the bus for the journey to Bradford. To Club St for 6pm. Ally waiting hungrily for my arrival. We had a curry with rice [not hot enough] but pleasant all the same. Afterwards we sat reading 'The Further Letters of Henry Root', another hilarious volume of his letters to the rich and famous illustrating just how easy it is to fool people. Not many years ago such a book would not have been tolerated. We ignored the dull tv. 'Top of the Pops' is becoming more hideous. Just who does Jimmy Savile think he is, anyway?

Spoke to Mummy. She and Dad are going to see Marlene tomorrow. Bed at 12.

-=-

Wednesday April 29, 1981

 _. Sunny with the odd shower. Cousin Jill's 19th birthday. Went to the office wearing a tie and gave some of the members of staff heart failure. Shazzo says I'm projecting a 'futurist' image, whatever that means. 

Ally's food supplies are virtually gone. She has eggs and mushy peas in her cupboard. She has despatched a shopping list in the post for me to spend my pay on the likes of washing up liquid and toilet rolls.

Auntie Mabel phoned Mum. __________. 

The Ripper trial opened, and was adjourned until Tuesday.

Jean Rook, in her newspaper column over two days has been interviewing Lord and Lady Spencer in an attempt to throw light on reports that they are cashing in on the forthcoming Royal wedding. Both made it clear that they are not doing this and are very upset at the rumours. Gossip of this nature is going to spoil things for the family on July 29, and the Prince of Wales and Lady Diana will have no happy start to married life if the press are going to pursue the character assassination of family members.

A report in the Sun suggests that Lady Diana's wedding dress might be pink. Bollocks.

Lord Cambridge died last week, and now Prince Philip's sister Princess Margarita of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, has died in Germany, aged 76. She was the eldest child of Prince Andrew of Greece and his wife Princess Alice.

This evening Dad and I painted the garage, and then adjourned to watch the Lloyd George drama. Philip Madoc is excellent in the part.

Bed at 12:50.

-=-