Thursday January 1, 1987

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

New Years Day - Bank Holiday in UK

I now attempt to revive my limp journal which began on January 1, 1973, and only ceased in August, 1986, when the author, over-worked and flattened, laid down his pen. It has not been easy. I have looked at those blank, white pages and have suffered pangs of torment. So here goes. This day is lost in a painful stupor, an alcoholic haze. The New Years Eve party - a Bacchanalian orgy no less - dispersed at 7:30am.  We'd seen Phyllis Dean's tits. Joe House's knees, &c. I deserted Margaret Milne this afternoon and returned to bed. Fizzy Andrews Liver Salts my only nourishment and then Julie Andrews in 'Mary Poppins'.

-=-

Wednesday December 31, 1986

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

New Moon

Ally: flapper.

A New Years Eve fancy dress thrash here. V. successful. Dad brought Sue, Pete and Co this afternoon. A full house. Ally in shimmering pink. A flapper girl. I was in loud stripes and a boater. Up until dawn. Riotous. Janette went to Maria's and John came here alone. Oh God. __________. Phyllis stripped to nowt and then fell over and did her eye in. Joe House, 75, batted until 7:30am.

-=-

Tuesday December 30, 1986

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

The Earl of Stockton died last night aged 92. Good old Supermac. Our last 'elder statesman', because surely they won't use this label for a) Edward Heath, b) Roy Jenkins, c) Lord Wilson of Rievaulx, KG, d) L.J. Callaghan, e) D. Steel, MP, f) Janet Fookes, MP

(That's enough elder statesman - Ed)

Friday November 28, 1986

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

Lynn and Dave emigrated to Kilmacolm, Renfrewshire.

Wednesday November 26, 1986

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

The Sam Smith's brewery dinner dance at Garforth. I developed conjunctivits.

Sunday November 23, 1986

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

Sunday next before Advent

Very wet. To Haworth. Scar Top Pine, &c.

Saturday November 22, 1986

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

Graham & Gill came for the weekend.

Saturday November 15, 1986

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

Lynn had a party at Thorpefields. A farewell party before leaving for Scotland.

Wednesday November 5, 1986

 Chillandham Cross, Itchen Abbas

To Beaulieu Palace for the day with Bessie. Samuel loved the experience. Holiday until Nov 10.

Friday October 31, 1986

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

Holiday stock take. To Winchester.

Thursday October 30, 1986

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

Sacked Karin Ireland.

Wednesday October 29, 1986

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

Quiz at the Eagle Tavern.

Wednesday October 22, 1986

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

With Dad to the Butcher's Arms at Pudsey for a quiz.

Monday October 20, 1986

 5 Club Street, Lidget Green, Bradford

We moved out of Club Street and Roger Whetnall (husband of my cousin Judith Rhodes) took the tenancy.

Sunday October 19, 1986

 5 Club Street, Lidget Green

21st Sunday after Trinity

We lunched with Mary Moore.

Sunday October 12, 1986

 20th Sunday after Trinity

To Club Street. Fish and chips.

Friday October 10, 1986

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

Clemmie 10 weeks old today.

Thursday October 2, 1986

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

To dentist 8:30am. Dad home from Lanzarote.

Thursday September 18, 1986

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds, LS11 5NQ

Dad went to Lanzarote with Arnold and Janette for two weeks. Pat Phoenix died from lung cancer.

Monday September 15, 1986

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

Samuel started at a nursery on Hunslet Hall Road, and grew up over night. We both went to the dentist 4:45.

Sunday September 7, 1986

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

15th Sunday after Trinity

Lunched with Frank and Bessie at the Barleycorn Inn, Collingham.

Saturday September 6, 1986

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds

John and Janette (1986)

John and Janette married at Bradford Register Office, followed by a 'do' at the Yorkshire Rose, Guiseley. Julie and Steve married at Pudsey. The 'do' was at the Norfolk Gardens Hotel, Bradford.

Ally and I with the bride and bride groom

Thursday September 4, 1986

Moorhouse Inn, Leeds

New Moon

Ally had a post-natal inspection at 10:40. Dr Duck.

Monday September 1, 1986

 Moorhouse Inn

Ally saw Dr Duck.

Wednesday August 20, 1986

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds

August 1986:

Back to the pub in early August totally exhausted and yes depressed despite the arrival of our beautiful daughter. Over-tired, over-worked, under-paid, &c. We saw Leslie Gledhill at the brewery (Aug 11) and got it into our heads that the Menston Arms was ours. I visited the BRI regarding my allergies and we lunched several times at the Menston Arms. Samuel was accepted at nursery (on Hunslet Hall Rd) and Dermot visited us (Aug 27).

-=-

Tuesday August 19, 1986

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

This journal is now closing down until next year, I wish all my readers a comfortable and prosperous year.

Goodnight.

National Anthem.

Monday August 18, 1986

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

Sam and Clemmie.

Cold and wet. I went out after breakfast to do the banking and some shopping but forgot the cash and had to come back for it. No bloody petrol in the car either. Samuel was delivering a hell-fire ultimatum to old Anne (the cleaner). His favourite expressions at the moment are "boggerts" no doubt a derivation of bollocks and buggers, and "sod" remains a particular favourite. We think it perhaps best to ignore these gross acts of anti-social naughtiness. He was particularly abusive in Sainsbury's on Saturday, much to Ally's embarrassment. We received a letter from Uncle Bert saying he will be at John's wedding, bringing his grandson Richard, aged 3.

