Sunday July 6, 1986

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

6th Sunday after Trinity

Auntie Annie is 81 today. (My great-aunt). She phoned this morning to thank me for the birthday card and sounded as robust as ever. Uncle John she says is nervous and cannot go out because he is too frightened to cross the road. I know how he feels. We went out at 12 for an afternoon of peaceful solitude at Club Street, our haven from the insane boozing world where our olives revolve around opening and closing times. Bev phoned tonight to say that she and a friend gave a hitch hiker a lift from the pub into town this afternoon and he proved to be a pervert. He stole a bag of the girls underwear, frilly knickers, &c, whilst leaving other valuables, and is no doubt now wandering around south Leeds clad in Bev's under garments as I write this. Horrific.

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Saturday July 5, 1986

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

We had a family gathering. An impromptu one. Sue, Pete and the kids cam, followed by Lynn, Dave and Co. We all repaired to the tap room where the children were able to run wild together. Crawling on the pool table and chalking on the blackboard with all the aplomb of budding Picassos. I was a bit pissed really. Lynn shed tears over mother. Both she and David dreamt recently that she was talking to them. We are all cut up. We will never mend. Hungover, evening working.

Lord Stockton has overcome his pneumonia infection. Rudy Vallee has died singing 'The Whiffenpoof Song' at the age of 84. Noel Edmonds has married Helen Soby, 24, in the village church at Luss.

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Friday July 4, 1986

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

Independence Day, USA

The ban on the movement and slaughter of sheep was lifted from midnight in parts of Cumbria and North Wales. Chernobyl. We'll be hearing from this you mark my words. 

In other news: Lord Stockton is improving, What a constitution he has. It was heart warming to see the front page of the DT as it fell through my letterbox today. The Princess of Wales is pictured arriving at the German embassy (President von Weizsacker is here on a state visit). The princess wearing a stunning gown. A romantic creation. What a beauty she is. What a Queen she will be. But not too soon I hope. She is to be godmother to Prince Philippos, the 2 month old son of King Constantine, next Thursday.

The music for the coming royal wedding has been published. Sarah is to walk down the aisle to Elgar's Imperial March. Arlene Auger, the American soprano will sing Mozart's Exsultate Jubilate whilst the couple are signing the register.

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Thursday July 3, 1986

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

At 9 I went to see a large, ____ ear, nose and throat specialist at the BRI. Flared nostrils and white coat.  I was led into his room by a nurse whilst another one stood behind the chair as if to catch me on swooning. Immediately he asked why I had bothered coming, and sneered when I told of my allergies to dogs and cats. He says he can do nothing for me and advises me to stay away from our furry friends. Any injections are worthless. Ally saw Dr Duck at 9:50. 

Lord Stockton is stable. Lord Howard of Henderskelfe, of Castle Howard, who died last year left £25,529,220. He was a big, flamboyant chairman of the BBC.

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Wednesday July 2, 1986

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

Sunshine. We went at 9:15 to St Edmund's Hall and North Leeds Prep School on Gledhow Lane to see a Mrs Lynch, who gave us a guided tour of her little school while Samuel played unperturbed in the nursery class. It was a good old fashioned school. Mrs Lynch walked us to the gate and patting Sam on the head said: "well, we'll see what we can do about getting you in." This will not happen until September, 1987. We'd like earlier. Back to the Moorhouse until 3:30. To Bradford where we all have our hair 'sorted'. Sam had to hold his Teddy Bear for his trim.

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Tuesday July 1, 1986

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

Bank Holiday in Canada

Busy, frantic pub. Leslie Gledhill came in this evening when only Ally and I were in the bar and he stood quizzing us as to why we have suddenly become so popular. The taking are going up and up. We had a wedding anniversary party for Pat and Tony.

The Princess of Wales is 25 today. God bless her. 

Social: Lady Fairfax of Cameron gave birth to a son on Friday in London.

