Thursday October 18, 1979

_. A different sort of night out. At 6 I went to Bradford by bus and then found a green bus to Lidget Green where I landed at 7. Found Ally in a peculiar mood. She hasn't had the energy or inclination to go into the office since Monday and has been moping around the house in a morose cloud. She's been in bed for most of the day until late afternoon ____________.

I took her off to three pubs within walking distance. She cheered up considerably. Back at home we phoned Dave G. He's bringing Janice on Saturday. Ally played the piano. Stayed the night.

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Wednesday October 17, 1979

_. Princess Margaret is having a good time in Chicago where she is on a tour to boost the fortunes of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. On arriving in Chicago [my kind of town] she enquired after the health of the mayor, Mr Richard Daley, and was told that he had sadly died in December, 1976. Her meeting with the current living mayor, Jane Byrne, has had its moments too. At a dinner someone mentioned Lord Mountbatten's funeral, and the princess is alleged to have snapped: "The Irish, they are pigs!" Mrs Byrne is an Irish-American and newspaper reports this morning state that she made a quick exit from the party following Margaret's retort. However, this evening the press office for Mrs Byrne said that HRH has referred to Uncle Dickie's murderers as "pigs", without insulting our Irish friends. ________.

A cold day. Autumnal to say the least. The trees are just about stark naked. A slightly better day at the YP. Home and five and ate with Susie. Mum & Dad went off to Lynn's for dinner. Dad was on the verge of collapse because he finds it impossible to hang on until 7pm to dine.

Watched Michael Palin's 'Ripping Yarns' on the BBC. Fantastic. Peter and I howled with laughter so much so that Sue pleaded with us to belt up so that she could hear what they were saying. To bed with Hitler again. I'm still only half way through this huge tome.

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Tuesday October 16, 1979

_. An atrocious day at the YP. Kathleen is back and Malcolm Barker [Editor, YEP] has told her that the library has been like a 'tea house' during her absence and that she is the only member of the library staff who does any work. Stupid, ignorant bastard! Such encouragement really inspires one to increase ones output. Oh God, I want a different job ________.

In other news it is reported that the Duke of Gloucester has taken to getting about in London riding on an elephant. But the eccentric antics of the Queen's cousin hasn't aroused as much furore as the announcement that Capt Mark Phillips has accepted a British Leyland sponsorship to use Range Rovers for the next four or five years. I fail to see what is wrong with this, but several Labour MPs are having seizures over it. The rumour is also abroad that Princess Anne is pregnant.

Watched TV tonight. Alec Guinness was on again. To bed with Adolf Hitler at 11:30 after watching Robin Day's new series. Dame Judith Hart is nauseating.

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Monday October 15, 1979

_. Hullo again. I'm just about cheesed off with the news these days. The newspapers are dominated by the Zimbabwe-Rhodesia bore-out conference and the saga of the 'flying delegate' at Lancaster House. Yes, one poor member of Bishop Abel Muzorewa's team, was so bored by the endless squabbling, that he ended his life by leaping from the roof of Lancaster House, leaving a nasty pin-striped mess in central London. Who cares about this pin-prick of a country in the midst of darkest, steaming Africa anyway? I certainly do not.

Sweet Ally came here tonight. To Lynn and Dave's to admire the new chocolate coloured velvet curtains. We watched the film 'For Pete's Sake'. This is a film of dear and sweet remembrance for Lynn and Dave. They saw the film on their very first date in 1974. Barbra Streisand of course is delightful comedy.

Home with Ally at 11:15.

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Sunday October 14, 1979

_. Up at a reasonable hour and ate kippers and drank gallons of tea. Ally surfaced some time later and we decided to go for a romp on Ilkley Moor to freshen up. Off we went, but Ally's clothes, especially her shoes, did not lend themselves to moorland hiking and so we abandoned any serious adventure and found a van selling hot dogs. From here we went to Club Street where I taped some records and the Anne Nightingale Show on Radio One. We are sick of the same old cassette [taped five weeks ago] which includes the 5:30 evening news which we now know by heart.

