A very important day for the USSR and for me. They had a visit from Prince Philip and I returned to Benton Park. I cannot decide which is the more important of the two.
Go to Benton at 9 and discover, to my horror, that I am now the oldest pupil in the 6th form and thus in the entire school. How horrid. I am the sole survivor from last year's upper 6th. I now know just how Lord de Courcey felt in 1936 when he found himself the last survivor of the 'Charge of the Light Brigade': ANCIENT!
Spend the day planning the timetable and listening to Groves rambling on. See Mrs Lane and Mr Ayling. Both unnecessarily sympathetic. Sit with Christine, MM, Liz Clap, and Maggie Edwards.
Prince Philip, God bless him, became the first prince of the UK to visit the USSR since before 1917. I suspect that he's gone ahead to plan a state visit by the Queen in a couple of years time. Prince Philip was certainly in his element with all that informality. Princess Anne is already at Kiev and Mark Phillips is going either tomorrow or on Wednesday.
Spend the evening watching the television. Bed by 12.0.
--==--
20090427
Sunday September 2, 1973
11th after Trinity. Awake at 9 o'clock. John was already up awaiting the arrival of Dave, who is chauffeuring me to York and Rufforth today. He arrived at 9.10.
Later: Marita, Chris, John, Christine W, MM, Linda, Dave and I set off for York. By 10.45 we are all standing outside York Minster - very impressive without all the terrible scaffolding which has dominated the building since the mid 1960s. We go see the Shambles. I am not very impressed this time. At 12.0 we leave for Rufforth after pilaging a restaurant for cheese and tomato sandwiches to take away. We eat in a field near the rather bleak-looking airport. MM produces the wine out of his car boot - a very middle class tradition indeed - but Dave thinks it tastes like old vinegar.
Even later:watch stock car racing until nearly 7.30. Very exciting. But it is rather cold and wet after 6. A bombastic woman knocked Dave's car door several times and he stuck two fingers up at her - very unusual for Dave.
Go into York and have a meal on the riverside. MM suggests that we go to the 'Tavern in the Town' - very nice, but several soldiers are carrying on very strangely - they must have been queers. One does find a lot of homosexuals in the armed forces. Hardly surprising really.
Amusing journey home. Back at Pine Tops by 11.55. John came home with Marita and Christine W. Can it be wedding bells for baby brother?
--==--
Later: Marita, Chris, John, Christine W, MM, Linda, Dave and I set off for York. By 10.45 we are all standing outside York Minster - very impressive without all the terrible scaffolding which has dominated the building since the mid 1960s. We go see the Shambles. I am not very impressed this time. At 12.0 we leave for Rufforth after pilaging a restaurant for cheese and tomato sandwiches to take away. We eat in a field near the rather bleak-looking airport. MM produces the wine out of his car boot - a very middle class tradition indeed - but Dave thinks it tastes like old vinegar.
Even later:watch stock car racing until nearly 7.30. Very exciting. But it is rather cold and wet after 6. A bombastic woman knocked Dave's car door several times and he stuck two fingers up at her - very unusual for Dave.
Go into York and have a meal on the riverside. MM suggests that we go to the 'Tavern in the Town' - very nice, but several soldiers are carrying on very strangely - they must have been queers. One does find a lot of homosexuals in the armed forces. Hardly surprising really.
Amusing journey home. Back at Pine Tops by 11.55. John came home with Marita and Christine W. Can it be wedding bells for baby brother?
--==--
Saturday September 1, 1973
Get up at 11.55. Christine rang at 12.0. It tell her that at 4 o'clock this morning Dave and I flattened the battery of his car due to parking on the moor with the headlights on full beam in a sorry attempt to locate her bracelet. I assured C that we revived the car successfully.
At 1.0 I went to Leeds to be photographed for the college of education bods. The photos look groggy. Home by 3.0 after buying the 'Amateur Photographer' which contained royal photos of, and by, the Royal Family. See film - 'The Barretts of Wimpole Street'. Beef for dinner.
Later: John, who is now very attached to Christine White, accompanies me to the Queen's, where we are joined by her, Philip, Christine, Mick and Lynne. They stay until 10.0. John, Christine W, and I go home on the 10.30 bus. After depositing C at Yeadon, John and I go on to the nicest fish and chip shop in Guiseley. Walk home with Dobby - an old friend of Johns. Home by 12 o'clock. Seee a rather thrilling film. Bed for 1.15. An early start tomorrow.