-=-

Sunday August 17, 1986

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

12th Sunday after Trinity

Sunshine. Ally went out over the moor with Samuel and a perambulated Clementine to soak up some warmth. They returned at 12 and we sat in the car park with a christening party from St Peter's. Clementine is so big and hungry. She cannot be awake without feeding. Karin says she is like me but she only had the slightest of glances and baby was laying on her side in a deep pram and wearing a frilly bonnet. Tonight we composed a long and splendid letter to LG asking for the Menston Arms. Surely, no other interviewee can have penned a more eloquent epistle. It is the sort of thing Leslie Gledhill appreciates. Very crawling, but basically sincere. Watched a film, the one with Jimmy Cagney crying en route to the electric chair. You know the one.

-=-

Saturday August 16, 1986

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds, LS11 5NQ

Prince Alfred, second son of Victoria and Albert, was created Duke of Edinburgh, Earl of Kent and Earl of Ulster, in the Peerage of the United Kingdom, May 24, 1866. He succeeded his uncle Ernest II as Duke of Saxe-Coburg & Gotha, the reigning duke of that principality, August 22, 1893. He died at Schloss Rosenau,  30 July, 1900, when his peerages became extinct. He was succeeded as Duke of Saxe-Coburg by his nephew, the Duke of Albany, son of Prince Leopold, Queen Victoria's youngest son.

-=-

Friday August 15, 1986

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds, LS11 5NQ

'Princess Michael of Kent' by Peter Lane arrived from our book club. Interesting that the book has no photographs of the Princess prior to her engagement in May 1978. A few painful errors too. A chapter on the 'House of Kent' reveals that Prince Alfred, second son of Queen Victoria, became Duke of Kent in 1866, and went on at length to discuss Alfie's life and times. Prince Alfred was in fact Duke of Edinburgh and EARL of Kent, and later succeeded as Duke of Saxe-Coburg & Gotha on the cessation of the then Prince of Wales. Sloppy writing makes my blood boil.

-=-

Thursday August 14, 1986

 Moorhouse Inn, &c

A letter arrived from the brewery saying our Wellington Inn application has been cancelled. A postcard from Lynn in Gourock. Samuel went to the nursery for an hour 2-3. Exhaustion and lethargy. Bessie phoned.

(My sister and her husband David were temporarily living in Scotland to test the waters and see if they could actually go live there with David's work)

-=-

Wednesday August 13, 1986

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

Quiet and wet. The White Rose Choir came in with a Teddy for Clementine which we have christened Elvis because he has a button and when pressed it sings 'Love Me Tender', a melodious old tune much warbled by that old thigh shaker, the late Mr Presley. Clemmie weighs 9lb 14 oz.

Graham and ? (unknown) came from the Raynville for an hour with a couple from Farsley Working Mens' Club who are fancying taking on the Yorkshire Cobble at Redcar. 

Sandra Woodcock (nee Collett) had per protrait sketched by Mick (who signs 'Mik') from Tempest Rd. Another superb likeness.

-=-

Tuesday August 12, 1986

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

An evening of collapse. Ally watched 'The Thorn Birds', a terribly long, drawn out and far-fetched tale. I wrote a long, boring letter to Lynn. My powers have gone. My fluency is waning.

-=-

Monday August 11, 1986

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds, LS11 5NQ

We were interviewed by Leslie Gledhill for the Wellington Inn at Knaresborough, but we switched our choice of pubs on arrival to the Menston Arms - which he expected us to do. We took Clemmie with us leaving Samuel at Guiseley.

-=-

Sunday August 10, 1986

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds, &c

11th Sunday after Trinity

Post wedding blues.

Saturday August 9, 1986

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

My cousin Jacqueline married Barry Raistrick at Cleckheaton. A good bash. It was Jacqueline's 30th birthday.

Friday August 8, 1986

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

Received a circular from the brewery re the Menston Arms!! But we are seeing LG on Monday re the Wellington, Knaresborough. Sod it.

Thursday August 7, 1986

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds

The pool team were at home. We won. Uncle Peter says Eleanor was taken aback and rendered speechless when I phoned about the wedding arrangements because she had no idea I had been invited  to the nuptial shindig. It was, he said, something that Jacqueline had decided to do on the quiet. Jacqueline of course attended our wedding ________. Peter says none of the wicked uncles will be there on Saturday. Phew. Spoke to Dad. ______.

-=-

Wednesday August 6, 1986

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

Clemmie weighs 9lb 6oz. Ally had her up Beeston Hill this afternoon and naked on the scales. Samuel refused to do likewise. He must be growing shy and sensitive like his father. I have never been one to bare all in a public place. Public toilets, swimming baths, changing rooms, &c - they have always revolted me. Ones genitals are ones own affair. If only others less stoic than myself could behave similarly the world will be a far healthier dwelling place. Beverley worked. I phoned Auntie Eleanor re Jacqueline and Barry's wedding, and she was a brick. We can take the children by all means but decide just to take Clementine. Eleanor sounded so much like Mama on the phone.

-=-