Sunday December 30, 1973

1st after Christmas. Wake up at 7.30 and find myself on top of the bed feeling cold. Without much hesitation I climb into the bed where I sleep until 12.30. Feeling quite rough when I finally get up. The weather is cold, sharp, and sunny. Peter Mather laughs when he sees me staggering towards the bathroom. It isn't until my face is in cold water and I come round that I remember, with horror, that Christine W finished with John last night. The bust up will probably not be permanent. Andy and Linda S are back together again.

Denny, Pete, John and I clear up the mess with Chris whilst Andy watches tv. We then watch one of the Whicker in America series about plastic surgery.

John and me get a bus into Guiseley. Home for just after 1.30. Have a nice lunch. Then see the tv. 'Antony and Cleopatra' starring Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor - described as the 'most expensive flop ever' but I think it's quite good.

Bed at about midnight after having a few drinks with the family. Still no word from Sue Riley or the baby.

-==-

Friday December 14, 1973

Uncle Tony 'caught up' with Mother today. He's 38. Haven't seen him or the family since October. This time of the year tends to be a bad one for Auntie Hilda, who becomes depressed at the thought of spending money at Christmas. At the moment her main worry is Uncle Tony. Will he or will he not lose his job in the current economic crisis? We all know he won't, but Auntie Hilda doesn't. She's never content with life like Mum is. Not at all like sisters really. 

 Chris rings at about 7. Meet at the Emmotts at 9 o'clock. Martin Vere-Bujnowski and little Helen join us, with no Laura for a change. She's gone to a disco with Philip Cartwright. Martin and I discuss the party tomorrow evening. He thinks it'll be an absolute orgy... five of each sex... can you blame the poor boy's mind for thinking that way? All get merry. Leave Emmotts at 11.10. Bus home. 

 -==-

Saturday November 24, 1973

One of the greatest men who ever lived was born 78 years ago today. My Uncle Albert had few faults. In fact, most people who knew him admit that he was perfect. I wish he had lived longer than he did, because when he died in 1969 I was only 14, and hadn't grown up enough to appreciate his character.

John and myself go to Leeds at 11.30 where we buy a complete wardrobe, i.e. trousers, shirts, jumpers and coats. All for £18. Home for lunch. This evening see 'The Generation Game' on tv.

At 8 John and me go to the Yorkshire Rose where we are joined by Andy, Chris, Denny and Laura and Christine W. At 9 we all go across to the Town Hall, where we have the most fantastic times of our lives. Denny and I dance most outrageously. She's like one of the girls in Pan's People or the Young Generation. However, whilst we are having a good time John and Chris are delivered hopelessly drunk. Even Dobby, Susan's boyfriend, a certified alcoholic, is paralytic. Ian Appleyard is on the bar, and he helps with carrying John and Chris outside. Laura, poor thing, doesn't mind the idea of carrying Chris home to Horsforth, but she'll never do it. I am worried about her plight. Denny, the darling, comes home to Pine Tops, where she stays the night as a guest of Lynn and Sue.

Dad called in at the Town Hall, in uniform, to keep an eye on things. He laughed at Andy, who was also a bit gone.

--==--

Friday November 16, 1973

Tonight I dressed up in a tramps garb and went to a party in Baildon. So did Chris, Andy and Laura. She wore a white evening dress with a strategically placed red rose peeping from the bossom....

Goodbye.

--==--

Sunday November 11, 1973

21st after Trinity. Remembrance Sunday. After about 4 hours sleep we all awoke at about 8.30, and my feet felt like a couple of blocks of ice. Chris's bedroom window had been wide open all night, and all I had was a thin blanket and a pillow case wrapped around my feet.

Andy, Chris and myself sat around until 9 debating the point that a bus was outside Grandways at 9.05. By the time we had decided that a bus was due it was too late. Anyway, it was a beautiful, crisp morning, and Andy and me walked to the crematorium where we boarded a bus at 10am.

