_. The dreadful Ayatollah Khomeini gave something of an interview on the BBC programme 'Panorama' this evening. He is a disgusting religious fanatic. Misguided, wicked and obscene in his hold over the Persians. A war may well be in the offing. President Carter's popularity has soared following the recent kidnapping of US officials in Teheran.
No chat with Ally today. I am seeing her tomorrow. Sue & Pete went to the Elmer tonight with Janet Simon and her odd boyfriend, a 21st birthday party I think. It's a year since I went to the Elmer with Christine. Jill's party I think. Oh, dear sweet Christine! I really should phone her to see how things are going. Dave L's opinion is that she has washed her hands of us and doesn't want to know us anymore, but surely this distancing is only natural when one is newly married. One day I fully expect her to bring this boy of hers into society. I have yet to sanction the nuptials.
To bed after 11 with my Hitler volume. You'll be relieved to hear the war has now started. Farewell to Poland and all that. I really deserve some reward for following Mr Toland's every word. Mind you, it did take me much longer to finish 'The Count of Monte Cristo' if you remember.
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20200330
Sunday November 18, 1979
_. Wet day. In bed again until after 1pm. Ally and I had 'breakfast' and sat with Mama. Papa was out on police business, no doubt truncheoning the youths of Guiseley. Later we went for a walk in the freezing rain and got a thorough soaking. Back at home we toasted ourselves before the gas fire. Ally was persuaded to stay the night because of the cold and the lurking Yorkshire Ripper. We watched TV until 12:30.
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Saturday November 17, 1979
_. Disgusting I know, but the first sign of life we experienced today was at 1:15pm. My head felt like a ton of pig iron. Ally similarly indisposed but brought hot, black coffee to bed. A damp, dismal day.
At 2 I went in search of groceries, but came back with nothing but a bunch of grapes. A pound of grapes costs 40p these days. Ally, in the steam of the kitchen, finds my offerings peculiar. I sprawled upon the sofa, as a Roman might have done, dropping grape after grape into my mouth. It was an afternoon of domestic bliss.
Phoned Mama and invited ourselves to dinner. Phoned Lynn too, who said she and Dave were going out with Sue & Pete and so we invited ourselves to join them. Ally's car is hopeless. She attempted to start the engine, without success. By bus to Guiseley for 6:30. We always titter and giggle on public transport, don't ask me why. Dinner was exquisite. Out at 8:30 with Sue, Pete, Lynn and Dave. We were all subdued, and to make matters worse a fight broke out in the White Cross which upset the girls. On to the Shoulder. Chippy, Debbie and Gus were there [back from Holland]. Lynn in one of her infuriating moods. Home to Pine Tops at 11. Ally stayed the night. Lynn dropped us off at home and called in to see Mum and Dad for an hour. Bed at 1:30.
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At 2 I went in search of groceries, but came back with nothing but a bunch of grapes. A pound of grapes costs 40p these days. Ally, in the steam of the kitchen, finds my offerings peculiar. I sprawled upon the sofa, as a Roman might have done, dropping grape after grape into my mouth. It was an afternoon of domestic bliss.
Phoned Mama and invited ourselves to dinner. Phoned Lynn too, who said she and Dave were going out with Sue & Pete and so we invited ourselves to join them. Ally's car is hopeless. She attempted to start the engine, without success. By bus to Guiseley for 6:30. We always titter and giggle on public transport, don't ask me why. Dinner was exquisite. Out at 8:30 with Sue, Pete, Lynn and Dave. We were all subdued, and to make matters worse a fight broke out in the White Cross which upset the girls. On to the Shoulder. Chippy, Debbie and Gus were there [back from Holland]. Lynn in one of her infuriating moods. Home to Pine Tops at 11. Ally stayed the night. Lynn dropped us off at home and called in to see Mum and Dad for an hour. Bed at 1:30.
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Friday November 16, 1979
_. Mornings are such fun now that The Times has returned from the dark of what looked like extinction.
Something quite shocking has been revealed today. Sir Anthony Blunt, KCVO, Surveyor of the Queen's Pictures, 1952-72, and to George VI, 1945-52, has been exposed in Parliament as the 'fourth man' in the Burgess, Maclean and Philby spy scandal of the 1950s and 60s. The Queen was told of this by the then Attorney-General in 1964, but it seems that the then PM Sir Alec Douglas-Home was not told of the facts. It seems that Her Majesty was asked to retain Sir Anthony in the Royal Household because he, in 1964, was granted immunity from prosecution in exchange for information. In effect he became a double agent. No prime ministers until Mrs Thatcher was aware of this intrigue. Today the Queen annulled Professor Blunt's KCVO. It's going to blow up into something big by the look of things.
By bus to Lidget Green at 8:30. Ally and I went on a pub crawl. She was almost fixed up, at one of the more respectable establishments, as an organist for the Christmas period. An old chap there was amazed that Ally could read 'the dots' on the sheet music. Back to Club Street. We sat on the rug until 6am.
