Let the bells ring out the joyous news! Princess Anne and the captain are wed. And what a day it has been. Awoke at 7. It was a brilliantly sunny but icy cold day. Hear on the 7.30 news that thousands of people have spent the whole night on the wedding route, and even the rain of last night could not deter them all. I dash into Guiseley feeling very happy. The union flag was flying (in honour of the Prince of Wales's 25th birthday and not the royal wedding).
The journalists are still on strike, and a total of seven pictures were waiting for me at the YP. The lights in the office are all off to comply with the rules of the State of Emergency declared by the government yesterday. However, who#s bothered about the miners when a royal wedding is in full swing?
By 11 o'clock nobody can concentrate and Kathy leads the charge across the office to the small black and white tv. We see the blurred silhouettes of Princess Anne and Mark Phillips exchanging marriage vows. A subs girl wept tears of emotion. It really was beautiful. The princess has never looked more radiant and beautiful. Spend a quiet afternoon with Kathy and Sarah.
Home at 6. The wedding is condensed and shown again at 7. The crowds outside the palace were fantastic. Anne obviously loved every moment of it and seemed thrilled by the exuberance of the singing and chanting crowds. The poor Queen Mother quite broke down in the abbey. Prince Philip was unusually pale. The Queen was very collected and looked radiant when leaving the abbey. The Prince of Wales looked embarrassed and Prince Andrew bored. Edward, with his cherubic face, enjoyed himself immensely. At 4 the couple left by open landau for Thatched House Lodge, the home of Princess Alexandra and old Ogilvy. They leave for the Caribbean tomorrow. Even Auntie Hilda had enjoyed it. She rang at 9.30.
Princess Anne succeeded in getting through the day without becoming Princess Royal - and I am relieved.
--==--
--==--
20090513
20090508
Sunday November 11, 1973
21st after Trinity. Remembrance Sunday. After about 4 hours sleep we all awoke at about 8.30, and my feet felt like a couple of blocks of ice. Chris's bedroom window had been wide open all night, and all I had was a thin blanket and a pillow case wrapped around my feet.
Andy, Chris and myself sat around until 9 debating the point that a bus was outside Grandways at 9.05. By the time we had decided that a bus was due it was too late. Anyway, it was a beautiful, crisp morning, and Andy and me walked to the crematorium where we boarded a bus at 10am.
By 10.25 I was home. Mother made me a cup of tea and we both sat in front of the tv to watch the Queen laying a wreath at the Cenotaph. A two minute silence followed. It was the eleventh hour of the eleventh month. Princess Anne was on the balcony of the Home Office along with Capt Phillips, the Queen Mother, Prince and Princess Richard of Gloucester and the Duchess of Kent.
--==--
Andy, Chris and myself sat around until 9 debating the point that a bus was outside Grandways at 9.05. By the time we had decided that a bus was due it was too late. Anyway, it was a beautiful, crisp morning, and Andy and me walked to the crematorium where we boarded a bus at 10am.
By 10.25 I was home. Mother made me a cup of tea and we both sat in front of the tv to watch the Queen laying a wreath at the Cenotaph. A two minute silence followed. It was the eleventh hour of the eleventh month. Princess Anne was on the balcony of the Home Office along with Capt Phillips, the Queen Mother, Prince and Princess Richard of Gloucester and the Duchess of Kent.
--==--
Saturday November 10, 1973
After tea, Mum, Dad and John ganged up on me and demanded a court of inquiry into the way I am handling my financial affairs. I ignored them, and was probably extremely rude in the process.
At about 8 o'clock Dad took John to Christine W's and me to Rawdon lights. I then walked into Horsforth which took approximately 1 hour. I met Chris and Andy in the Fleece. We then moved on to the Stanhope, then the Brown Cow, the Kings, Grey Horse, Black Bull....
Laura joined us half way round the crawl, but by the time we reached the Grey Horse we were all extremely intoxicated.
--==--
At about 8 o'clock Dad took John to Christine W's and me to Rawdon lights. I then walked into Horsforth which took approximately 1 hour. I met Chris and Andy in the Fleece. We then moved on to the Stanhope, then the Brown Cow, the Kings, Grey Horse, Black Bull....
Laura joined us half way round the crawl, but by the time we reached the Grey Horse we were all extremely intoxicated.
--==--
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!
--==--
--==--
Thursday November 8, 1973
The Daily Express Alcoholic of the Year Awards 1973 were held in London today. The 2,037 contestants have consumed nearly 2m gallons of ale since January, and in the words of the compere, Sir Ron Tetley, Bt, 'this is a very large quantity of ale. Nearly two million gallons to be precise.' Sir Ron is 103. Anyway, to cut a long story short, the winner was Mr Christopher Ratcliffe, AA (Alcoholics Anonymous), who collected a cheque for 19p, the price of a good pint of keg bitter.
--==--
--==--
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Saturday September 28, 1985
South Wood Farm, Cotleigh, Devon South Wood Farm. Out of bed bright and early. Another sunny day. What a week we have had. Ally did the pac...
-
Quinquagesima. By 4am only Judith, Kathryn and I are conscious. But when we decided to call it a day I realised with horror that my jacket a... -
Moorhouse Inn I have the most disgusting hangover I have perhaps ever experienced. Ally too lay whimpering beneath the quilt and refused to...