By 10.25 I was home. Mother made me a cup of tea and we both sat in front of the tv to watch the Queen laying a wreath at the Cenotaph. A two minute silence followed. It was the eleventh hour of the eleventh month. Princess Anne was on the balcony of the Home Office along with Capt Phillips, the Queen Mother, Prince and Princess Richard of Gloucester and the Duchess of Kent.

--==--

Saturday November 10, 1973

After tea, Mum, Dad and John ganged up on me and demanded a court of inquiry into the way I am handling my financial affairs. I ignored them, and was probably extremely rude in the process.

At about 8 o'clock Dad took John to Christine W's and me to Rawdon lights. I then walked into Horsforth which took approximately 1 hour. I met Chris and Andy in the Fleece. We then moved on to the Stanhope, then the Brown Cow, the Kings, Grey Horse, Black Bull....

Laura joined us half way round the crawl, but by the time we reached the Grey Horse we were all extremely intoxicated.

--==--

Friday November 9, 1973

John and I go to the Emmotts at 8 where we chat with Ivy about Tuesday's incident with June. Chris and Denny arrive soon after. We also see Kevin Taylor and Bob Thompson. The lovely Laura arrives shortly after C and D. We consume several gallons of ale and pernods before Andy arrives, and by 10.30 we are all staggering, that is to say except Denny who, due to boredom, departed at 10.0 with her ex-fancy man. John and I luckily get a bus. Chris, Andy and Laura have to walk -all the way to Horsforth!

--==--

Thursday November 8, 1973

The Daily Express Alcoholic of the Year Awards 1973 were held in London today. The 2,037 contestants have consumed nearly 2m gallons of ale since January, and in the words of the compere, Sir Ron Tetley, Bt, 'this is a very large quantity of ale. Nearly two million gallons to be precise.' Sir Ron is 103. Anyway, to cut a long story short, the winner was Mr Christopher Ratcliffe, AA (Alcoholics Anonymous), who collected a cheque for 19p, the price of a good pint of keg bitter.

--==--

Friday October 19, 1973

The girl of the week is undoubtedly the delightful Laura. My heart goes out to the darling creature tonight, wherever she may be. And if I know Laura, she could certainly be in some places!

But first, a note of tragedy. The two month liaison of Mr Christopher H. Ratcliffe and Miss Marita Fountain is over. The couple, who met at a party in August, separated after nasty scenes in a high-class bar last Sunday. It's the worst thing to happen since Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor separated last July.

My last day at BP. Totally unmoved.

John and I go to the Emmotts where we are joined by the gang. See Dear Denny, who enjoyed herself tremendously on a four-day official visit to Barcelona. She was with the German boyfriend. Sit with Ivy for half an hour, and then with darling Laura, who is hilariously drunk by 10. She joins Bruno, Chris, Andy and myself for a series of dirty jokes - she comes out with several pearls of her own.

The laugh of the month came when Laura tells us that she has a 19 year-old pet rabbit who lives in the garden and drinks warm whisky on his daily helping of porridge! I die with laughter. Within minutes Marita confirms this tale, adding that the pet is also in the 'Guinness Book of Records'.

Alas, poor Laura, in her drunken state, accepts a lift from two strange men, and we don't see her again.

Marita was unmoved at the fact that Chris had finished with her. Indeed, she gave Chris, myself and Chris Ashton at lift to Andy's house. We leave at 11.10 and I stay the night at Chris's. Listen to Tamla, in bed, on headphones.

--==--

Sunday October 14, 1973

Wake up having had another dream about June. She had written to me asking me to forgive her. Me forgive her! My God it should be vice versa. I must have been a swine, a real swine!

A typical lazy Sunday. Andy doesn't ring about the swimming baths. John and I sit in the lounge listening to Jimmy Savile on the radio. Mother is preparing lunch and the girls do homework.