Ally took a bath and then rummaged through her old letters going back ten years. She found a letter from me, written in March 1978 when Jacq and I were planning a trip to Winchester. A dreadfully pompous letter.

Went to the fish and chip shop at Westfield [Yeadon] then took a camp bed back to Audrey and Henry Baker's house on Old Pool Bank. Poor Ally was nodding off listening to Audrey's monologue on the neighbours. On afterwards to Lynn and Dave's. She is washed out and has a cold.

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Saturday October 13, 1979

_.Up at 11 to find David G and Garry taking breakfast with Mum & Dad. It seems that Stockport County are playing Bradford City this afternoon and they thought a combined visit was in order.  Ally and Sue 'hurriedly' dressed and Pete shot off home to get changed and by 12 we were all in the White Cross. Mum and Dad came too. We were there a couple of hours but then Mum and Dad left because John appeared to say he'd brought the children to say goodbye. Off they went home, and we joined them later. Catherine is beautiful and peach-like.

David and Garry went off to Bradford to watch Stockport lose by 6 goals to 1. We had a family party to bid farewell to the Scottish branch of the family, and the football supporters returned after the match, not in the least dejected by their defeat. I suppose that supporting Stockport you get used to serious humiliation.

We had salad followed by a trifle. JPH went wild about the latter. Especially the cream.

Out at 7:30 to the White Cross. Dave and Garry only had one drink then left to meet Billy at the Armoury in Stockport. Dave's opinion of the White Cross: "a bloody doctor's waiting room."

Ally was in a beastly mood all day and insisted on trailing back to Bradford just to change her shoes and brush her teeth. Mum and Dad were at the Cow & Calf with Jim and Margaret and so we went there before Ally and I went on to the Smith's Arms at Beckwithshaw at 9:30. We were supposed to meet Sarah and Carol J but they didn't appear, and so we went on to Stephanie Ferguson's party at Leathley. Sarah and Carol were there in the kitchen swigging wine. We stood leaning on the sink, and Ally clammed up and had nothing to say to my work mates. Stephanie was disappointed too because many guests hadn't materialized due to the fog. We left the party, to get air, and sat in a ditch in the spitfire in the dark. __________.

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Friday October 12, 1979

_. After leaving Oakwood Hall in the early hours of this morning Ally and I sat on the wall at the top of the garden watching the stars. I can never see the so-called 'Great Bear' or the 'Ironing Board' or any of the other formations. I have always been able to see things clearly but my artistic creativity seems to conflict with my apparent blindness to the wonders of the firmament.

David G phoned tonight. He's having a few difficulties with Janice who seems to dislike his drinking. I laugh a great deal at this. She clearly has no common sense. David does live in a house specifically set aside for the consumption of alcoholic beverages. An atheist should avoid living in a monastery, and wherever possible vegetarians should steer clear of abattoirs. Janice doesn't want to be included in the Ibiza trip next summer. It looks to me that the relationship might be in decline.

John walked in this evening. He arrived late last night at Ridgeway, but only made his presence known this evening. Mum was disgruntled at this.  John, Maria, Ally, Lynn, Dave and I went down to the White Cross and then to the White Swan at Yeadon [a revolting place]. Maria, with a new hair-do, wanted to see Andy, Linda and Carol Smith, and Carol's husband [Trevor] who frequent this obscure West Yorkshire tavern. I enjoyed myself chatting with Brian Gilks, who I haven't seen since the Bill Dixon painting days in 1972-3. He told some hilarious jokes. The other surprise was Andrew Dean, whom I haven't seen since 1972. His voice has finally broken. Home with the mob for drinks and music.

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Thursday October 11, 1979

_. Dreadfully drunken night. Thick fog. Out at 8:30 with Ally to the Drop where we stood at the bar with Martyn Knipe and his girlfriend, Alison. He's no longer in the navy, and now a professional golfer at Rawdon. From here we went to Oakwood Hall which was hot and packed with merry revellers. We had a daft half hour juggling with lemons and generally performing like a circus act. At one point we attracted quite a large audience. Saw little Janet Simon, who was horribly pissed, with a friend celebrating her 21st birthday. Janet is an odd girl. She has many of Susan's mannerisms and traits, but a crude version of my sweet sister. She's told Susan I talk 'posh'. Home at nearly 2am.

