Thursday September 5, 1974

Ring John & Sheila in Windsor and they are very enthusiastic about Denny and I going down on September 14. That's our autumn holiday settled anyway, and I can hardly wait to go. Uncle John says that Uncle Harry is also going down on Sept 13, so it should be a very nice cosy, family affair. Ring Denny at 6.30 but Mrs Akroyd says she isn't in & I put down the phone and sit smiling to myself about the fantastic times I've had at the seat of the British Monarchy. Denny rings after 7 and is thrilled at my Windsor news.

Hear that Andy's grandmother died last night and he therefor may not be going to Grassington tomorrow, which is quite understandable.

See the TV till after the 9 o'clock news. An attempt was made last night to remove the Stone of Scone from beneath the Coronation Chair in Westminster Abbey. Had to laugh about it, because when I saw Dad tonight and told him of this he said: "Oh, not again." As though it's something that happens every six months. Mum had exactly the same reaction. The last time we had such an occurrence was on Christmas Day, 1950, when the stone was taken by Scottish Nationalists out of England and deposite in Arbroath Abbey. Mum and Dad have good memories or they have become very ancient.

Ring Chris and Dave L. Dave is at one of his (tropical) fish meetings tonight and Mrs L says he'll ring me later.

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Wednesday September 4, 1974

Nice day at the YP. Weather shocking and what a let down it is for September which is usually very nice. Moving all the dead folk out of the personalities files and move them to a section separate from the rest. Get as far as the 'C' section. Moving files of characters varying from the 1st Earl Baldwin of Bewdley, KG (a right old sod, ho helped to shove poor King Edward VIII from the throne), to Sir Winston Chuchill, who's been glorified far too much since his death. Most Prime Ministers this century have received peerages on retirement. I think the following list is correct:

Herbert Asquith, Earl of Oxford & Asquith
Arthur Balfour, 1st Earl of Balfour
David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd George of Dwyfor
Stanley Baldwin, 1st Earl Baldwin of Bewdley
Clement Attlee, 1st Earl Attlee
Antony Eden, 1st Earl of Avon

Can't really see Harold Wilson ending his days as the 1st Earl Wilson of Scilly, but let's wait and see.

Go to the Hare and Hounds at 9 after collecting Dave L in the 1100. John did this of course. I a what you can call in no uncertain terms, pedestrian. The crowd at the Hare is very amusing and I fall around laughing at Linda Smith who's arranged all the meals for the camping trip down to the very last detail. After taking Dave home the car breaks down and the clutch and gears sound absolutely terrible. Dave takes us home in the Sunbeam and Dad later goes to Tennyson Street - after returning from the pub -in order to salvage the car. Rains all night.

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Tuesday September 3, 1974

Boring day. Weather bloody awful. World War II began at 11am 35 years ago today. See a TV programme tonight about Wynford Vaughan-Thomas, who was a war correspondent throughout the war, who saw horrific atrocities in Belsen and Auschwitz. He predicts that future historians will make out that Hitler wasn't all that bad, and we'll forget these foul, sub-human, animal-like horrors. Let me make it quite clear. Adolf Hitler is not regarded with sympathy by the youth of today, and millions continue to view him as the most evil swine ever to darken the doorstep of the world.

Clive Jenkins, a filthy old TUC associate, today made a speech at the Trades Union Congress meeting in Brighton to the effect that he House of Lords consists of thousands of Royal bastards or descendants of David Lloyd George. Mr Jenkins is very much mistaken in his assumptions. Indeed, no royal bastards sit in the House of Lords. I think Mr Jenkins meant to say "descendants" of royal bastards, i.e. those families descended from Charles II and William IV, to whom several dukedoms and earldoms owe their existence.

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Monday September 2, 1974

Lousy day with constant rain and drizzle throughout. Nothing much doing at the YP and I don't get out at lunchtime because of the weather, sitting looking at cuttings on the death of George VI instead. Kathleen goes at 4 leaving Sarah and I quite alone for the last hour. Peter Chapman comes in to see us and we laugh at his escapades in love. He's a childish sod. Home at 6 for tea. Feel like going to see Marita tonight to look at the Appletreewick photos, which should be fantastic if they come out like we intended. Give her a ring at 6.30 and she says they are fine. Tell her about Fridays camping expedition to Grassington and she promises to ask MM whether they can go or not. She certainly fancies th idea but cannot answer for her espoused. At about 7 Mama suggests that John and I take her to Pudsey to see Auntie Hilda, who doesn't know about John's little 1100. Papa is working until 10 so we leap at the opportunity. Arrive at the Gadsby residece at about 7.30 and we sit with dear Auntie H and Uncle Tony and the girls drinking home made wine commenting on how revolting it all is (the wine that is). Call in at Westfield fish and chip shop on the way home. Home at 10.30. Dad looks rather pale tonight. -==-

