Saturday June 14, 1975

The great day here again. Dad wakes us at 5am and after consuming one cup of tea between the two of us we chase down the lane, John driving the cortina of course, to the Station Hotel, where we wait for the coach to London. This is the fourth consecutive trip to the Trooping the Colour I've been on - '72, '73, '74 and '75. John has accompanied me on the last three.

Besides being the Queen's official birthday it is also David's 20th. I have despatched a card to Worcester conveying my best wishes. Knowing poor David, he'll hate the thought of waving bye bye to his teens, but it comes to all of us in the end.


We mount the coach and off and away. We aim to meet Chris outside the Odeon opposite Hyde Park Corner at 10am. Alas, this is not to be. The ruddy thing catches fire or something (the coach) and we are sat in a lay-by from 6.30 until 8. The horror of knowing at 10am that Chris was waiting for us when we were still 50 miles from London just ruined everything. John slept all the way, and I felt hideously tired.

Get into London at 11.25 or something and we go straight to the palace where we see the Queen return from the Trooping. The Queen Mother and Princess Margaret and all the rest were in open landaus as usual. I could hardly enjoy any of it in the state I was in. Sweating like a pig, and weak at the knees. It was so hot, humid and cloudy too.

At 1pm after the (RAF) flypast we staggered to Carnaby Street (via the tube of course) where we had a few drinks (me on coke) until 3. We then rang home to get Chris's hotel phone number and then contacted the hotel leaving a message telling Chris to meet us at the Tiger Bar before 9pm, when we would have to leave.

At about 4 o'clock I was too tired to do anything other than lay down, and so we made our way to the Tower. At first we sat on a bench opposite HMS Belfast, but I couldn't keep my eyes open. We both went to the garden of rest, a memorial for all the merchant seamen killed in the two World Wars, and I slept soundly for an hour. At 6 we went in to the Tiger Bar, where I had a few pernods, cokes and tomato juices. MET CHRIS AT 8O'CLOCK. Success at last! We handed over the £180 holiday money and had a few more drinks. Our coach left at 9pm. But at least we achieved our aim. I'd given up hope of ever seeing Chris at all.

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Thursday September 19, 1974

Rise at 11.15 after a very comfortable night. Excuse the condition of my writing but I have no fountain pen with me and I'm having to make do with one of Sheila's biros.

Very warm and sunny day. One of the best since we arrived here. Forgot to mention in yesterday's entry that Denny and I went to Buckingham Palace (18th) to see George III's collection of pictues and other items of historical interest. Fancy, actually setting foot in Buck House!

Go into Windsor where I have my hair cut in a new place called Franco's. The chap spoke little English and cut my hair in a fashion he thought fit. It looks quite pleasant and Denny agrees it doesn't look bad at all. We go to the castle (again) and into the state apartments (again). It's amazing how much more you manage to see the second time around. Saw the bullet that killed Lord Nelson at Trafalgar displayed in a glass case in one of the castle chambers.

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Wednesday September 18, 1974

Brilliant day. Denny and I are up and out by 8.15 and are in London by 10am.

Very wam morning and we stand outside Buckingham Palace where a large crowd is assembled to watch the changing of the guard. A very impressive scene with the Welsh Guards follows. We go by tube to the Tower of London, where a Yeoman warder rumages through Denny's handbag looking for bombs and grenades. Have a guided tour before seeing the Crown Jewels again. the Imperial StateCrown is the ultimate in beauty.

See from the newspapers (hanging about the place) that we are going to the polls on October 10. Denny and I move on to Downing Street where a large crowd of BBC, Thames TV and ITV cameras are displayed awaiting the arrival of Mr Wilson or some other worthies. See Lady Falkender arrive and capture the event on camera for posterity. Get the tube to Westminster and stare at Big Ben and the new statue of Sir Winston Churchill which is an unsightly object. Quite exhausted we go back to Victoria and get the train to Windsor arriving back at 7.

Go for a pizza at the restaurant near Queen Victoria's statue at the head of Peascod Street and leave 10 minutes later after scoffing loads of the stuff. Sit in front of the TV all evening with John and Sheila seeing "Steptoe and Son" which gets more and more hilarious each time the series is churned out. Get some beer in from the Copper Horse pub and feel drowsy in front of the gas fire. Not at all surprised about the election date...