Later: after an excellent chicken lunch we watch Sidney Poitier in the film 'Lillies of the Field' - very amusing in places.

Chris rings at 7 o'clock. John decides to have a night out with Chris and Andy - females prohibited.

I stay at home and see a programme on tv about why we laugh, but the end result is more of a programme concerned with what we laugh at, completely different to what the title suggests.

Mum and Dad and the girls go to Pudsey at about 7.30 and do not return until about 1.30. I sit watching the tv until it closes down and then compile a letter to June asking her to see me again, and will post it tomorrow.

Do not get to sleep until about 2.30. I feel listless and completely useless really.

Oh dear. When John and Chris arrived at the Emmotts they encountered Marita, poor soul, and Laura. Chris hadn't told Marita he was going out. Chaos and pandemonium followed. The girls walked out. Is this the end of Chris and Marita? I do hope not. M is such a nice old girl.

--==--

Saturday October 13, 1973

Get up after 10 o'clock. Mother is complaining about the dilapidated condition of the bathroom - so without further pressure being placed upon us - John and I go up and begin decorating. We rub all the gloss paing from the walls, but when Dad comes home we all decide that perhaps the bathroom needs tiling and not painting. Mother also wants a shower fitted.

Mick Knowles and Lynne were married this morning. Christine was a bridesmaid.

Later. Chris rings. I tell him to go to Christine W's house at Yeadon for 8.30. John and I are with her at 8.15. Andy, Chris and Marita____arrive at 8.30. At 8.45 Marita, Chris, John and Christine W, leave for an unknown destination. _____.Andy and I go to the Emmotts where we meet Philip Cartwright, Ray, Steve Cottle, etc. We pile into cars and go to Bramhope, then to the pub where Brian and Valerie had their wedding reception in July. Sit joking and drinking until 11.10. Steve gives me a lift as far as Guiseley Swimming Baths. I walk home. Unknown to me Marita passes me in the other direction on Park Rd. On arrival home John says the 'foursome' had a good time at the Fox and Hounds in Menston.__________.

Later. See a good Cary Grant film. Bed at 1.40. What a fantastic evening we've had for a change. Andy and I may be going swimming at Guiseley baths tomorrow.

--==--

Letter from Christine Braithwaite {Postmark Oct 13, 1973}

Glenview
76, New Road Side
Horsforth
Leeds

Dear Mig,
Thanks for your letter. I only got it this morning - and the letter. Sorry about paper, but I didn't bring any proper notepaper with me. MM's sat writing to David and I'm supposed to be writing an essay, but I can't be bothered so I'll have to make yet another excuse. Well, I found your letter very exhilarating! In fact, it lifted me out of my hum-drum, kitchen-sink drama situation which I appear to be in. (Sorry, I'm in one of those moods ~ Oh!). Your diagrams were exceptionally explanatory, and your rules for terminating consumption of oil were ... dare I say it ...yes, I dare ....  were.....O.K!

There is one point I wish to elaborate on....
I WANT AN UMBRELLA FOR CHRISTMAS! I an cold, wet and hungry because I have been disarmed  of my brolly. Just cut along the dotted line and send a £1 note (no coins please) to the following address: "Glenview, 76, New Road Side, Horsforth, Leeds. <------- ..............="" cur="" here="" nbsp="">

However good your bargain for £89 may sound, I want a brolly!

Michael L. Rhodes I wish to present you with a writ demanding you to appear in court, on the morning of December 17. I am acting on behalf of a certain Miss C. Braithwaite, who is prosecuting you for liable (sic), insisting that, in one of your communcates (sic) to her you said, quote "have you given up the drink?" How could you say such a thing? How could you be so callous? How could you?