Sunday September 1, 1974

Up at midday. Andy rings and we decide once and for all to go to Rufforth. John takes Chris and I, and Denny of course. But before leaving we have to push Dad's car out of the drive in order to move John's - these old cars really are shocking. Quite a large body of neighbours came to assist. Mum was annoyed with John when he kept broadcasting the fact hat Dad's car has no handbrake. When sods like Harry Monkman overhear such titbits they never let it drop.

To the Station Inn in Yeadon at about 1pm where we meet Andy. Drink Campari and soda - an excellent drink which makes a change from bitter. Collect Linda and Carol at 1.30 and we take Carol with us. Andy has acquired a new rally car to sell - it's up for sale at £350 - and he hopes to get rid of it at Rufforh this afternoon.

At Rufforth for 2. Pleasant afternoon but I become very easily bored by the racing. Eat my head off all afternoon. The beer tent was full of wasps which kept me away for most of the time. At 5 a lage black cloud came over and we piled into the cars, parked close to the track. I fall asleep in front of the 1100. Home for 7 and chicken for tea. Ring Dave L, whom we pick up at 8.30 - then ring Marita who spent the whole day in bed, brooding over the fact that she has six free tickets for Rufforth but no one to go with. I console he and tell her to come to the Fleece tonight.

To the Fleece with John and Dave L at 8.30. Move on to the Stansfield Arms after a few camparis. Don't like the Stansfield at all and glad to get out at 10.30. Dave is now coming camping with us next Friday - should be a tremendous laugh. Home by 11. Bed at 11.30.

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Saturday August 31, 1974

Up at 7.30. Feeling terrible. I had far too much to drink last night.

All day, till 4, at the YP. Give Sarah a lesson on the monarchy. She thought that a monarch did not succeed to the throne until he/she had been crowned. I insist that the succssion takes place at the exact moment when the late sovereign has passed on. She has lived under the false impression that the throne was vacant at the time of her birth in November 1952, nine months after the death of George VI and seven months before the Coronation of Elizabeth II. What the hell do you say to an apparently intelligent 21-year old when they ask why the Duke of Edinburgh isn't King when his wife is the Queen? Pathetic it all is.

Finish work at 4. Home for tea at 5. Salad with Mum and Dad. Everyone else at work. To the Hare & Hounds at 8.30, but do not stay long. Linda and Phyllis are back from Gt Yarmouth, but don't talk too much about it. Move on to the Red Lion at Burley-in-Wharfedale, then Denny, Chris, Christine W, John and I move on to the Queen's Head, leaving the loving couples Andy and Linda and Peter and Carol. Have fish and chips which are exceptional before leaving for Guiseley. Denny and I go to Wikis. Very strange being the only two from the crowd. Stay till 2. Don't drink much. Just a couple of pernods each. She comes back to Pine Tops at 3 and stays in Lynn's bed. She's out at a party with Christine Dibb for the night.

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Friday August 30, 1974

Good day altogether. YP as per usual - where I hear from Sarah that's she had been dreaming about me last night - which can't be bad at all. Evidently, I'd gone into the office with a serious amount of gelignite on my person and terrified everyone to death. Strange dreams some people have. I had hoped it would have have been something sexy - but it was not to be. Unless of course the gelignite is representative of my sexuality - a bomb waiting to go off. Sarah could be a real raver with a few gins and tonics down her.

John goes from work to Donald's with the new car - and stays till about 10.30 doing odd jobs on it, etc. At about 8.30 I walk to the Hare with the new umberella for Dave B which only cost a quid and a half. Keith comes down and together we get merry, or perhaps I should say pissed. Carol is now going out with Peter, & Dave is recovered from last Saturday's accident. This is all the latest news. And, oh yes, Keith hasn't seen Helen for about a week. See Laura, who accompanies us to the Commercial. On to Wikis at 10.30 where we stay until about 1.30. Got the hiccoughs and had to make myself sick to cure them. Keith kept trying to help by punching me in the stomach, but this drastic plan failed miserably. Home and sit in the toilet reading Arabella Buckley's 'History of England' - very old, but fascinating.

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