Friday January 10, 1975

My first drinking session in what seems like several decades. Go to the Hare as usual with Lynn, John and Mr Baker. Joined by Keith, Helen, Andy and Linda, and the semi-human slag heap herself _____. Had a few minutes hysteria with Miss Christine Dibb concerning my patchouli oil. She says I've gone freaky and have 'crept out of my shell before the world is quite ready for me'. Such a perfect scattering of wit I have yet encountered.

Came home from the YP tonight on the same bus as Phyllis Whitethighs. She kept having to nudge me to stop deathly unconsciousness creeping upon me.

Unfortunately, everyone has undergone a severe set back, mentally, since last week, when they all rushed to Wikis, regardless of a lack of monetary reserves, and categorically refuse to entertain ideas about inhabiting the highly favoured nightclub this night. Miserable buggers they are. I think ____ overheard me refer to her as a 'cow and a half', which didn't do much for our declining diplomatic relations. Her little boyfriend gets me down with his obnoxious large grin and crawling expressions. Something really should be done to curtail his activities as a living human being.

Home at 11pm to see the 1935 version of 'The Scarlet Pimpernel'. Very good considering.

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Friday November 15, 1974

Quite busy at the YP. Mrs Collis rings in the morning to say Sarah is ill in bed. My delightful Sarah unwell!
Later: Have a fantastic time in the Commercial after starting off at the Hare & Hounds of course. Lynn and Dave, Carol, Phyllis Whitethighs, Keith, John and myself all stood in a bundle near the bar, laughing and joking. Phyllis kept saying it was her 19th birthday. I kissed her that number of times on the lips, and so did Keith, but he really did believe it was her birthday, so he's got some excuse at least. I drink campari and lager until we get to Wikis when I switch to bitter, which is quite putrifying. Very boring at Wikis, and I'm sick of seeing ______trying to grab all she can get in the idiotic stupor she's regularly in these days. To avoid the hideousness of drunken females I switched tables and sat until 2am with little Helen Willis, and three other unknown couples. Gillian Barker was of course near at hand. At 2 I escorted Helen to the door, but conveniently having no coat I am unable to walk her home. It's a cold night and I obtain a lift with John - Christine Dibb occupying the back seat. John and I argue about drinks on our arrival home and we wake Mama from her slumbers. She's not at all pleased by our disturbing conversation. Bed at 2.30.

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Tuesday October 22, 1974

When we were in Windsor, Denny confided in me that 'the gang' would begin to dissolve within a couple of months of our return. That was said in mid-September, and now I do believe her prophecy is coming true. No longer can 'the gang' be seen each weekend in the Hare & Hounds, and gone is the familiar chink of beer glasses, rising above the drunken laughter in the smoke-filled grotto at Wikis. Phyllis Whitethighs is deeply in love with a 'shady' character from York; John is involved (as you are aware) with Carol; then Andy is with Linda; Chris is in a deep financial mess at the moment and won't probably be back on his 'drinking' feet until the New Year. Poor Marita loves MM and refuses to associate with any of us; and Denny hates the idea of me going out with Lynne and doesn't want to associate with me at the moment. So it's all coming true. The happy family is no more. It may re-assemble when we all tire of our lovers but until that day comes the Hare & Hounds will never be the same again.

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Monday October 21, 1974

Nothing to report today. Saw TV all night, and I was joined in this enthralling entertainment by John and Carol. Poor Miss Smith _______________.I can really hear the gentle clatter of wedding bells this time. Admittedly, I also heard the jingle when Miss Phyllis Whitethighs was in the running, but they (the bells) were not half as loud as the ones which ring in my ears at this moment in times. Poor old girl. She is obviously unaware of the real character of my dear brother, otherwise she'd have emigrated to the Belgian Congo many weeks ago.

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Friday October 11, 1974

Back at the YP as usual. Surprised that Harold (Wilson) will not be seeing the Queen, who is still at Balmoral, to accept her invitation to form a government. But really, I suppose he has been Prime Minister throughout, and it would have only been necessary for him to see the Queen had he been defeated. HM must have been quite confident of a Labour victory because no plans were laid, or any attempt made, for her to return to London.

Go to Otley at 8, and meet Lynne (Mather) at half past. Acutely cold evening and we go into the pub close to the Victoria Memorial Clock. Stay till 10.30. Lynne is a very nice girl, though she reminds of June in many ways, & doesn't like going out in a crowd, which is unfortunate really. At 11, after seeing her safely onto a bus, I go to Wikis, where all the mob except Chris and Phyllis Whitethighs are assembled. Even Laura and Philip Cartwright. Get quite fresh.

