Wednesday May 18, 1977

A good Spring day combined, sadly, with diarrhoea. A sad sentence to have to compile, but very true.

Marita brought me as far as Rawdon in her mini and when I told her I'd been out with Carole on Thursday she went into raptures saying how perfect we are together and that I haven't looked as happy since May '76.

Tonight Tony and I went out and said that I - for twelve months - had given the appearance of being thoroughly bored by the company and that my face always held a look of far-off expectation. Is all this a big publicity campaign paid for by Carole?

Tony came up at 8.30 and we bumped into Pete Lazenby on Park Road and out of courtesy we accompanied him to Guiseley Working Mens' Club. Nice, cheap lager, but oh the people. Honestly, I'm no snob and no one likes good honest people more than me but the sight of the people therein is ghastly. As though they're hating every minute - just waiting for the sirens to go off summoning then back to the factory floor.

Stone Trough

On to the Stone Trough until 10.30. A completely dead place. Even the juke plays at a whisper. Later Tony comes back home for a cup of tea and egg mayonnaise sandwiches. We discus phases one, two and three and I insist that they were started by the Heath government in 1973.

Janet Land is visiting Lynn.



-=-

Monday March 7, 1977

Went to Rawdon to see revolting Hough about my teeth, but he had no knowledge of my appointment. Stupid eohippus. Not wishing to waste my journey I went to see Marita, who was sat in front of the TV. She startled me by saying she was going to dancing lessons tonight and rocked me to my very foundations even more by saying MM is virtually a qualified dancing teacher. Latin American and all that!  Blimey, he's kept that quiet.

A typical day in French Revolution Paris.

Returned to Guiseley by 6 and passed a thoroughly ordinary evening at home. Well, not quite as ordinary as I would have liked it to be. Mum, Dad and Lynn became somewhat aggravated - heated - call it what you will, when I announced I was intending visiting Mr 'Tammy Wynette' Osborne, manager of the Yorkshire Bank, to obtain a loan. I was immediately declared to be on the path to ruination. Mum seemed to be beside herself with passion invoking the name of Uncle ______ as an example of how I might end up, They were successful in talking me out of seeking a bank loan for the time being, but for a while the scene was somewhat reminiscent of a typical day in French Revolution Paris.

Saw Clint Eastwood in 'A Few Dollars More' and had a hot bath at bewitching hour. Read until 1.30.



-=-

Wednesday September 29, 1976

CB rings to say she is the proud owner of an automobile. A Triumph 1300 to be precise. Arrange to go out for a drink at 8pm.

[Hold on a bloody minute the lot of you. Mr Michael Rhodes took the day off to do a spot of decorating and of course to see Miss Lynne Mather off from Yeadon on her trip to good old Spain. She flew off at 9.30 in something of a misty spell. Won't be back until Saturday week.]

CB and I go for a drink to a dead Hare & Hounds and then onto to Emmott Arms where Keith Brown is behind the bar dishing up ale. Half an hour in that God forsaken hole was enough, but, to our horror, we find we are trapped in the carpark by another car. CB attempts to manoevre the machine through a gap in a stone wall whilst I go back into the bar to find the owner of the offending vehicle. On returning to the carpark I'm almost overcome by the fumes of burning rubber and masonry, and can see from CB's face that all is far from well. "I've scratched the bloody car", she yells, and with that we rocket off to the Fox & Hounds. As well as a scratch she's managed to unhinge the bloody car door. To the Hare for the last one and home at 1045. CB drives off with her car door flapping.

Molly and Jim are just leaving with John after visiting Maria in Hyde Terrace. At midnight Molly is on the phone saying Maria is in labour! At last! At 1am, or so, John, Mum, Molly and Jim go off to Leeds again. Poor John of course is car-less at the moment. Lynn and I sit waiting for news. By 5am I am too tired to keep awake and fall into a nervous unconsciousness on the settee.

-==-

Wednesday December 10, 1975

The old Duchess of Windsor will regard this day as a special day I think. 39 years ago, the King of England packed his bags and left his country in order to win her heart. He could have reigned long and happily with her as his mistress but he would stop at nothing short of the altar. A proud old thing she really should be.

Don't hear from Carole during the day and at 7.30 John drives me up to Sarah's where we buy some of her fantastic pieces of pottery. I never imagined she was such a good, creative little thing. Spend £4 on her wares and come away entirely satisfied. Saw the new little dog, Lucy. So incredibly small. It will go through life pampered, spoiled and its every whim attended to. ___________________.

We call in at the Emmotts where Eric goes wild with excitement. Always make us welcome, they do. Even old Ivy remembered us.

Straight down to Carole's where she's quiet and surly. We go over to the Hare for an hour and then back to her place. I got the last bus, and she cheered up before I left. Sometimes she is so uncontrollable and bad tempered.

