Tuesday October 15, 1974

Good day really. Busy at the YP, and Carol is back after her sudden attack of generalelectionitis at the beginning of the month.

The Monday Club has asked Edward Heath to resign as party leader. He's going to speak to us all on the tv at 9.30 this evening.

Home at 6 and help Sue with her homework on volcanoes for about an hour. Ring Lynne but she isn't in. Speak to Peter instead and he says she'll ring me back later on. Is she being unfaithful? Am I to be deserted? All will be revealed.

Depart upstairs and dive into a warm bath to remove from my person the dirt and grime, odours and such like collected in my hard days toil at the YP.

Chris finished with Marita one year ago this very night. I can hardly remember them together. Last October seems a long, long time ago. Lynne rings at 9 and chats for half an hour. Meeting her tomorrow lunch. John goes out with Carol and sees Helen in the Woolpack, who says that Jackie's party is next Saturday, and wasn't last Saturday at all! Wild horses won't keep me away from this one.

See tv. A programme with Ludovic Kennedy on how the Tory party elects its leader. It includes old film of Sir Alec Douglas-Home and Harold Macmillan, &c. Poor Sir Alec. It was hardly worth his while renouncing the earldom (of Home).

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Monday October 14, 1974

Queen Jane Seymour died 1537. James II, born 1633. Busy day at the YP. The papers are full of poor Edward Heath, who looks like he's about to have his cards thrust upon him. The Tories are a very ruthless mob when it comes to being defeated. Take poor Sir Alec Douglas-Home for example. He got the chop for losing one general election. So, now Heath's lost TWO elections, and I cannot see the Monday Club allowing their hapless leader to continue in his miserable existence.

MUM PASSED HER DRIVING TEST!! Really, I should have gone with this at the top of the page. but I forgot all about it. She rang me at work whilst I was out of the office, and passed on the joyous information to Eileen. We are all thrilled at the thought of Mum behind the steering wheel, and soon I can forsee us having four drivers in the family. Don't ring Lynne tonight, though I will do before my half-day on Wednesday in order to arrange a lunch time booze-up, or something equally entertaining.

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Sunday October 13, 1974

18th after Trinity. Before I recount the days events I ought to say something about Cousin Jackie, who is my favourite relation of all time, other than Uncle Albert. Never did I imagine that a small, pale, pig-tailed young girl of yesteryear would develop into a glamorous, well-proportioned young lady with tremendous prospects. I only hope she'll come to stay with us for years to come.

Up at about 12 for lunch. Sit listening to the radio and laughing with Jackie about Chris Ratcliffe. She was talking about him in her sleep, or so Lynn says. MM & Marita and even David come round after lunch and I pay Marita for the Appletreewick pics.

MM isn't coming home again from Sheffield until Oct 31, and David's not back from Worcester until Nov 1. Carol comes too, to cut John's hair. She also does Mum's hair. After tea & 'Pick of the Pops' Jackie departs for Pudsey, and John goes out with Carol, George Waite and Jane, to Harrogate.

I sit in front of the tv all evening until Lynn and Dave come back from the cinema. Dad, who comes in shortly after 'the lovers' arrive, gives David the breathyliser test. He was 'over the moon' and no doubt telling everyone down the Hare next week that he's been breathylised by a genuine policeman. Show Dave our photo albums, which kills him. Bed at 12.30.

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Saturday October 12, 1974

Lynn wakes me at 7 and I feel absolutely shocking. Lay on the dining room floor - eyes tightly closed - wishing that last night had never happened.

Go to the YP. Sarah says I look shocking. I blame myself entirely. Leave at 12. Home by half past. Have lunch which revives me slightly, then lay on the bed for a few minutes to recouperate.

John suggests we go to Otley and (strangely) I agree. I say strangely, because walking around the market towns of West Yorkshire on a Saturday afternoon cannot be the best hang-over cure. We go, but find nothing worth buying in the town's only boutique. Decide to move on to Bradford.

A beautiful afternoon and I am in shirt-sleeves all the time. Go see Lynn working at the British Home Stores - she's quite busy, then go see Denny. I get a pair of trousers, but John comes home empty handed. A bomb-scare in the Arndale Centre held things up for a few hours. Give Sue and Peter a lift home at 6. (Cousin) Jackie and Lynn arrive home together, and by 8 we are in the Hare & Hounds. Lynne M doesn't come until nearly 9 because Chris was ferrying her and Peter M. Move on to the George & Dragon where I have a tremendous laugh with Dave L. Nobody wants to go to the other Jackie's party, and therefor Chris, dear Lynne, Peter and I go back to the Mather residence where we stay till 2.30.Mr & Mrs Mather are like somebody from the 'Forsyte Saga', but the most decent future possible in-laws anyone could wish for.

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Friday October 11, 1974

Back at the YP as usual. Surprised that Harold (Wilson) will not be seeing the Queen, who is still at Balmoral, to accept her invitation to form a government. But really, I suppose he has been Prime Minister throughout, and it would have only been necessary for him to see the Queen had he been defeated. HM must have been quite confident of a Labour victory because no plans were laid, or any attempt made, for her to return to London.

Go to Otley at 8, and meet Lynne (Mather) at half past. Acutely cold evening and we go into the pub close to the Victoria Memorial Clock. Stay till 10.30. Lynne is a very nice girl, though she reminds of June in many ways, & doesn't like going out in a crowd, which is unfortunate really. At 11, after seeing her safely onto a bus, I go to Wikis, where all the mob except Chris and Phyllis Whitethighs are assembled. Even Laura and Philip Cartwright. Get quite fresh.

See Sarah whos says her hair-do cost her £8 at Vidal Sassoons in Leeds! Bloody madness. John and Carol bump into Dave Slater and he proceeds to buy bottles of champagne and Bacardi, &c. Naturally, John and Carol become quite intoxicated. Dave Slater was already pissed up to the eye balls. We decide to come back to Pine Tops, and Dave drives me in the Bentley - a memorable journey to be sure. Sit till after 3.30.

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Thursday October 10, 1974

King Henry III born 1206. Polling Day again. John and I go (vote) in the car at about 7.30. He votes Labour, and I Liberal. I know it's shocking of me to desert the poor Tories in their hour of need, but they made such a mess of it last time I feel as though it would be almost criminal to get them elected again. YP all day. Quite busy, but nothing of importance happens. Home at 6pm and see tv until 1am. It's quite clear by midnight that 'Darling Harold' will remain Prime Minister. Go to bed feeling very tired, and fall asleep with the knowledge that the nation is now doomed to destruction under the crushing hammer of Antony Wedgwood Benn's nationalisation plans.

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Wednesday October 9, 1974

The Duke of Kent born 1935. My half day at the YP. Home for 12.30 for lunch with Mum. We're both undecided as to how we are going to vote tomorrow. I'm either Tory or Liberal and Mum is either Labour or Liberal.

Dark day, with occasional showers, though nothing like the torrents produced yesterday. Read the Prince of Wales again, and also, on this subject, I read in the Daily Mail this morning that the Prince will not be moving to Chevening House in Kent next year as was originally decided. The trustees of the Chevening estate are planning a further 2 years' work before HRH can move in.

Saw Christine Braithwaite on the 33 bus this morning. She looks a lot more slim since we last met, and her hair is longer, a much improved appearance. She dropped the bombshell that her love affair with Philip is 'virtually on the rocks'. I cannot believe it. Christine without Philip is like Victoria without Albert, or a horse without a carriage, &c. (not love without marriage, that's quite permissible), &c.

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