Philip and I (sorry, your Majesty) go out only on Fridays and Saturdays now, to try and save some money. We haven't been to the Queen's for ages. We might go down this Saturday though! On Saturday we're going into Leeds, and we might get the ring, I see one I like. We'll probably be getting engaged on December 29 (Saturday), which is the weekend between Christmas  and New Year! But we're not sure yet. When are you getting yourself hitched up then? June was up at school the other day, but she didn't stay long. Your poem referring to Irene (MacMahon\) and Andy Maud (that's the poor fools name!) was stupendous! A copy is contained herewith and within.

Some sad news Mig, please ....... whatever you are doing - stop it, your dirty beggar!....  No please sit down..... I have something to tell you .....are you ready? The Cow and Calf has closed! Arghh! It's now Samantha's and anyone who gets drunk is thrown out! I think the whole thing is positively disgusting - they should have asked us first. No, in fact, it was a bit of a dump, we only went so that we could get drunk - still memories will be nice - and of the Cow and Calf.

Well, must go now - got a lesson - write soon, and don't forget that £1 for my brolly!

Love

Christine (Your Honourable Madame Chairman)

-=-

Wednesday October 3, 1973

Got up at approximately 7.45. Realise that I have to complete a George III essay by Friday and therefore decide to take today off school and spend my time making notes ready for the essay: 'Was George III harshly treated by his critics?'

I sit in the dining room until nearly 1 o'clock whilst Dad presses his uniforms and tidies around in general. Not making much headway with my notes. Mother comes in from the hairdresser at 1.30. Uncle Harry rings at 2 and invites himself here for dinner tonight - I do like Uncle H tremendously. Mum and I have a laugh about Auntie Dorothy - who is on a lone walking holiday in Scotland this week - leaving Uncle Les and the children at home. What a nut that woman is indeed!

After lunch Mum and Dad go out.I play Rachmaninov's 2nd Piano Concerto on the stereo - at full volume. I feel like writing to June to tell her how much I love her and always will do. But it would do no good. She thinks nothing of me now.

Later: Uncle Harry arrives at 5.45 and eats meat and potato pie heartily. At 8.30, after an urgent telephone call from Chris, John and I go to the Fleece in Horsforth where Chris joins us at 9. We spend a very pleasant evening discussing the events of the past month or two.

--==--

Wednesday September 26, 1973

A very interesting afternoon at school where Maggie Edwards, Irene, MM and myself entertain six old age pensioners - all over the age of 80. They sit and tell us ancient anecdotes of how they lived in the 1890s. Believe it or not one old boy cycled from Rawdon to Sheffield four times a week! And this routine went on for about a year! How has he managed to survive for so long after such hard work?

See the tv in the evening. Chris rings at 8 o'clock and wants to know if I'm going out. I say 'no'. But I am tempted. He and Andy are going off somewhere - poor Marita is in bed with cold.

John and Dad went out driving until 8.30 - it's the first time John has been at the wheel, and I think I will have a go tomorrow.

See Harold Macmillan on tv talking about 1963 - his last year of premiership. What a tremendous fellow he is. It's a damn shame he cannot live another 50 years to further his aims. You can tell from the conversation that he was born 30 years too soon.

--==--

Tuesday September 25, 1973

A truly historic day. John is seventeen. And to think he's been a regular in the local pubs for 9 months now! When I was his age I didn't even go in off-licences. I was 17 and a half when I first crossed the threshold of the Emmotts - although, I did have a half of beer at the Hare and Hounds in Menston on Nov 5, 1970, aged 15.

Andy rings at 7.30. We meet him and Christine W at Rawdon traffic lights at 8. Go to the Queen's at 8.10. The place is almost deserted. Two large coal fires burn merrily in the grates. We enter a competition to guess the weight of a Tetley dray horse which is to be weighed in Leeds on November 18. MM arrives at 9.15. We sit until 10.30 - MM left on his own in the car at 10.15. We catch a 51 bus at about 10.40 - I almost fell to sleep on the back seat. John, Christine and I bid farewell to Andy and Chris at Rawdon - we walk down towards Yeadon. John takes Christine home and we have some fish and chips at Westfield. A 55 came at 11.20 and we were home for 11.45.