--==--

Sunday March 9, 1975

4th Sunday in Lent. Reflections: Chris was a bit grotty to begin with last night, which is quite understandable, but he pulled round later on. Christine broke the news to him yesterday lunchtime, but he realised what the intention of her calling was before the fateful words had escaped her venomous lips. How long will she last with Gary? Is my love for her a remnant of those Halcyon days and hot Indian summer nights at Benton Park Grammar School? Yes, I think it might be.

Up at 12.30 to be told by Mummy that her Mother's Day present is about 15 sizes too small. Susan and Peter are to blame, and they receive the full weight of my wrath when we assemble after lunch. Roast beef and Yorkshire pudding for lunch and see the edited version of the Royal visit to Mexico on TV afterwards.

Lynn and Dave come over he settles down to fiddle with his car on the drive. Last night I realised what a jealous person Mr Baker really is. In the seating arrangements at Wheels Lynn was placed between Dave and Chris. After chatting with Chris for a while Dave was seen to drain of all colour and become very abrupt. Things improved later, but it just goes to show how many types of people it takes to make a world.

Helen Lockyer rings up later to see if I'm going out. I say I'll ring her back later but I know what the answer will be. Yes.

Ring Chris after tea but he's still in mourning for Christine and doesn't feel like going out anywhere. Dave B and Peter stayed for tea, and we had quite a laugh really.

To the Hare and Hounds with John and Naomi. Christine comes with Gary and they're all over each other at the bar. Helen comes in at 8.30 and the two of us stand at the bar for a couple of hours. Back to her place at see the last 35 minutes of an Edward G. Robinson film. Home in her car at midnight.

-==-

Saturday December 7, 1974

YP until 4. Doesn't feel like a Saturday at all. The papers are full of the 'plane crash in Rawdon last night, in which eight men died. I wondered what all the fuss was as I passed through Rawdon. Never seen so many ambulances in one place at once.

Kathleen had a go at me this morning about doing a days' work! I sit biting my tongue because if anyone does two days work in one day it's Mr Bloody Michael Bloody Rhodes!

Do filing till 4, then attempt to get a bus home, which I do successfully at 5.30. All the buses are packed out and I don't fancy having to use West Yorkshire transport after my pass expires on Dec 21. It's back to the trains for me.

Dog tired on my arrival at Pine Tops and sleep in the chair whilst the TV moans miserably in the background. John, Lynn and Dave Baker go with the crowd to Philip Cartwright's annual Conservative Christmas orgy - attended by the Right Honourable Giles Shaw, MP no less.

I see a film with Mum and Dad and sit with a glass of horrid sherry and a packet of Polish cigs. Bed at about 12. Makes a changing staying within the precincts of ones own home.

-==-

Saturday September 7, 1974

As I've already said, we were attacked by savage wasps whilst listening to the Ed Stewart Show. Fortunately, Chris found some fly killer in the caravan and we managed to keep them off us whilst we got dressed.

Make breakfast much to the disgust of Linda, who wanted an extra 10 minutes in bed with Andy. Chris takes the three of us into Grassington for the afternoon, where the torrential rain lashed down upo us.

Buy several necessities of food, like cocktail cherries, and manadarin oranges. Also buy on impulse, a large feather duster - don't ask me why.

Go into a pub for lunch and meet a bloke who dwells at Rawdon, who was far too familiar with us for comfort - even going so far of offer us beds in his caravan if the weather continues to worsen. Andy labelled him a queer from the start, but I just think he was being slightly over-friendly.

Stagger round the camp-site in a gale force wind, glass of martini in one hand, trying to secure the tent, which unfortunately rips open in a sudden surge of wind. The destroyed tent renders us homeless for the night. Peter offers us all beds in the caravan which we gratefully accept (good of him I'm sure). Back on a pub-crawl again where I fall foul to the lure of fruit machines which Dave Lawson introduced me to. Good evening & then back to the caravan feeling full of cold, no doubt caught off Chris. Everyone in the caravan except Andy, Linda, Ray and Gill. Carol Smith and Christine Whitethighs get drunk and fight like cats in the night.

-==-

Monday July 29, 1974

Rise at 7.30. To the YP by bus from Green Bottom. Didn't fancy the train today. Awful day at work and decide to leave. I want to do something interesting with my life and filing photos of politicians from El Salvador isn't what I call thrilling.

To Marita's at 5.30. Sit on the doorstep till she comes home at 5.40. Take up the carpet in her bedroom whilst she cooks the tea for Denny and myself, who arrives shortly after 6. MM comes at 7 and begins scraping the walls - quite efficient at decorating he is.______.Have a good laugh and do quite a bit of work until 10. MM has a wash whilst Denny, bless her, and Marita, go for fish and chips. Spill tomato sauce all over my shirt much to everyone's amusement. Leave Marita's at 10.45. Bed before 11.

