Friday June 6, 1986

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

Poor Ally. What a dreadful time she has had with this baby. For months now I have been up before her, often grumpily and grudgingly to bring her some morsel of food to bed to try and quel her nausea. She is large, and stretched. My God, the things we inflict upon our loved ones.

Lt.-Col. Sir Peter Farquhar, 6th Baronet, has kicked the bucket along with David Colville (see Colville of Culross), a brother of Sir John Colville, whose 1939-55 diaries I am desperate to read. I believe Ally has ordered the volume from our book club.

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Thursday June 5, 1986

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

I am very worried about my appearance. The FLAB, it hangs over my trousers in a disgusting paunch. It is the sort of thing I laughed at in others in my more slim-line years but now I am a leading candidate in the Cyril Smith stakes. My face is round too, hideously so that my chin has now merged into my neck. Oh God. See in the Daily Telegraph that speculation is rife re the forthcoming honour for Bob Geldof. They suggest the OBE. Jimmy Savile received this award for raising £10m for Stoke Mandeville hospital ten years or so ago. We'll see.

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Wednesday June 4, 1986

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds, LS11 5NQ

Mummy Dixon's birthday. She's in deepest Italy. Derby Day. The race was won by the Aga Khan. The Princess of Wales wore polka dots and looked chic. It was also the unveiling of Sarah Ferguson - the future Princess Andrew. Let me say this. The Birthday honours next week coud see the announcement of Andrew's elevation to the dukedom of York. The two previous dukes of York were so created in the birthday honours of 1892 and 1920. Prince Philip was gazetted a duke on the morning of his marriage in November, 1947. However, the Queen took over 6 years to create Charles Prince of Wales. And Anne has yet to be designated Princess Royal despite the title being available since 1965.

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Tuesday June 3, 1986

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

No staff. England played Portugal. It's the World Cup, you know. Mother loved football. Fish and Chips at 11pm. 

Earth shattering news: Dame Anna Neagle keeled over and died today, aged 81. "Victoria the Great" and all that.

Anna Neagle, DBE, an Ode

Anna Neagle,

Doyen of the West End stage,

In your prime you were all the rage,

Your name wasn't really Neagle,

It was Marjorie Robertson,

But Neagle rhymes with seagull.

Oh yes. One of the 'Norfolk Broads' Lady Mary Fitzalan Howard has married Anthony Mumford. She is forty at least and a lady-in-waiting to Princess Alexandra, and 'heiress'
to the Herries lordship.

-=-

Monday June 2, 1986

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

Temple Newsam: Jacobean erection.

The Queen was crowned and anointed, 1953. LG came for a sample of the cloudy ale left below by Tiny Tim, the relief manager. He seemed unconcerned. Sunshine. We escaped this afternoon to Temple Newsam, where we looked at the pigs feeding and inspected the azaleas. I had forgotten just how big pigs can be. The sight must have been quite frightening for Sammy. The gardens are beautiful. Sammy attacked a small girl in front of the Jacobean erection and made off with her new dolly. No staff tonight. I phoned Dad.

Todays news: Princess Margaret is fully recovered. Lord Apsley has married Miss Hilary George. The royal wedding souvenir programme has been launched by Lord Airlie. Lord Borthwick has successfully claimed the right to his ancient Scottish peerage. Deceased: Lord Willoughby de Broke, Lord Hothfield, Sir Brooke Boothby, Bt.

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Sunday June 1, 1986

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

1st Sunday after Trinity

Alan, Frank & Bernie.

Ally furious at my late night. She was not party to it and I was at fault for not going up at frequent intervals to see my poor, pregnant Pig. Ally stayed abed all day doing her Madame Du Barry routine. Bev phoned at 11:58am to say she cannot work this lunchtime following a row with Uncle P. Oh dear. Hellish night. The McCarrons were giving it big licks. A large Irish contingent. Bernie and Frank go to Italy for a week from today. Milan, I think. That man Richard Branson, with the teeth and lots of cash, has been appointed by the PM to lead the war against litter. We are a disgusting race for litter. One goes to Europe and one is made immediately aware of the cleanliness. Princess Margaret has a severe throat infection. It's the ciggies.

-=-

Saturday May 31, 1986

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

Denise and Marita.

Battle of Jutland 1916. Birth of Terry Egan 1936. 

To market at dawn. Brisket for lunch. Ally sleepy. The Daily Telegraph says this spring has been the coldest since 1979.  (see attached). It was a busy night when at 9:30 in walked MM, Marita, Denise, Tony Barker, &c. My first encounter with TB, a personable bloke. Denise very sleek. I spent the whole night until 3am demolishing the character of __________, whom Denise worships. Denise defends him to the last. ___________.

-=-

Friday May 30, 1986

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds, LS11 5NQ

Chernobyl.

I have had a terrible heart breaking conversation with Dad. Last month a nuclear power station blew up at Chernobyl in the USSR sending clouds of radiation up into the atmosphere and clouds of cancerous filth has blown over towards northern Europe. Anyway, with this in mind, Dad walked out into the rain and climbed to a high peak, and facing the heavens willed this evil radiation upon himself. How pathetic. He just wants to go join mother. Today is the anniversary of the frying of Joan of Arc in 1431. Social: the Marchioness of Reading gave birth to a son on Monday, and Lady Aberdour a son on Wednesday. Sir Francis Lowe, 3rd Baronet, has died at Cowes, aged 55.

-=-

Thursday May 29, 1986

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

Ally to Dr Duck who booked her in for a further scan at BRI, but otherwise Duck is not concerned. The baby seems to have been with us for an eternity. Bless him/her. Beverley worked tonight and Uncle Peter came over for her. Some swine has vandalised the sanitary towel machine in the ladies. No doubt to get the cash. 

Today is Oak Apple Day - the anniversary of the restoration of Charles II in 1660. It's also the anniversary of the fall of Constantinople in 1453. 

Swaziland's new teenage King Mswati III has dissolved parliament in Liqoqo. No reason was given. That's teenagers for you.

The Hon Colin Orr-Ewing has married. Borislav Milić, the Yugoslav chess player has shuffled off his mortal coil.

-=-

Wednesday May 28, 1986

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

Back to the Moorhouse where we have a £60 surplus, after last weeks £80 deficit. The relief manager Tiny Tim went off in a hurry leaving me with cloudy ale long faces in the bar. I immediately phoned LG to disassociate myself from the contents of my cellar. He thinks I am going over the top but after last years carry on naturally I'm wary. Tonight, Geoff, Alan, Terry (cockney) and Karin and self went to the Station pub on Hillidge Rd, Hunslet, for the quiz. What an earnest person John, the incumbent landlord, is. Horribly pissed and home crossing the moor with Alan. Earnest John believes in drinking after time.

-=-

Tuesday May 27, 1986

 5 Club Street, Lidget Green, Bradford BD7 2PB

Wind. To Haworth to see the Worth Valley puffa trains. Samuel was beside himself at all the noise and steam. We sat on a platform with all the railway buffs who were snapping away with cameras. Visited a garden centre and then took lunch in a pub surrounded by Japanese tourist types. We had chicken pie and rock-hard peas. Not good at all. I was so proud of Samuel who didn't make a noise and acted very grown up. Home to sirloin and 'Emmerdale Farm'. Ally bushed.

-=-