See Sarah whos says her hair-do cost her £8 at Vidal Sassoons in Leeds! Bloody madness. John and Carol bump into Dave Slater and he proceeds to buy bottles of champagne and Bacardi, &c. Naturally, John and Carol become quite intoxicated. Dave Slater was already pissed up to the eye balls. We decide to come back to Pine Tops, and Dave drives me in the Bentley - a memorable journey to be sure. Sit till after 3.30.

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Wednesday August 21, 1974

Yes, my eye is much better this morning, thank you. Bright, clear day. Both Phyllis Whitethighs and Her Royal Highness The Princess Margaret celebrate birthdays today.

To the Hare & Hounds at 8.15 with Lynn and John. Lynn wears her new Marilyn Monroe-style pullover. All the crowd are within by 8.30. I go home with David B to collect some records which he lent me when we were at his place two weeks ago, then we come back to the Hare. Denny brings me a new single 'Queen of Clubs' by KC and the Sunshine Band and lends me a James Brown LP. MM and Marita come in and ____. Denny seeks refuge in the charms of Graham Pease, who takes her to distant places. Don't really know why Denny and ____.

Phyllis drinks approximately ten shorts before landing flat on her face in the Hare's car park. A frantic departure and Andy, Linda, Carol and Phyllis go home - the remainder coming back to Pine Tops for a coffee. David B is quite attached to Lynn and I harbour secret hopes of a future romance. Bed at midnight. Good day really.

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Monday August 19, 1974

After the weekend I will never again _________.Wake at 7.30. YP very interesting. Carol, Sarah and I decide to go out for a drink one lunchime later in the week, and decide to make a regular habit of it. Believe it or not, I am now attracted to Sarah more than ever and can forsee the possibility of a future relationship.

File some pictures of the Duchess of Gloucester and decide once and for all that she is now the sex symbol of the Royal Family. Of course, most Danes are fair haired and pretty. That Prince Richard certainly knew what he was doing when he got her down the aisle.

Home at 6. Sit listening to 'Gypsy Man' by War whilst eating a salad, trying to avoid the arguing of John and Mama in the lounge - quarrellng over the serious business of buying and selling cars.

I must remember to buy Phyllis Whitethighs a birthday card for Wednesday August 21. Lynn is to accompany the mob to the Hare to join in the festivities of this joyous occasion - should be fun.

See TV all evening including a programme about the history of the Labour party which was very interesting. See on the news that the U.S. ambassador to Cyprus was assassinated in Nicosia last night. A sticky international situation may well arise from this atrocity. No one rings me by 9 o'clock and I give up hope of outside contact tonight.

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Saturday August 10, 1974

Mum gets John and I up at 7.30. To the YP for 9. Pleasant morning at work. I file a lot on President Ford and poor old Nixon.

Darling Denny rings me at about 10.30 enquiring about tonight's arrangemnts for the Scarborough trip. I ask her what she feels like this morning, being drunk last night, and she informs me that Peter Mather look he back to his place until nearly 5am. We laugh. Finish work by 11.30 and come straight home. Lunch with __ and laugh at the holiday photographs which the girls took in Spain. Poor Susan spent £5 having 40 of them developed.

See in the Airedale & Wharfedale Observer that Barbara Woodhead married last weekend. God Bless her. My favourite girlfriend is off the market, and I do suppose that type of female has now gone into complete extinction.

John and I go to the White Swan in Yeadon at 6.15, where Denny, Chris and Pete soon follow. Sit until almost 7 without seeing anyone we know. All the crowd are dressed in casual jeans and things and we feel rather stupid, Chris, Denny, John and Pete and I that is , being garbed in our Buckingham Palace garden party type outfits. On coach at 7.10 and leave for Scarbrough, which seems too far away to go just for an evening. On our arrival everyone goes to the pub except Denny and I who go find a fish and chip shop in the backstreets.At 10.20, having had nothing to drink at all, we go to the Penthouse Disco, which is the roughest place I've ever been to and even Denny says she will never criticise Wikis again. However, they play some fantastic music and we manage to enjoy ourselves without consuming any vast quantity of ale or spirits at all (see next page). Denny and I go for a walk on the beach at about 1.30am and we are forced to return quite early due to the drizzle which soaks us thoroughly. The walk certainly brought Denny from her semi-coma, and we were quite cheerful when we arrived back a the Penthouse. The others joined us at 2am in a shop doorway here we sheltered from the rain. Phyllis Whitethighs (our new name for Christine W) was an absolute bore all evening and shouldn't have bothered coming in that kind of mood. Coach at 2.30am - home by 5am. Terrible cramp in my stomach and no sleep until 7am.

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