-==-

Wednesday July 10, 1974

Very wet and cold day. YP until 12, and manage to get a bus straight to the Emmotts, where I get a pint of Guinness and wait for Denny. She rings at 1 and says her bus didn't arrive, and that she'll have to wait for the next one at 2. I sit in the bar drinking on my own and get through a lot more ale than I intended. Dear Denny rings at 2 and says the same story about no bus coming to her bus stop. I then say I'll go the farm with a bottle of something, and we can then celebrate her 18th birthday from then onwards. Buy a bottle of Martini Rosso at Rawdon Co-op and proceed to stagger onto a Harrogate bus, worse for alcohol, and with the unwrapped bottle of Martini in my clutches. Arrive at Denny's at about 3pm. In 2 hours we drink all the Martini, the 2 of us, and then make a start on her 'duty free' brandy. At 5 o'clock we fall on the floor, unable to retain our balance or sense of perspective. I am almost hysterical when she says______. I accidentally smashed the telephone, and we attempted to sober ourselves by drinking gallons of coffee and eating piles of cheese on toast. Go to the Hare at about 9 - still terribly drunk and wet through with rain. Drink Pernod and lager. MM and Marita come. Mr Akroyd brings John and me home at 10.45. The Gadsbys are here.

-==-

Friday March 15, 1974

My half-day again. At 12 I leave Leeds for Rawdon where I intend to entertain Christine, who celebrates her 18th birthday tomorrow. I sat on the upper deck of the 33 laughing to myself at the thought of Christine's face when she sees the hideous present I've got for her. But still, not many people receive whales for 18th birthday presents. Arrive at BP at 12.30. Give Christine her whale at 12.45 - she quite likes it - much to everyones amusement. How I managed to last out in that horrid place I will never know. Left at 1.30 just in time to get the 55 bus. Home in 30 minutes.

-=-

Saturday December 15, 1973

Go to Leeds with John. See nothing worth buying. Snow in Guiseley and extremely cold.

Later: rush down the lane to get a bus to the Woodside Tavern where I'm meeting Tiff and Martin V-B. Miss the soddin' thing. Go to the off-licence in Guiseley and buy a bottle of apricot wine in a whisky bottle. Get the 33 bus to Horsforth. Call in to see Chris then find Pam's house. Vilma, with her boyfriend, a cheery, bookish lower 6th female, and Pam are the only guests. Judith Lea arrives ten minutes later. Martin, Tiff and Andy Barrett arrive at about 10. Andy B and Judith Lea begin with the orgy. Pam and I make ice-cream for the dinner party - and what a bloody dinner party it was! Never have I seen so much food on one table! Martin and me toast everyone we can think of - for about an hour.

Later. Very much later.We leave for home suitably stashed up with bottles. Martin and I walk towards Rawdon wearing little green police helmets. At the crematorium we get a lift. I get out at Guiseley baths. Home by 2.45. A very good laugh. Especially Martin's impersonation of Tommy Cooper.

--==--

Saturday December 1, 1973

Mum gets me up at about 7.30 and I walk into Guiseley at 8 to catch the train to Leeds at about 8.20. A beautiful morning and the sun shines brilliantly, but the snow still refuses to melt.

Mum rings me at the YP at about 11.30 to tell me that John will join me in Leeds at about 12.30. Miss Went lets me go at about 11.50 - and I wander around WH Smiths - Leeds is packed out with Christmas shoppers all in a panic because it is now December. I buy a coat for £13.50.

Very hungry. Arrive home at about 2.0. A nice lunch, then John and I play records until nearly 6 o'clock. See Bruce Forsyth and 'The Generation Game'.

Telephone Chris who says he's going to the Emmotts and then on to Andy's - I say I'll join him. Go to the Emmotts at 8.30 where I sit with Philip Cartwright until 9. Chris and Andy went to Philip's last night and were rendered inoperably drunk - one of Mrs Cartwright's best tables was ruined. Anyway, a crowd gathers and at about 10 o'clock we all go down to Andy's with a pile of bottles ranging from ale to Southern Comfort and brandy. When his parents return Chris, Laura and myself go to a beautiful house near Philip's in the car of a certain Dave, surname unknown, where we remain until 3am. Everyone sits gambling until the cold light of dawn breaks through the Rawdon skies. Me and Chris went into hysterics, and caused damage to the record player, when we came upon a recording of 'Puff the Magic Dragon' - never will I forget the laugh that record gave Chris and myself. I slept on one of those sofas without a back, but with a roll on one end.

At 3am Chris, Andy and myself set off for home. I went to Andy's to collect my jacket, and he tried to persuade me to stay the night. I went on walking home and arrived home at exactly 4.05 - a four mile walk in 65 minutes. This is a remarkable fete for a drunk.

-==-


to be continued

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!

--==--

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.