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Saturday September 14, 1974

Up at 6.30 with Lynn. Denny and I are thrilled at the prospect of spending a week in Windsor. Leave with suit cases &c, for Bradford at 7.30.

Pleasant morning and it becomes warm and sunny as the day progresses. Leave Bradford for London at 8.15. We stop at Leicester on the way and buy a copy of 'Forum' magazine which deals with all the sexual aspects of life. Some really filthy letters are published herein by perverted readers.

Get coach from London to Windsor passing close to Heathrow where Denny is thrilled at the sight of the 'planes. Arrive at beautiful Windsor at 3 and go immediately to Sheila's with the luggage. Uncle Harry comes shortly later and we discuss details of the weeks schedule over a cup of coffee.

Uncle Harry takes Denny and I for a quick tour round Windsor, taking in the Great Park and Stoke Poges (joke). Back for a sizeable meal and then we all go on to the Bierkeller where Harry and Denny become quite fresh. Really hysterical evening and John was on the receiving end of half a pint of Denny's lager which accidentally slipped through her fingers in the mad crush. When Uncle Harry had absorbed his share he disappeared when it was time for us to go.

Go back to John's where Uncle Harry eventually turns up. We take a few photos with a flash cube and depart to our appointed places of sleep.


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Saturday October 20, 1973

Awakened at 6am by Mrs Ratcliffe. A very cold morning - typical autumn. Waiting outside the Fleece at 6.45, after breakfast of bacon and mushrooms, and it's dark until 7.05. MM is given a lift to the Fleece at 7.10 by his father. The coach arrives not long after. As usual, the seats are far too close together and my knees and neck have to suffer a gruelling 4 hours agony.

Feel very nostalgic when the coach stops in Leicester - it was here where June and I stopped on our way to see the 'Trooping of the Colour' in June.

Arrived London at about 12.30. MM rushes off to Earls Court where he promised to meet Dave at 12. Of course, David didn't turn up, and MM wandered around the Motor Show until 4.30 when he bumped into Philip Cartwright loitering near the Range Rovers.

Andy, John, Chris, Bruno, and myself go to the Tiger Bar on Tower Hill for a so-called lunch which lasts until 2.0. Beer and ham butties - super. By 2.30 we are at the Motor Show after a tiring journey on the underground, where I was accosted by an undesirable gentleman. The puff got off at Kensington, which was of great relief to me.

Spend three hours viewing the new motors. The Rolls were adorable - especially the Rolls Royce Corniche convertable. At 5 we all rushed to Piccadilly - absolutely starved to death. Bruno is on the verge of collapse. By 6 we are settled in a good restaurant - but the service was terrible. The lights of Piccadilly are fantastic - I've never seen London on a night before. Well, I have, so to speak, but that was in 1968, and I don't remember much.

At 8 we are back in the Tiger Bar. To my knowledge I drank five Pernods, four Cinzanos, 1 whisky and a pint - you won't believe it, but I wasn't even drunk. Chris wasn't feeling too well and he was also quite sober. Everyone else was quite gone.

Saw a beautiful tart, almost naked, dancing to "Ooh That Lady" by the Isley Brothers. She was in a cage suspended in the air.

The singing on the coach was amusing but disgusting - all the other passengers were sober and our party was something of an embarrassment. Photographed at Leicester. Meanwhile, Philip C was sick on the coach - but it was the very pleasant smell of pure Pernod!

Back in Horsforth for 4am. Deep, deep sleep.

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Saturday July 14, 1973

Awake at about 5.30. A fantastically comfortable night. By 6.30 we are in the centre of London. Denny wanted to see Buckingham Palace but the coach avoided the Mall by about 100 yards. Pull into Victoria Coach Station shortly afterwards.

We go into a terrible cafe called The Chuck Wagon. Denny felt sick with the smell of it. John, who felt sick before going in, came out greatly improved. We carried the luggage up the road to Victoria Railway Station. Denny has never been on a train before in her whole life!