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Wednesday October 10, 1979

_. JPH has been spending the evening with his grandmother again. We sat drawing together. It was noted by the others just how bossy my nephew is with me. "Do this" and "do that", "you sit here", "you have this pen, and I'll have this pen" &c. I must look like a soft touch - a walk over- even to a three year-old. It's going to be so sad next week when he returns to Scotland. Mum will be distraught - she dotes on little John.

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Tuesday October 9, 1979

_. Swarms of wasps are invading the house. Dad spent the morning painting the tricycle he is renovating for JPH's Christmas present. He isn't very happy with it because he cannot get the colours to shine even with a varnish gloss.  I don't suppose little John will object just so long as the wheels go round.

Maria brought the children here at lunchtime. I saw a definite change for the better in Catherine. The doc saw her yesterday and told her that baby's heart is now quite normal. JPH played out with Richard from next door.

To the YP at 5. ________. Coming home at 12 the taxi was stopped twice in road blocks by police questioning motorists about the Yorkshire Ripper. The taxi driver talked about photography and football in the early 1900s, and the advanced driving test he'd just completed, and how wonderful the Pope's visit to Ireland and the United States had been. In fact he was a gold mine of information. His grandfather died last year, aged 94. 'A good age' he kept repeating. I cannot see anything good about being 94. I may feel differently about this on April 5, 2049.

Ate cheese on toast and drank a milky concoction and went up to bed with Hitler. The British politicians from the 1930s, the appeasers, really should have been hanged at Nuremberg along side the Nazis. The stupid sods can never be forgiven for appeasing the fascists and the blood of millions stains the hands of Eden, Simon and Chamberlain.

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Monday October 8, 1979

_. Ally phoned me. Mr Dixon returned to Winchester with her house keys and so he's sending them back to Leeds this evening by Red Star. Ally came to the YP at 5:30 and we ate at Salvo's, where we shared a table with another couple. We decided that the guy is a solicitor, and the girl is his secretary, and they are definitely screwing. Funny how one can spot these things at a dinner table. From here we went to collect Ally's keys. Onto the Commercial. I was dead on my feet. Back at home I collapsed in a chair. Sue and Pete, we are told, are visiting the vicar on Saturday.

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Sunday October 7, 1979

_. 17th Sunday after Trinity

Sunny. Got out of bed at 11am. Dressed to kill in readiness for the afternoon extravaganza at Delia's.
Went down the lane and bought a couple of bottles of dry Martini before going on for the 55 bus. I stood at the bus stop until 12:45 and no buses came my way. I phoned Sarah from Guiseley and Barbara Wheeler was despatched to rescue me.

The lunch party had it's hilarious moments, but I was generally uncomfortable with the presence of Bill North, who dominated the proceedings. Intrigue was rife and Sarah was all whispers lending a Louis XIV Versailles atmosphere to the afternoon. Delia was brilliant and as usual lavished her adoration upon me. The women seriously out numbered the menfolk, who stood huddled together for protection, arses to the French window away from Bill. I sighed with relief when Leeds's answer to Larry Grayson made it obvious he fancied poor Richard.

With Richard's motor.

At about 4 we went next door to Richard's swimming pool. I remember very little of the aquatic antics but am told that I made several spectacular dives. Janet was very amusing and we discussed diaries and whether they are worthwhile. Indeed they are. [Go on, agree with me]. People began to disappear by 5 o'clock and I was the last survivor. Sarah cast off her regal attire, and clad in dressing gown and carpet slippers, we sat, feet up watching tv.