--==--

Thursday September 20, 1973

A shocking day. John and I get horribly wet going to the Emmotts. Andy, Chris and Peter Mather join us. MM joins us at 9.30. We all go (minus MM) to Andy's at 10.30 for coffee. Mrs Graham is very nice. Mr Graham brings us home at 11.30 - the poor man_________.

Bed at 12.0 o'clock.

--==--

Tuesday August 28, 1973

Today I look madly around for reasons why June should cast me off. I conjure up the idea that she hasn't even given me up! Suppose she's been taken away for the Bank Holiday by Christine and John? But no, she would have told me. I will have to face up to the fact she is sick of me. God. It is all so odd.

A hot day spent painting garage doors behind the Stone Trough at Rawdon. Andy looks so different since having his hair cut on Saturday. Have crisp sandwiches for lunch. See Bill briefly this afternoon.

Later: Chris rang me and begged John and I to go the Emmotts. We agree. Poor MM is a nervous wreck worrying about the results of the 'O' level Economics which are to be released tomorrow. Evidently, he saw Darryl today, who heard from Tasker, that June in finishing with me. Big deal! I have known this for two whole miserable days now. Andy Graham, John and I get the 10.40 55 bus. Home for just after 11 o'clock.

We are probably goint to Rufforth stock car racing on Sunday - making a day of it. What a busy week we are all having! I think they are all doing it to keep my mind off June. Cowie, Dale and Willie (who passed his driving test today) were in the Emmotts tonight. All were shocked to hear about June. God. It all seems so strange without her.

--==--

Saturday August 11, 1973

Awake at 10.0am. John awakes and realises he should gave gone to work at 7.30. June rings at 10.30. She has a guilty conscience and wants to go to Leeds with me this afternoon. We meet at 2 at the bus station. John comes along too.

June is very apologetic about last night - wearing a pretty blue coat with a belt (1940s style).

I buy 'Raphsody on a theme by Paganini' by Serge Rachmaninov - very moving; and 'Roll over Beethoven' by the Electric Light Orchestra. Coming home we decide to meet outside JCT600 and walk to the Queen's on Apperley Lane. Arrive 8 o'clock. Very warm, typical August evening.

Arrive at the pub at 8.30. Christine and Philip are inside with Philip's brother, Mick. The Knowles family are disgustingly generous - Mick even paid my bus fare back to Rawdon.

June and I spend an hour in Rawdon Park - very romantic. Evidently, June's mother's first husband died on a British ship in World War II - and yet she cannot understand why Christine (Hobson) is bitter about Germans!

Home by 11.30.

--==--

Monday July 30, 1973

Start working for Aireborough Council again. My life as a council painter begins once more.

Get up at 6.30 and arrive at the paint store at 7.0. Oh Heavens, yes. I have got the times wrong again, and I arrive half an hour too early. The storekeeper is not amused. Andy Dale, an old pal from last year, arrives at 7.40. Begin inspecting the roof of the stores in preparation for painting. Generally, not a hectic day. I leave at 4. Everyone else does overtime and go home at 5.

--==--

Tuesday July 10, 1973

Denny is 17 years old today. I must ring her before Friday. Go to school in the afternoon - no one is around - nip down to Rawdon Library then go home. Don't see June today - too dreadful.

Watch television all evening. Collect a few economics books together and go to bed at a reasonable hour.

Oh what a completely uneventful and miserable day it was.

--==--

Monday July 2, 1973

Got up very thirsty at 7.0. My throat feels as though it's been cut! Leave for school on the 9 o'clock bus. Forget Denny's material for Italy. Arrive 9.30. What an exceedingly boring day it was which followed. Played "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band" by Beatles (1967) - all day! Christine was nearly driven to insanity.

Go to Rawdon library at 2.15. Get a biography of the Duke of Edinburgh by his cousin Queen Alexandra of Yugoslavia - it's supposed to be a family portrait - but one comes across the same old material in all his biographies. Indeed, Booth gives more details of HRH's private life than does his own cousin, Her Majesty the Queen of Yugoslavia.

See Bill Dixon, Brian Jilkes and Andy Dale at Micklefield. Have a laugh. Back at Benton at 3.30. Christine has made butties for the cricket tournament - I have a salmon sandwich.

Talk with Mary, the good-old cleaner - what a girl she is! Christine and I spend half an hour with her.

Home at 5.30. Go to the Fleece at 8. June and Susan arrive. Sit with an old man who buys us drinks and shows us old photos of his school class. Move on to the beer garden at the Brown Cow. Sit under a shaky looking umberella - June and Susan argue about their sister and her bad-tempered hubby, John. Walk around Horsforth, arriving at the main road at 11.30 - missed the last bus. Ring Mama who subsequently rings Dad at work and he picks John and I up in the police car at 12.20. Home by 12.30.

--==--