Tuesday April 16, 1974

Mum wakes me at 7. My first day back at the YP. I feel weak and ill after last night and vow never to drink gin again. I have a coffee and leave Uncle H asleep in the lounge, not venturing in to see him because it cannot be a very pretty sight. At the office I find a letter on my desk: "Dear Michael, I have some rather depressing news for you. David is leaving the night staff this Sunday (last Sunday for you), so you will have to do a night duty when Ray has his night off; don't panic. I will try to work a late shift with you and stay until about 10pm so it shouldn't be too bad. I've arranged your extra payment and will sort out transport when I get in on Wednesday. It's all a bit sudden and came as quite a shock for all of us. We''ll have a talk about it when I come in. Hope you had a lovely holiday!! Kathleen." My eyes lit up when I saw the sentence about extra payment. Anyway, I quite look forward to getting away from horrid, little Janice Williams. My new driving licence came today and at least I can drive round Aireborough legally again. John took a day off, regardless of what Dave Slater wanted him to work and I've told him he does right. Why should he have only one day off at Easter when all other civilized beings on earth have 2? At 8 I have a hot shower, then see the news on tv and a documentary on Baron Philippe de Rothschild, the French wine producer. Come to bed at 11 and read the Bruce-Lockhart diaries. -==-

Monday April 15, 1974

Bank Holiday Monday. Rose at 10.30. Sunny but somewhat cold. See a 1953 film "Young Bess" about the early life of Elizabeth I. Quite entertaining but absolutely wrong factual detail.

At 2 John and self go to 21, Victoria Drive, Horsforth, the home of Chris. We stay all day. John, being quite tiresome, watches a Tarzan film purely because Chris and I want to watch something on the other channel. However, we had a tremendous laugh and ventured to the Fleece at 8. Joined by Pete, Bruno, Linda, Christine W and Andy at 9. All back to Chris's at 11. The Ratcliffes came home at 11.30 from Lancashire and the merry little clique disintegrated. I find Mrs Ratcliffe and tremendous character & I stood for 20 minutes discussing the neighbours with her. My sole consumption at Chris's was one gin and orange. Peter brought us home at 12. Uncle H was drunk in our dining room, and Mum, Dad, Sue and Peter were all on the way. I had 2 large gins with orange and some beer. Uncle H fell on the stereo and smashed the lid - Sue was in pain with laughter and poor Peter thinks our family is mad. At 2am I am sitting with Uncle H, cigarette in hand, listening to all his worries, etc. He thinks I'm neglecting Sam on purpose, but why should I visit a strange relative in an asylum for no reason at all? He was sick and I cleared it all up. But the room smells like a sewage plant, or worse.

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Sunday April 14, 1974

Easter Day. Rose at 11 o'clock. See a religious epic film on the BBC. They always give the public some fanatical religious film on Easter Sunday.

Turkey lunch is very successful. Mum reveals some startling things afterwards. Whilst reading Elizabeth of Glamis she notes that George VI had the same operation on his leg in 1949 as Uncle Bert had at Christmas time. If George VI and Uncle Bert have anything in common, poor uncle will be dead within 3 years.

John rings Chris after 6.30 and agrees to meet at the Hare and Hounds. I don't like the idea and want to go to the Emmotts, because June nearly always goes on Sundays. John says I must be insane, and I realise I must try and stop this crazy infatuation. However, it is so frustrating to know that she will be sitting in one place whilst I am sitting, equally miserable, in another.

Susan told an amusing story of little Margaret Saxton when the little girl walked in the room on Friday (Good Friday) and sat next to Sue looking terribly miserable. "What's wrong?" asked Sue. "I'm very upset", she replied. "They crucified Jesus today." Very sweet.

Meet Chris and the Hare and Hounds at 8.30. A very pleasant evening indeed despite the small numbers. Chris, John and I make such a happy team.


"Seasons in the Sun" Terry Jacks.