Bill Collis came in and sat darkly brooding in the kitchen chewing on a chicken leg. I said goodbye to the lovely ladies when Ally arrived at 7:30 to take me to Karen and Steve's. Out in Pudsey with Karen, Steve, Jill and Tim to celebrate Karen's 20th birthday. To the Railway pub, and the rough dive where Ally's car aerial was ripped off on a previous visit. Back to Karen's for a Chinese takeaway, but I was three sheets to the wind, and blame drinking in the afternoon. Home at 1am. Knackered.

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Saturday October 6, 1979

_. To the YP from 8:30 to 12:30.

Dave L came over at 7:30. My heart sank when he said he fancied seeing a film. We went off to Bradford but 'Quadrophenia' was the only film showing, so we ignored the crowd here and went on to Leeds, where, as if by providence, the film 'Alien' has already started, and so we stood, quite forlorn, outside the cinema, rattling the loose change around in our pockets. I took Dave to the Ostlers and then Whitelocks, but Dave wanted cockles and mussels and the 'prawn man' was nowhere to be seen. So off we went to the Commercial at Esholt, but the new landlord doesn't stock seafood, so onward to the Hare & Hounds. Poor Judith looked hideous. _____. On to the White Cross at 10:50 for a final drink with Sue, Peter, Gus and Johnny. Nights out with David are always great fun.

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Friday October 5, 1979

_. Contacted Dave L. We have decided to venture out tomorrow. It is shameful the way we have allowed our meetings to fall into abeyance since his return to civilization in July. .. or was it August?

This evening out with Sue and Pete to the Fox and Hounds and the White Cross, which harboured the long lost familiar spectres of Chris Ratcliffe and Pete Mather. Chris showed me his holiday photos of Miami, including shots of Tony Brotherwood, in shorts, in Disneyland.

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Thursday October 4, 1979

_. Up at 8 to find myself in bed in Bradford. Ally is attending a course at Minever House on East Parade in Leeds and so she took me to town in the spitfire. Chaotic traffic. Didn't reach the YP until 9:30. Sarah says: "And where do you think you spent the night?" She'd phoned home to be told by mother that I hadn't been seen since yesterday afternoon.

At 1 o'clock I went to meet Ally on East Parade. She has a £4 parking ticket. Traffic wardens are really the lowest form of life. On to Club Street where a man in a van has arrived from Winchester with furniture including the dreaded piano. Taking in the furniture was a doddle, but the piano not so easy. I kept looking over at the Victorian monstrosity and wincing. We reached deadlock on the doorstep and had it not been for a passing telephone engineer we would never have got it in the house. We also struggled taking a double bed upstairs. We had one drink in the pub across the road before heading back to Pine Tops for 5:30pm.

Maria and the children came to see Mama. Catherine was wonderful, but JPH ill and pale.

Out at 6:30 to Bradford where we joined Sarah and Richard [Burke]  at the Alhambra to see Derek Jacobi in 'Hamlet', by Mr Shakespeare. An incredible, gripping performance which held me ecstatic for over three hours. Afterwards we went into the Vaults pub next to the theatre and found Derek Jacobi and Brenda Bruce [who played Queen Gertrude] propping up the bar.

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Wednesday October 3, 1979

_.Fog. Old Callaghan has suffered a trauma at the Labour party conference. It looks as though Wedgwood Benn will be leader of the mob within the next few weeks. As far as I'm concerned I'll be thrilled to see Benn at the helm because who in God's name will vote Labour in a future general election with that 'fiend' in charge of the party?

Ally and I had a night out tonight because her agenda for the next few days is crowded. First to the Shoulder of Mutton, then the White Cross, then the Drop, and finally Oakwood Hall. The DJ had a bit more about him than the usual stiff. I have decided hereon to drink pils lager, no draught ale. We left at 2:30am. To Club Street.

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Tuesday October 2, 1979

_. To the YP at 5pm. I'd done nothing all day except spend Mum's money at the shops in Guiseley. Just a few purchases but the bill came to over £3. Real bandits aren't they in some of the smaller supermarkets? The owner of Dibb's in Guiseley must be a millionaire.

Mum and Dad came back from Scotland this evening whilst I was at the YP. When I phoned home she expressed horror at the amount of money we had spent on groceries. Susan and I had spent £30 on our weekly shopping. Mum says she spends about £12 on the four of us usually.