--==--

Sunday September 23, 1973

I told John this morning that I would NOT be going out tonight. "I must cut my drinking habit to a minimum" I said. He laughed because he knew I would be sitting in one pub or another before the hour had gone 9pm. How right he was! Oh yes indeed.

How I do loathe Sundays - the feeling of impending doom (Monday morning) always hangs over ones head.

In the afternoon Mum, Dad, Lynn and Sue go to Pudsey to see Auntie Hilda and Co.

John and I have baths and listen to 'Solid Gold 60' on Radio 1. My, doesn't time fly? Hard to believe that John Philip Rhodes is 17 on Tuesday. Will he receive a card from Christine W? I ask this because they always seem very cool with each other - not like June and I were. Miss White was born on a very historic occasion - the 25th birthday of Princess Margaret. On that day HRH was eligible to marry above the reach of the Royal Marriages Act 1772. The poor dear decided not to. I hope she doesn't regret it now.

Dave collects us at 8.30 and we go to the Queen's, where I am terribly bored. I miss June tremendously - I don't know why. Can she be worth it?

--==--


To be coninued

Saturday September 22, 1973

Get up at 11 o'clock. That nice fellow Captain Phillips celebrates his 25th birthday today. I suspect that His Grace will be a major-general before Christmas (joking really). But seriously, it must be a terrifying experience to know that one has a mere 8 weeks of sanity left. After November 14 he will cease to be a Wiltshire nonentity and assume the splendours of royalty.

At 1.30 we go to MMs and leave in the Datsun for Elland Road and Leeds United. George Best is missing from the Manchester United squad - he must still be undergoing strict training. Unfortunately, it is a 0-0 draw. Leeds were the better side throughout. MM is infuriated with the negative result. Brings me home in the rain. Mother and Father are visiting Uncle Bert and Auntie Jadwega in Nottingham.

I eat a massive amount of food and ring Chris at 7 o'clock. He and Marita have a date and are not coming out with us until later. Andy and Christine W are meeting John and I in the Yorkshire Rose between 8 and 8.30. What a rotten pub it is! Andy has been supping since 7.30. See Judith Rushworth, who I keep bumping into in weird places. What a laugh she is! At 9.10 Andy and I go to the Thistle Wines and buy 8 pints of beer and 4 lager. We get on the 9.20 55 bus with John and Christine W. We have a laugh with the bus conductor - who always jokes with Andy. Back at Pine Tops at 9.40. Christine White's first visit to Pine Tops. Play records and sup ale. Chris and Marita arrive at 11 o'clock. They had been to Dick Hudson's - a horrid tip. Lynn and Sue arrive home at 1.0 and the party goes on until 2.30. Aren't we having a gay time lately?

--==--

Sunday September 16, 1973

13th after Trinity. Wake up at about 10.30 to find myself in MMs morning room - on the floor. Poor Dave is also sprawled out near the stereo whilst John sleeps on the sofa. Dave wakes up and I climb into a chair and go back to sleep. Dave wakes me at 10.50 saying he cannot get out of the house. I look around a find a key - Dave is freed.

John and I play through MMs tapes. He gets up at 11.15 saying he was violently sick last night after going to sleep due to excessive alcohol. We make some breakfast. Hear on the 11.30 news that the old King of Sweden died last night. The old boy was ninety. MM brought John and I home at 12.0.

Later: Uncle Arnold, Auntie Janet and cousins Judith and Alison arrive at 7.45. Uncle Arnold puts so much emphasis on the unimportant things in life - i.e. examinations, examinations and more examinations, not forgetting examinations. Chris rang at 6.30 (with Andy listening in on his bedroom extension) - I played along with the game and they did not realise I knew he was listening in. We decide to go to the Queen's tonight. Ring Dave at 7. He picks John and I up at 8.30 - we collect Christine W at her house. Very enjoyable evening. MM and Linda arrived at 9 o'clock.