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Something quite shocking has been revealed today. Sir Anthony Blunt, KCVO, Surveyor of the Queen's Pictures, 1952-72, and to George VI, 1945-52, has been exposed in Parliament as the 'fourth man' in the Burgess, Maclean and Philby spy scandal of the 1950s and 60s. The Queen was told of this by the then Attorney-General in 1964, but it seems that the then PM Sir Alec Douglas-Home was not told of the facts. It seems that Her Majesty was asked to retain Sir Anthony in the Royal Household because he, in 1964, was granted immunity from prosecution in exchange for information. In effect he became a double agent. No prime ministers until Mrs Thatcher was aware of this intrigue. Today the Queen annulled Professor Blunt's KCVO. It's going to blow up into something big by the look of things.
By bus to Lidget Green at 8:30. Ally and I went on a pub crawl. She was almost fixed up, at one of the more respectable establishments, as an organist for the Christmas period. An old chap there was amazed that Ally could read 'the dots' on the sheet music. Back to Club Street. We sat on the rug until 6am.
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20200328
Thursday November 15, 1979
. _. Driving rain. To the dentist for my six monthly inspection. My dentist, or butcher, is an obliging bearded youth who is reeking of garlic, and who seems quite disinterested in doing anything whatsoever with the contents of my mouth. Hough, his predecessor, who has disappeared, pulled, filled and twisted anything he could get his hands on. Got a soaking going home, but smiled throughout the process.
Princess Anne's son is two years old today, and HRH isn't at Gatcombe Park to celebrate with the toddler. The princess is in Canada on a Save the Children Fund mission. Dedication for you. Leaving a child at home to go to a minor function in Ottawa.
A Margaret and Jim night. No Ally.
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Princess Anne's son is two years old today, and HRH isn't at Gatcombe Park to celebrate with the toddler. The princess is in Canada on a Save the Children Fund mission. Dedication for you. Leaving a child at home to go to a minor function in Ottawa.
A Margaret and Jim night. No Ally.
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Wednesday November 14, 1979
_. Snow appeared but rain soon followed to make it disappear. Two phone calls of varying importance. Ally phoned after lunch with some sombre news about her car. The repairs amount to £60 and the machine requires a further fortune spending on an exhaust and numerous other odds and ends. She says that when she went to bed on Sunday night she went into a deep sleep, failed to hear her alarm clock, and woke at 4:40pm on Monday! She does not appreciate my concern and says I am overwrought. The poor girl is now financially ruined and things look very bleak.
The next phone call came this evening and was from Dave L. He wants a copy of an old Sunday Observer magazine. I explained the chances of me laying hands on a copy are slim. He chatted about MM and Marita and concluded somewhat teasingly that he has news which he cannot possibly repeat.
'Is it about them getting married'? I enquired. 'Yes', he replied: 'Who told you'? I laughed and answered: 'You did of course, just now.' I'd tricked it out of him. Oh, we did laugh. How cunning of me. The wedding, he says, is to take place on December 8, in Rawdon.
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The next phone call came this evening and was from Dave L. He wants a copy of an old Sunday Observer magazine. I explained the chances of me laying hands on a copy are slim. He chatted about MM and Marita and concluded somewhat teasingly that he has news which he cannot possibly repeat.
'Is it about them getting married'? I enquired. 'Yes', he replied: 'Who told you'? I laughed and answered: 'You did of course, just now.' I'd tricked it out of him. Oh, we did laugh. How cunning of me. The wedding, he says, is to take place on December 8, in Rawdon.
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Tuesday November 13, 1979
_. Tomorrow is the birthday of the Prince of Wales. His thirty first. He is to attend a concert by Shirley Bassey at Wembley, but no delightful deb is included in his party. Whatever the gossip columnists might say he isn't taking Sabrina, Davina, Rowena or Mavis. The poor man must be sick to death of the constant badgering and speculation. Blimey, he is only 31, and yet the Press seems to have given up hope of ever seeing 'action man' take a bride. Charles's cousin, Prince Michael of Kent, was 36, my Uncle Peter was 35, and Sir Cecil Beaton remains single at 70. So, all is not lost.
Lynn and Dave came to dinner tonight. Afterwards I was very rude and when we all retired to the sitting room I buried my head behind 'The Times' which appeared today for the first time in almost a year. Thank God it's back. Sue took to her bed at 11 but Pete stayed until 12:15, and we watched a dreadful film about an air crash. Bed with Hitler at 12:30.
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Lynn and Dave came to dinner tonight. Afterwards I was very rude and when we all retired to the sitting room I buried my head behind 'The Times' which appeared today for the first time in almost a year. Thank God it's back. Sue took to her bed at 11 but Pete stayed until 12:15, and we watched a dreadful film about an air crash. Bed with Hitler at 12:30.
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The lounge bar: carry-out jugs Moorhouse Inn, Leeds 11 Sunshine. L. Gledhill was here for 10 o'clock. He breezed in very cheerful and i... -
Moorhouse Inn, Leeds 11 Up at 6:44, or at least awake.Went down to clear the beer lines and left Ally with cooing Samuel. Blossom looked a ...