The YP was amusing. I dug out a photo of the Chilean Radical party leader Anselmo Sule, and dropped it quite accidentally on Gilberto's desk. He saw it and went off into a rage of abuse. It seems that Senor Sule is not universally loved by the Chilean population. Most Chileans, it seems, prefer to live elsewhere, to inflict their communism and anarchy on other countries.

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Monday October 1, 1979

_. Read in a Sunday newspaper that Sabrina Guinness is to accompany the Prince of Wales to a ball at Wilton House on October 27. Miss Guinness, they say, was recently observed renting a tiara from the royal jewellers. Is this it, perhaps? Is Guinness good for him? Geddit? Are we going to have an Irish Queen? [Well, she's probably a Londoner, but of Irish stock]. The opinion in the office is that she is going to be the one. However, all HRHs affairs follow a similar pattern. We will all be in the dark until an announcement is made by Buckingham Palace and then the balloon will go up.

The revolting 'Horse of the Year Show' dominates the tv every night, driving innocent people to the pubs and restaurants.

[Crossing out] Sorry about that. I don't like crossing out. I was going to say that Maria brought the children to see us this evening, but that wouldn't have been true. We saw nothing of her or the children.

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Sunday September 30, 1979

_.

16th Sunday after Trinity

I made breakfast and behaved in a nauseatingly cheerful fashion. I am not one to carry on grudges and continue with last night's squabble. John, Maria and JPH came over this afternoon. They breezed in for an hour. It's little John's third birthday today. He was quite bedazzled by the presents and looked so embarrassed when we all sang 'Happy Birthday'. He covered his eyes and smeared his face with chocolate. Ally played with him and showed him the farm which Mama had bought him. Lynn and Dave made a flying visit. Big John looked fighting fit and so thin. Maria filled me in on the horrific tragedy at the Phillips residence.

Watched Peter Sellers in 'The Magic Christian'. Peter and I were in hysterics.

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Saturday September 29, 1979

_. Sunny, bright morn. Up at 10 to throw back the curtains and see Michael [next door] splashing white paint over his house. His half of the building is now glowing white and now makes Pine Tops look shoddy, grubby and dismal. Mummy will throw a fit when she sees his handy work.

I phoned Ridgeway to speak to John. Molly answered the phone and says 'he arrived last night looking big, fit, strong and healthy, Mike, and Oh, have you heard the news about poor John Phillips?" I say 'no' and she told me the gruesome news that poor Carole's dad died last Tuesday following a fall from a ladder at home. Fiddling with a tv aerial on his roof, he missed a step and plummeted to the ground bashing his head on an ornamental wall. The doc, Molly says, reassured the family that had he lived he would have been a cabbage. He was a cabbage long before the fall, I'm sorry to say. Ghastly news indeed. Carole must be desolate. They had only recently bought the fish and chip shop on Victoria Road.

When I eventually speak to John he says very little, and that he cannot afford to go out tonight. This is a let down. I had been looking forward to some kind of belated birthday celebration.

Peter bought a car today. An Escort 1600 sports which cost him £1,300. Both he and Susan will now emerge from the depression that has hung over them since he sold the old car a month ago. People become so dependent on motor cars don't they? The mention of public transport is often the most offensive thing one can say to a motorist.

Ally and I had a drink at the Crown in Yeadon this afternoon then went out with Sue and Pete in the new car to the White Cross for a celebratory guzzle. Our adventure took us on to the Fox & Hounds, Hare & Hounds and back to the White Cross to join Gus, Chippy, Debbie, Brian Johnson , Howard Dove, and various others. A loud, beery evening. Chris Ratcliffe [now bearded] and Peter M came in.

Back to Pine Tops. Gus and John Sumpton had picked up a couple of tarts. They all smoked pot, including Susan. I cannot stand the stuff and took no part in the revelry. They all left at 2 and I gave Sue a piece of my mind, the big brother sort of stuff. Peter was silly about it and we all parted on a bad note.

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