Christine was very amused at last night. Thank Goodness, because she was so upset at the time.
--==--
At 1.0 I went to Leeds to be photographed for the college of education bods. The photos look groggy. Home by 3.0 after buying the 'Amateur Photographer' which contained royal photos of, and by, the Royal Family. See film - 'The Barretts of Wimpole Street'. Beef for dinner.
Later: John, who is now very attached to Christine White, accompanies me to the Queen's, where we are joined by her, Philip, Christine, Mick and Lynne. They stay until 10.0. John, Christine W, and I go home on the 10.30 bus. After depositing C at Yeadon, John and I go on to the nicest fish and chip shop in Guiseley. Walk home with Dobby - an old friend of Johns. Home by 12 o'clock. Seee a rather thrilling film. Bed for 1.15. An early start tomorrow.
Christine was very amused at last night. Thank Goodness, because she was so upset at the time.
--==--
Friday August 31, 1973
Woke at 8.15 with the terrible realisation that I had overslept again. But it all fits my plans admirably. I decide to stay at home until 10.0 when I go into school with Christine and MM to see Groves.
Have a little breakfast and read my book about the Duchess of Portsmouth.
Arrive at Benton simultaneously with MM and Christine. They bring the new cups for the 6th form. Don't see Groves until 12.0. He advies me to wait until I have heard from the college, but to go into school until I do. Term starts on Monday. Go back to see Bill and tell him I'm going back. He wishes me good luck - again. Mess about with the bus shelters until 4.30.
Later: Dave picks John and me up and we go to the Fleece. Christine and Philip are saving seats for us. MM and Linda Smith arrive later. We go to the Intercon at the Cow and Calf at 10.30. Christine, in answer to the call of nature, visits Pine Tops for the first time. She thinks it's extremely cosy. Andy and I make attempts to get very drunk - successfully. Poor Philip went through £8. A very bizarre occurrence took place at 2.30am on Saturday morning. Dave and Christine decided to go for a walk on Ilkley Moor whilst Philip and I slept in his car. Ten minutes later I'm awakened by Dave laughing but minus Christine. To my horror we find Christine unconscious in a four-foot pot hole in the heather. I thought at first that she was dead. After a ten minute struggle we have her back in the car - bruised but alive. Alas, she had lost her bracelet, and in her drunken state, she began to cry. Philip slept on. We take her to Pine Tops for a strong coffee. At 3.35 Dave and I take C home and then return to Ilkley Moor in search of the precious bracelet - sadly, to no avail. Bed by 4.35am.
--==--
Have a little breakfast and read my book about the Duchess of Portsmouth.
Arrive at Benton simultaneously with MM and Christine. They bring the new cups for the 6th form. Don't see Groves until 12.0. He advies me to wait until I have heard from the college, but to go into school until I do. Term starts on Monday. Go back to see Bill and tell him I'm going back. He wishes me good luck - again. Mess about with the bus shelters until 4.30.
Later: Dave picks John and me up and we go to the Fleece. Christine and Philip are saving seats for us. MM and Linda Smith arrive later. We go to the Intercon at the Cow and Calf at 10.30. Christine, in answer to the call of nature, visits Pine Tops for the first time. She thinks it's extremely cosy. Andy and I make attempts to get very drunk - successfully. Poor Philip went through £8. A very bizarre occurrence took place at 2.30am on Saturday morning. Dave and Christine decided to go for a walk on Ilkley Moor whilst Philip and I slept in his car. Ten minutes later I'm awakened by Dave laughing but minus Christine. To my horror we find Christine unconscious in a four-foot pot hole in the heather. I thought at first that she was dead. After a ten minute struggle we have her back in the car - bruised but alive. Alas, she had lost her bracelet, and in her drunken state, she began to cry. Philip slept on. We take her to Pine Tops for a strong coffee. At 3.35 Dave and I take C home and then return to Ilkley Moor in search of the precious bracelet - sadly, to no avail. Bed by 4.35am.
--==--
20090424
Thursday August 30, 1973
It all became official today. June notified me. Got up at 6.45. Bill sends Andy and me to do the bus shelters at Rawdon traffic lights - horrid job indeed. After break he sends me to Henshaw to paint all the clothes posts. Laughable day. Brian Jilkes is such a scream.
The weather reminds me of April. Too wet to paint (fantastic). Do not finish my task by 4.0 which means I will have to complete it tomorrow. However, I intend going into school tomorrow at 10.30 to see Groves. MM and Christine are also going in. At White Cross on the way home, I see Dad in the car, and so I left my bust to accost my chauffeur. Mother is with him. She tells me of a letter awaiting from June. As I imagined, she never wants to see me again.