Uncle Arnold and family left at 11.30. I was home in bed for 12.0 o'clock.

--==--

Friday September 14, 1973

Awake at 7.30. Everyone leaves at 9.0 either for work or school. Uncle H going back to Wakefield.

I sit preparing my monarchy discussion until 11.30. Get the bus to school arriving at 12. I argue with Stott about funerals and the whole subject of people dying - he really is an uncultured brat.

Later: Christine and I hold our 6th form debate on the monarchy. Everyone dissolves when I say that the monarchy is good value for money compared with, say, the advertising for Kraft cheese slices - on which £7m per annum is spent. We cannot look at the monarchy is terms of tax payers money.

Later: John and I go to Chris's again. Find Andy preparing Chris's evening meal. Evidently, poor Chris is going on a pub crawl from work so before he even joins us he'll be stoned out of his tiny mind.

Another drunken escapade follows in the Fleece and we arrive back at Chris's house at 10.30 - after buying about 20 pints of beer at an off-licence. Very much like last Friday but minus Christine and Philip. Andy and I get awfully pissed and we both go buy some cigs at the machine outside Grandways at 4.30am. Whilst leaping over the large concrete plantpots Andy falls and hurts his ankle. I carry him back to Chris's - against his will. Chris and I bandage him up and then Chris makes John and I eggs and chips. Fall to sleep soundly until the following morning. Dave, the lucky blighter, was in a warm bed. I had the floor.

--==--

Sunday September 9, 1973

I awake on a very small sofa at the residence of Mr C.H. Ratcliffe and discover that I am still intoxicated. John and MM laugh at me. Chris is preparing a chicken for lunch in the kitchen. I proceed to polish off another pint of ale along with a coffee at the same time. My head feels terrible. The day is very hot and sticky and the sun is blinding me through the windows.

Evidently, between 4-6.0am I sat near the stereo wearing Chris's headphones crying like a baby whilst listening to a Tamla Motown LP. I dislike Tamla, but it wasn't the cause of my distress - it was my devastation over the loss of June, made much worse by the exessive alcohol. I yelled for two hours solidly!

The party was really fantastic and poor Dave, who has never been in such a state before, went home on the bus with his trousers all covered in vomit. Andy left at 8.15 this morning - poor soul.

MM goes at 1pm and then John and I catch a bus. I feel really sick, still wearing my 'Teddy Killer' T-shirt I board the 1.30 33 bus - all other passengers clad in best Sunday clothes. Spend the remainder of the day relaxing quietly.

Rang Mother at 1.0pm from Chris's and she says Dad spent the night with Grandad, who is critical. They go back at 6pm. Uncle Harry rings at midnight to say he died at 11.50 pm. Although I was not even fond of him I cannot help feeling rather sad. Bed 12.15.

--==--

Saturday September 1, 1973

Get up at 11.55. Christine rang at 12.0. It tell her that at 4 o'clock this morning Dave and I flattened the battery of his car due to parking on the moor with the headlights on full beam in a sorry attempt to locate her bracelet. I assured C that we revived the car successfully.

At 1.0 I went to Leeds to be photographed for the college of education bods. The photos look groggy. Home by 3.0 after buying the 'Amateur Photographer' which contained royal photos of, and by, the Royal Family. See film - 'The Barretts of Wimpole Street'. Beef for dinner.

Later: John, who is now very attached to Christine White, accompanies me to the Queen's, where we are joined by her, Philip, Christine, Mick and Lynne. They stay until 10.0. John, Christine W, and I go home on the 10.30 bus. After depositing C at Yeadon, John and I go on to the nicest fish and chip shop in Guiseley. Walk home with Dobby - an old friend of Johns. Home by 12 o'clock. Seee a rather thrilling film. Bed for 1.15. An early start tomorrow.

Christine was very amused at last night. Thank Goodness, because she was so upset at the time.

--==--