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Saturday April 13, 1974

Terrible day. Cold, draughty weather. Rise at 11. Mum is going berserk with anger. Evidently, in my haste to devour a sizeable supper last night, I, inadvertantly of course, turned off the cooker timer which made a bugger of the fat turkey sitting within. At 10.30 Mother discovered the bird uncooked, and of course I was blamed. I left the house quickly, in order to escape the wrath of Mama, going to Guiseley library again, and collecting several loaves from the bakery. After lunch Chris rings and we meet in Otley at 3.15. Chris is half an hour late. An incredibly cold afternoon. Lynn and I complain constantly about the weather, and Chris drags us into a tatty riverside cafe where he devours several horrid egg sandwiches. Lynn says the coffee tastes like washing up water, and after several sips I quickly agree with her. The three of us sauntered near the river before returning to the bus station. Bid farewell to Chris. We agree to meet at the Emmotts at 8. John and I caught the bus to the Emmotts. Chris was already propping up the bar, and Pete joined us after half an hour. The four of us were herded near the door and thousands of people kept cramming in. Andy and Dave Baker (Bruno) came half an hour after Pete. We then went to the Westbourne at Otley, which Chris hated, but everyone else had a tremendous time. Pete was in his usual sarcastic mood, and inevitably, Chris suffered. A bar extension until 11.30 enabled us to get rather drunk. Bruno was nearly copped by the police near Harry Ramsden's, but he took s side-street thereby shaking them off. Home after an exciting evening. -==-

Friday April 12, 1974

Good Friday. Dad wakes me at 10am. Lynn is watching the television, Sue is at work, and so are Mama and John of course. Terrible weather. Chris and I intend going out after lunch, but I expect he won't want to wonder out in the deluge which lashes down upon the whole area. Yorkshire is prone to this obscene weather. Mother and Father bought lunch - fish and chips - at 12.30, and Mama surprised us with a pair of spectacles which she needs for reading - and they look quite nice on her. Mr Ussher, the chemist, thinks they make her look extremely intellectual.

Lazy afternoon. Go to the E. at 8. Andy, Linda, Christine and Bruno (whom I haven't seen since that fantastic day at the Motor Show). Before long, MM, Marita and Denny (looking considerably thinner), and David all drop in to see us. David was in very high spirits and he think he tries to ignore ____when he can. Life for poor David must be ghastly. I do not rellish the idea of dragging ____around whenever I go out. Denny, Marita, Christine Jennings and MM are going to the Continent in July. The 'Jet Set' move on after half an hour, and we then go to the Malt Shovel in Menston where we encounter the parents of Linda and Christine W. One of Christine's aunts was drunk. At 10.30 we all go back to Andy's. Mr Graham is a character! Bruno brings John and I home at 2. Supper and bed at 3.

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Thursday April 11, 1974

Up at 9 o'clock. Decide to go with Lynn to the cinema this afternoon. The weather is deteriorating slowly, and by Saturday will shall be six feet under the snow no doubt. British weather never fails to let us down at Bank Holiday time. At 10 I go into Guiseley to get a birthday card for Judith, who is 19 tomorrow - find an amusing one. I make a call at the library and glance at the first volume of the diaries of Bruce-Lockhart, who died in 1970. They seem quite interesting, but I've read Nicolson's diaries for the same period, dealing with the Duke of Windsor, Mrs Simpson, Sybil Colefax and all that lot. Glance at the Times whilst in the library and see that the Earl of Snowdon made his maiden speech in the House of Lords yesterday. He spoke on disabled services or something equally mundane. He didn't make the same mistake as Lord Harewood, who made a very controversial maiden speech on hanging or something. Princess Margaret came to Harrogate today, arriving at Yeadon of course. Unfortuntately, Lynn didn't want to accompany me to Yeadon so I decided not to bother going on my own. Anyway, I only saw Princess Margaret the other month, and she won't have changed very much I do suppose. At 2.15 Lynn and I go with Mama and Papa to Yeadon. They go to Morrison's whilst Lynn and I go to the cinema. See 2 horror films which last until 6.30. Lynn is rather terrified, but I am unmoved. The trouble is that my imagination doesn't begin to work until hours after the film is finished. Horror films are often more gripping in the dead of night. -==-

Wednesday April 10, 1974

Completely lazy day. Finish 'Elizabeth of Glamis' by Duff. The Queen Mother is really a fantastic person and I am sure that it is she who saved the nation from Republicanism in 1936 when Edward VIII packed up. George VI would never have lasted on his own. Indeed, many authorities (not just Duff) say Elizabeth saved George VI from utter and complete madness because when they married in 1923, the then Duke of York was on his way to retiring completely within himself.

In my opinion, the Duke of Edinburgh also receives far too much credit for pulling the Royal Family out of the 19th century. Little Queen Elizabeth was doing a brilliant job before Prince Philip ever got his hands on Lilibet.

Sit about at home all day. Go to the Emmotts at 8.20 after having had a pint in the (Yorkshire) Rose. Keith and Christine White leave almost immediately - and Chris, Laura, Elaine, John and I remain. Terribly boring evening. At 10.15 we go to the fish and chip shop across the road. Everyone in complete misery - Chris feels left out by Andy, who is entranced by Linda. It looks as though we are going to have an unpleasant Easter - no doubt I'll die of sheer boredom. No word from June - hardly surprising really.

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