Lynn and I go to Bradford Library at 7.30. She joins in order to obtain suitable literature for her CSE projects. By coincidence, I joined the library one year ago today. Home at 9.15. Sit with a martini reading a biography of Louise, Duchess of Portsmouth, a mistress of King Charles II.
Feeling horrid about June. But I cannot beg her to take me back. What wrong have I done?
--==--
The weather reminds me of April. Too wet to paint (fantastic). Do not finish my task by 4.0 which means I will have to complete it tomorrow. However, I intend going into school tomorrow at 10.30 to see Groves. MM and Christine are also going in. At White Cross on the way home, I see Dad in the car, and so I left my bust to accost my chauffeur. Mother is with him. She tells me of a letter awaiting from June. As I imagined, she never wants to see me again.
Lynn and I go to Bradford Library at 7.30. She joins in order to obtain suitable literature for her CSE projects. By coincidence, I joined the library one year ago today. Home at 9.15. Sit with a martini reading a biography of Louise, Duchess of Portsmouth, a mistress of King Charles II.
Feeling horrid about June. But I cannot beg her to take me back. What wrong have I done?
--==--
Wednesday August 29, 1973
Terrible day. I failed my Economics - grade 7. Why, why, why, must I always mess up my examinations? I needed them so much. Mother and Father are very disappointed, but we 'celebrate' with a bottle of wine over dinner. MM, whop got grade 2, rings at 6.30. He and Christine found my result this morning. Christine was horror struck.
John and I go the Emmotts at 8.30. He meets Christine White. Chris and Marita join us at 9.30.
I am totally undecided about what to do. Should I pack up with further education and find a job? I just do not know. MM brings everyone home at 11 after fish and chips. Bed by 11.30.
PS - Princess Anne is now in Kiev for those horse trials. She is the first member of the British Royal Family to visit the USSR.
--==--
John and I go the Emmotts at 8.30. He meets Christine White. Chris and Marita join us at 9.30.
I am totally undecided about what to do. Should I pack up with further education and find a job? I just do not know. MM brings everyone home at 11 after fish and chips. Bed by 11.30.
PS - Princess Anne is now in Kiev for those horse trials. She is the first member of the British Royal Family to visit the USSR.
--==--
Tuesday August 28, 1973
Today I look madly around for reasons why June should cast me off. I conjure up the idea that she hasn't even given me up! Suppose she's been taken away for the Bank Holiday by Christine and John? But no, she would have told me. I will have to face up to the fact she is sick of me. God. It is all so odd.
A hot day spent painting garage doors behind the Stone Trough at Rawdon. Andy looks so different since having his hair cut on Saturday. Have crisp sandwiches for lunch. See Bill briefly this afternoon.
Later: Chris rang me and begged John and I to go the Emmotts. We agree. Poor MM is a nervous wreck worrying about the results of the 'O' level Economics which are to be released tomorrow. Evidently, he saw Darryl today, who heard from Tasker, that June in finishing with me. Big deal! I have known this for two whole miserable days now. Andy Graham, John and I get the 10.40 55 bus. Home for just after 11 o'clock.
We are probably goint to Rufforth stock car racing on Sunday - making a day of it. What a busy week we are all having! I think they are all doing it to keep my mind off June. Cowie, Dale and Willie (who passed his driving test today) were in the Emmotts tonight. All were shocked to hear about June. God. It all seems so strange without her.
--==--
A hot day spent painting garage doors behind the Stone Trough at Rawdon. Andy looks so different since having his hair cut on Saturday. Have crisp sandwiches for lunch. See Bill briefly this afternoon.
Later: Chris rang me and begged John and I to go the Emmotts. We agree. Poor MM is a nervous wreck worrying about the results of the 'O' level Economics which are to be released tomorrow. Evidently, he saw Darryl today, who heard from Tasker, that June in finishing with me. Big deal! I have known this for two whole miserable days now. Andy Graham, John and I get the 10.40 55 bus. Home for just after 11 o'clock.
We are probably goint to Rufforth stock car racing on Sunday - making a day of it. What a busy week we are all having! I think they are all doing it to keep my mind off June. Cowie, Dale and Willie (who passed his driving test today) were in the Emmotts tonight. All were shocked to hear about June. God. It all seems so strange without her.
--==--
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