On board the train we meet the Cosmos crowd for the first time. We board the 'Princess Elizabeth' just after 9 o'clock. Sail for France at 9.45. A beautiful, calm crossing. See Ostende on the horizon at about 1 o'clock. Unbearably hot weather already. We are all very excited. Sit with Denny as we dock. By 3 we have been introduced to the Cosmos courier, Mary Ann, and we board the sleek coach and we are on our way across Europe...Belgium, Germany, Austria....


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Saturday June 2, 1973

Twentieth anniversary of the Coronation of the Queen. John wakes me at 4.30. Have a cold wash whilst he fills the flasks of coffee. Sun rising in the sky - a fabulous day. Arrive at the Station Hotel, Guiseley, 5.15. The coach collects us at 5.30. June gets on at Horsforth at 5.55. Beautiful journey down. Arrive London 10am. We three make our way to Buckingham Palace. Sun is now red-hot. Very large, colourful crowds on the Mall and Constitution Hill. Stand to the right of the Victoria Memorial. See the Queen Mother, Duchess of Gloucester, Princess Margaret, Princes Andrew and Edward, Lord Snowdon, Viscount Linley and Lady Sarah Armstrong-Jones leave for Horse Guards Parade in open landaus. Very clear view. See Her Majesty and Prince Philip leave. Have a laugh with the local police and speak to an old dear who was standing in the same place and saw HM leave for her coronation 20 years ago today. Took photographs of the Royal Family on the balcony. Leave the palace at 2 and to see the statue of Eros in Piccadilly. Go to the Tower of London and look around until 6. Go to Trafalgar Square for tea. June throws sandwiches at the pigeons, and we look around the fountains, etc. Go back to the Tower where June and I queue for an hour to see the Crown Jewels - beautiful. I last saw them in 1967. Also go round the armoury - I don't like that sort of stuff but June does. Go to Downing Street and see the Serpentine then walk back to the monument of "The Grand old Duke of York". Go back to the Tower and sit outside a new pub. John and I have beers and June has a Britvic. Coach comes at 8.55. Leave at 9. Stop at Leicester at 11 - John, June and I photographed in a booth - hysterical! Arrive home 1.30. Lynn enjoyed working for me. Tell Mum and Dad about our adventures. Go to bed at 2am.


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Tuesday March 20, 1973

What a day! Awoke at 7.30. Mum was tearing round the house screaming with excitement. She's won a day trip to London with £50 to spend on clothes. She entered a fashion competition in the Yorkshire Evening Post. She can hardly believe it. She was still chasing around in a mad panic when I left for school accompanied by Lynn and Alison at 8.20. It's the first time that Mum has won anything. She travels to London on Tuesday April 3.

Christine Braithwaite and MM were fun at school this morning. June arrived at 9.30. Just before she arrived Mrs Harris came in to say that June's file is missing, going on to say: "June is floating four feet above the ground at the moment, and cannot be bothered to find her file". What was Mrs Harris implying by this remark?

During Mrs Lane's 1st lesson I was reading my book on the History of Modern France 1800-71. Napoleon III was certainly a comical chap, and the historians do tend to "over do" his greatness somewhat. But what else can they do when they're doing the bloke's biography?

At lunchtime June and I made our usual excursion to Rigg's. The weather is really beautiful. Tomorrow is the first day of Spring. Passing the telephone box in Rawdon I had the idea of ring Mum saying I was Norman Hartnell seeking her sound fashion advice! June persuaded me to do otherwise.

Mrs Lane's afternoon lesson was very interesting. Liz Clapham, Mrs Lane's only lower 6th pupil came into our lesson to hear us discuss Chartism and its achievements. The first reaction is that chartism achieved nothing, which narked Mrs Lane. Her theory is this:-

Parliamentary Reform 1832 --->enabled the growth of chartism 1830s/40s/50s (a bit thin aint it?) - - -> model trade unions and working class organisations 1850s/60s - - - >Parliamentary Reform 1867 - - - >led to the Ballot Act 1872 - - - >etc

In the last 2 lessons we had our usual orgy of fun, frolic and excitement. Denise sold me a piece of liquorice stick, which I haven't seen in years. Dave also had some. June and I made our usual trek to the bus stop. My bus came at 4.50. We kissed goodbye.

Had tea and went to work. Home at 12 midnight. Very tired.

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