Showing posts with label alison dixon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label alison dixon. Show all posts

20091214

Tuesday December 10, 1974

Edward VIII abdicated 1936. Long day at the YP but enjoyable. As I came back from lunch Janice 'the Formidable' Beaumont, was on the phone from hospital announcing that she'd been delivered of a daughter yesterday morning. Sarah was thrilled to bits, but I can't raise any excitement at Mrs Beaumont's bundle of news. Janice was a bitch, and I can't say I miss her at all.

Meet Lynn and Alison on the bus and we are caught up in a hail storm on Hawksworth Lane. Have liver for tea and then do absolutely nothing for the remainder of the evening.

Whilst shopping in Leeds today I saw a good book entitled 'The Royal House of Windsor'. I'd love to start a book collection. In fact I'm more than tempted. I also got a new diary for next year. Sarah says she's kept a diary since the age of 9. You all know now that I write very little of interest here, but I keep a constant and cronological flow at least. As I've said before I'm no Samuel Pepys.

The YP and I had something in common this morning. An article quoted King Farouk from 1951 saying it was gradually becoming a true fact. I quoted King Farouk yesterday on the same subject of declining and toppling thrones. Clever boy, Michael. Clever boy.

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20091211

Wednesday November 20, 1974

Death of Queen Alexandra, 1925. Weather improved on yesterday, but the snow is still with us. Harry collects me at 8am and it's not unlike the feeling murderers must once have endured when being collected by the padre en route to the gallows. Shocking driving lesson until 9 and feel utterly doomed at the prospects in store for me. The actual test lasted for about half an hour and I didn't seem to do too badly at all - nevertheless, I failed. The two faults were failing to adhere to the correct regulation of speed when approaching a crossroad; and failing to satisfy him that I have any knowledge of the Highway Code. The latter so called weak point is quite unfair - he asked me all sorts of rubbish about motorway signs, lights, and all the other ridiculous signs which the ordinary person doesn't use from one decade to the next. Home at nearly 10.

Harry arranges some more dates for me and I go inside and devour beans on toast. Ring Mum, Auntie Hilda and the girls at the YP with the bad news, and then open my mail in order to seek some kind of cheery escape. A letter from MM in Sheffield; one from Denny, and one from Benton Park inviting me to their Xmas Disco on December 19. Very thoughtful of them to remember me after all these months. Poor MM was quite a nervous wreck about the test, and wished me all the luck in the world - which doesn't seem to have been enough. Lynn rings me and I inform her of the result. Alison was also horror-struck. Work 5 till 12. Quite a good evening and go with Tony (Kelly) to the Central Station for an hour. Nothing of importance happens. Please forgive the change of ink, but I hate using biro to record these historic events here within.

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Thursday November 14, 1974

William III born 1650. The Prince of Wales born 1948. I hate British weather. Yesterday would have been a lot nicer if todays little sunny periods had given an orange glow above the sogginess of Bradford. Never again will I believe this talk about 'Queen's weather'. The sun simply ignored Her Majesty yesterday.

Busy at the YP. Anne, who departed our company in June, paid us a visit after lunch, and was her usual boisterous self. I got on perfectly well with Anne, though I did disagree with the way she wielded her authority as deputy librarian, over the library staff. After all, Sarah has worked in the department for 5 years and at 21 was quite capable of making Kathleen an admirable deputy.

Lynn goes mad after tea when she sees in the EP that Alison's Dad is now regional manager of the Southampton area. How could Al possibly have such information without conveying it to Lynn? But seriously, Lynn is rather upset at the thought of seeing Alison depart to the south of England without so much as a by your leave. Alison Dixon is a gorgeous creature and only the person of Martyn Cole Eesquire keeps me from her side. My passions are at a high level indeed when I see the diminutive, blond creature, in her black necklace, reclining on our settee.

Collapse with the hysteria put about by the 'Monty Python' crowd on the BBC. Sue and I have exactly the same sense of humour. We dissolved in the kitchen for about half an hour after the programme had finished.

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20091210

Tuesday October 29, 1974

Good day at the YP. Carol invites Sarah and I to her 'Bonfire Party' next Tuesday, and I noticed that Sarah was more than insistant on my going along.

Kathleen was on half day and we took it easy this afternoon. A cold day - even worse than yesterday.

Home at 6 for hare and Yorkshire Pudding. Alison looked somewhat startled when she saw the size of my portion of that little, four-legged creature.

Saw the Queen's Speech on TV at about 7 o'clock and I don't think I've seen it televised for some years. Princess Anne looked superb, but suffered a slight mishap in the Mall when her coach and horses became entangled with one another. Subsequently the Princess and Capt Phillips arrived at Westminster before the Queen and the duke. It strikes me that Princess Anne is accident prone. Her Majesty looks perfection itself, though probably a little wrinkled ubder the eyes. The Duke of Edinburgh sat on the Queen's left looking slightly bemused. Other Royals in the Lords numbered about six in all, including the Dukes of Gloucester, the Duke and Duchess of Kent, Lord Snowdon, Princess Alexandra and Earl Mountbatten of Burma, who didn't look at all well. It's nice to see Parliament opened properly, because when it was done last time, in March, none of the regalia wasused, and the Queen wore the same clothes which she adorned herself with at her daughter's wedding.

See TV all evening, including 'Jennie, Lady Randolph Churchill'. Bed at about 11 o'clock and sit reading 'Lord Emsworth and Others'.