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Monday June 30, 1986

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds, LS11 5NQ

Up bright and early. Liz in. For God's sake, I'm going to go on about the weather. People tend to do at times like this. After a cold start to the month, it has been the warmest second half of June over central England since 1976. During this month every kind of weather has been reported ranging from snow and hail and thunder to cloudless skies and temperatures reaching 90 degrees F. Over the five days from June 25 to June 29 the temperature in England was 8.8 degrees fahrenheit above average. The month started with a pretty gloomy day across most of Britain. It was muggy, misty and drizzly. Brighter weather spread from the north on the June 3rd ... Many areas had sunny spells but showers and a cold wind on northern and eastern coasts meant temperatures here were well below average. Cape Wrath in the north of Scotland failed to get warmer than 45 degrees all day on June 5.The next few days were variable. On June 9 it rained most of the day in parts of North West Scotland with mild afternoon temperatures... Continued on Page 94.

Lord Stockton is still not well. Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark has gone off to the Gobi Desert and mountains of Mongolia filming for Channel 4. He is 18.

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Sunday June 29, 1986

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

5th Sunday after Trinity

Bessie phoned. Andrew and Lorraine are to live in un-marital bliss in a £29,000 maisonette at Eastleigh, Southampton, no bigger than a shoe box. Bessie and Frank are unhappy about them living in 'sin', but what can they do? She says she has bought them storage jars, buckets and bedding, just as if they were married. We did a buffet tonight for the lad from Lawrence House OAP residence. He always looks lost and dejected. He was no different tonight. My God, how dull some people are. Look back at some of my birthdays for instance - my 21st - we were so active and alcoholic. One large, over enthusiastic lady tipped a pint of beer over the head of a fellow guest. I was cross.

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Saturday June 28, 1986

Ian and Jacq.

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

Our World Cup fancy dress party: a good gathering. No big crowd from Pudsey, except Marlene who was low and left early. Guests included John, Janette, George W, Jayne, Lynn, Dave B, Sue, Peter, Denise, Tony, MM, Marita, Jacq, Ian, &c. And at 11pm in came Sarah C and Trevor - most unexpected. Sarah is now a jogger. Coal carrying, &c. Jacq, dressed as a football referee, had hiccoughs. They were all gone at 1am leaving Ally and I with Bernie McC, Frank, Alan (Batey), and a couple called Sharon and Glyn. He is a building worker. Bed 3am.

Lord Stockton has been poorly - pneumonia. He is 92. Oh dear. The auction of the Lordship of the Manor of East Dummer, the home village of Sarah Ferguson, failed to find a buyer yesterday.

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Friday June 27, 1986

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

Temperatures went over 90F today. Ally took Samuel to his cousin Ben's birthday barbeque at Guiseley. Today is our fifth wedding anniversary. At 2:50 I crept out with Jack Collett to the Junction (2 pints) and then to the New Canning WMC. Here I was allocated my own suite because the place was full of undesirables from our place whom I have blown out in the past 2 years. Very drunk. Joined by Copenhagen Willy  and his Fergie-like Mrs. Ally came back at 6. Customers plied me with white wine tonight and by 11:30pm I was doing my Basil Fawlty impersonation and generally causing a breach of the Queen's peace. Upstairs Ally was thoroughly disgusted.

Sue and Ben.

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Thursday June 26, 1986

 Moorhouse Inn, Leeds LS11 5NQ

Ally to the clinic at 2:30. She has phoned some prep schools re Samuel entering at 3. 

The DT has a pic of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, walking arm in arm at Killyleagh, Northern Ireland. They are a loving, demonstrative pair. I feel that the prince will have to show her who is the boss.

Social news: Lady Romsey gave birth to a daughter yesterday, on what would have been the 86th birthday of Lord Mountbatten. Lady Louise, perhaps? Lady Rowena Montagu-Stuart-Wortley has become engaged to John R. Hunt.

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