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Sunday October 27, 1974

Have a rotten nights sleep and keep waking up with an unquenchable thirst to tend to. Wake up for the last time at 9.20. Go to make a cup of tea and see that the kitchen clock says 10.20.

On taking Mum her tea she reveals to me that the clocks were put back one hour last night. I hate them messing about with the time. Why can't they leave it alone? Sit in bed supping tea and thinking about my different relationships with girls down the years. Lynne is the first serious one since June, though I did think a lot about Judith B in a certain way. Most men wouldn't find Lynne attractive. She's certainly no Diana Dors - the big breasted type are all very nice but I'm not the type to go out of my way to lay my hands on a pair. Lynne is sophistication itself and all that it entails. She dresses with a style verging on the perfect and it would be fantastic if we only had transport of our own to do our own things. The major pitfall of the ultimate result of our passion is the prospect of ________.Have a bath after a tremendous lunch and then listen to the top 20. Peter and Sue argue about what film to go see at Yeadon - they eventually pick 'The Dove'.

Dave arrives for Lynn and Martyn for Alison. Quite crowded we are by 7.30. At 8 John takes me to Bramhope in order to collect Lynne. (By the way, Marita rang this afternoon and we talked for half an hour about the Whitethighs engagement and ___new hairstyle. We dissolve into fits of hysterical laughter). The shock of the whole weekend came when, half way through a pint, John announced that he and Carol had finished! We were all dumbfounded. Never did I expect such a shock. Marita and Denny were with us, and Chris also came after 9. The girls were in fighting form, and Lynne got on quite well with Marita., though_______.

Chris and Lynne came back for coffee and all the others followed on including Dave, Martyn and Peter, &c. Still shocked by John's announcement I retire to bed after 12.

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20091208

Tuesday October 8, 1974

Shocking day. Miss my lift with Mr Rawnsley and have to walk down the lane. The traffic is terrible. Don't arrive at Leeds till nearly 9.20. Busy day because Carol is still away - though we do manage to keep level and tidy. Eileen is much more helpful than Janice Beaumont ever was. Have no lunch and by 5 I'm quite starving to death.

Meet Lynn and Al (Dixon) on the 33 and we come home together. Thorpe Lane is certainly a straining walk on an empty stomach. Demolish a pile of liver and fruit pie. Do sweet sod all tonight and continue reading the Prince of Wales, which is fascinating. Haven't looked at the Duke of Clarence book since the weekend. It got slightly gorey towards the end & Dave Baker seemed interested by some of the intricate detail when I enlightened him with some of the facts on Saturday night.

Ring Lynne Mather at about 9 o'clock and we, or rather I, decide that we are to meet in Otley on Friday night. At first she thought I was going to bring all the mob with me, i.e. Chris, John, &c, but I made it quite clear I would be waiting upon her in a single capacity. She plays the typical 'hard to get' Miss at first but I tell her to be at the bus station for 8.30. No doubt she'll be late, but I am going to make it clear from the start that I will have no nonsense with her. After all, there's plenty more fish in the sea. More party political broadcasts all night, and bed at about 11 o'clock.

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20091115

Saturday September 28, 1974

John's party. The social turn-out of the season, equalled only by Royal Ascot and Princess Margaret's monthly orgies at Kensington Palace. Everyone that meant anything came, and herein is the list:-
Lynn Rhodes
Susan Rhodes
Alison Dixon
Jackie Myers
Christine Dibb
dear Laura
Christine Whitethighs (Phyllis)
Carol Smith
Linda Smith
Denise Akroyd
Christopher Ratcliffe
Andy Graham
Ray?
Peter Mather
Martyn Cole
David Baker
Keith Brown
Peter Nason, &c.

Jackie came at about 6.30 and we went to the Hare at 8. Chris was being his usual over-jovial self, and Denny looked stunning in a rather plain, yet attractive Hartnell creation. Ray (Bond?) and Dave Baker came too, and we move on to the Commercial which is packed to the hilt like the Social Security office on pay day. See Keith, &c and remind him about the party. Home at 11 after Papa had purchased several pints of ale for me. Everyone arrives by 11.30 though Dave Lawson never actually turned up. Didn't drink much in excess, though Auntie Hilda's home brewed parsnip wine knocked the top off my sober self. Harry Monkman did his usual party piece. Alison and I went round at about 1am and poured water through his letter-box, which in the colder soberness of Sunday morning still seems very funny. My sense of humour is one of the mosr regal aspects of my character. After all, King Edward VII and King George VI both had this boy-like humour which remained with them until they end of their days, and so do I. Danced until 4.30 on Sunday morning. Curtains have fallen on the romance between Lynn and Ronnie, and I did keep getting a glimpse of her at the side of good old Dave Baker, who's always had an affectionate bond with her. I expected getting a bed but found Andy and Linda in mine when I drifted up at 4.30am. Ended up in the lounge sprawled between two chairs. Chris was on the floor in a sleeping bag, and Lynn and Jackie shared the settee. Most people went home, even Denny. Throughout the whole evening Mum and Dad were the ultimate in fun and kindness & it completely destroys the theory about generation gaps, &c. Hate parties coming to end, it's abominable.

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Monday May 21, 1984

 Bank Holiday in Canada Moorhouse Inn, Leeds Lord Willoughby de Broke is 88; Lord Clydesmuir 67; Lord Maxwell 65, Mr J. Malcolm Fraser 54, a...