Friday May 2, 1975

I saw Harold Macmillan on the TV last night and I must say that he's made my mind up once and for all on this referendum nonsense. I always said that I would never vote in any referendum, because it's an unlawful abomination, yet the TV and the papers had almost made me change my mind. I would have voted for staying in, but that's besides the point. No, Mr Macmillan convinced me that it would be a disgrace to vote on June 5. What is the point in having a Houses of Parliament when they are just going to hand over all important decisions to us. And let us face it, the Common Market isn't a matter of life and death. We have gone through two world wars and we, that is the ordinary plebs, were never given the chance to state our views on that subject. Good old Harold Macmillan. They don't make 'em like him anymore.

Work at 5pm. I never object to working nights until the actual day comes along, when it's all too late to do anything about it. Friday night without Wikis is just pure, unadulterated Hell.

On my arrival at that saintly place, the Yorkshire Post, I settle down for an extremely quiet night. See nobody until 12 and the only convseration I really have is with the telephone operator when booking my taxi. Pinch a picture from the throw-out drawer of Barbra Streisand - the sexiest thing I've ever had the pleasure to see on the screen.

On my arrival home I dig out a picture frame from underneath a pile of rubbish in my cupboards and Miss Streisand is formally established on the table near my bed.

David B has had the photos developed from the orgy we had after my birthday. Some brilliant ones of me the morning after!

John is in bed when I eventually climb the stairs. Mum stays he staggered in at 11.45pm with blurred vision and a slow, slurred voice. Pissed he was. Lucky swine.

-==-

Thursday May 1, 1975

Almost completely recovered now. I thought I'd be laid low with pneumonia by the end of the week but luckily it won't be so. Pay day again. My wage isn't all that cronic really, and I know I'm always complaining of lack of funds, but if I earned £7,000,000 per week I'd still be moaning and groaning by Wednesday night.

I informed Kathleen today that I want, and indeed will have no matter what, Friday June 13, off. This will mean that I can travel down to Windsor on Friday morning - go out with John, Sheila and even Chris - then go into London early on the Saturday morning for the Trooping the Colour escapades in the Mall. It would mean me having to return home on the Sunday to be back at the YP on the following morning.

Chris goes to Windsor at the very beginning of June until December, and I can't help feeling envious. If Utopia or Paradise really exists I somehow think that Windsor will not be far away.

News items: Lady Sarah Armstrong-Jones is eleven years-old today. Saigon fell to the communists yesterday and is now Ho Chi Minh City or something equally hideous. Princess Anne and Capt Mark Phillips are stranded in the Australian outback after plane trouble. The Queen left Jamaica after the Commonwealth PM's Conference and is now on the way to Japan with the duke for an official visit.

This Princess Anne thing sounds funny. I can just imagine the Royal party stuck there with the sun blazing down. Is wallaby edible I wonder?

Papa is still doing the lounge, and I must admit it looks brilliant.

-==-

Wednesday April 30, 1975

Feel much better today but am not too happy yet about my throat. My nose is clear, but I fear the contamination will creep down to my chest. It always does.

Good day really - Kathleen was off again - she always is lately, and I must admit that the atmosphere is a lot better without her dashing around finding unnecessary jobs for everyone to do. These women will do absolutely anything to get out of taking life at a leisurely pace.

Home at 5.20 to find Mama preparing the lounge for the coming onslaught of dust-sheets and paint cans. After tea I help Dad splash a bit of emulsion around and manage to watch a 'St Trinian's' film and a good documentary about the death of Hitler in between. Hitler died 30 years ago this week.

Whilst I was making busy in the lounge John was busily drinking with Chris and Co in several of Guiseley's ale houses. I rarely miss Wednesdays supping sessions, but today, mainly for financial reasons, I decided it would be wise to do so.

(Christine rang at work to say that Maura isn't joining me for a drink at lunchtime tomorrow. She gave no excuse, and I suppose Christine's been having words with her. I'll say no more about that.)

Before leaping into the bath I talk with Dad about me buying his car! Yes, actually buying a motor vehicle. He says I'll be the first on the list when the times comes for him to sell, and Mum agrees that it would be a good idea. I'm pulling myself together at last. I know I've always let life slip by without even realising - so unlike John - but the time is now ripe for meto begin a new trend.

-=-

Tuesday April 29, 1975

Feeling grotty and fear that a cold is creeping upon me. All day my throat's been sore, and a funny cracking sound affects my ears everytime I swallow. My sinuses aren't too good either. Detest feeling like this and hope and pray that a sudden recovery will soon be achieved.

Discover at the YP that I'm down for working on Friday night. Not that it matters and I do suppose it's a blessing in disguise really. What with the holiday pay-up date looming on the horizon, and the prospect of another months Barclaycard I'll need every single penny I can lay my hands on.

This afternoon I suddenly remembered that Jon Lesser (David's room-mate at Worcester)wanted some photostats of the Selby Coalfield development, and so I flew round the office with panic burning in my eyes in the attempt to find his address. Eventually I succeeded and delegated the job of doing the photostats to Eileen. Jon is a good bloke really. David never ceases to torment him, but he only does it in fun of course. It strikes me that David always needs a 'Jon Lesser' wherever he is. When in Guiseley his 'Jon Lesser' is John Rhodes, and he does anything to plague and chaff him. Also, the fact that Jon is _______is also a never ending source of amusement for David, who collects millions of ___jokes when he is on holiday, just so that he can lay in bed at night, when back in Worcester, and hurl them at his tortured room-mate. However, David Lawson will always be my dearest friend and until the end of my days his sense of humour and unparalleled wit will be of endless joy to me.

-==-

Monday April 28, 1975

Dull, but humid day. First day back at the YP since Apr 19, and I didn't feel like working at all. Not too busy actually. Have a laugh with Sarah about flags and when they should be flown. Even I got into a confusion about certain aspects of this. For instance, if a member of the Royal Family dies on the birthday of another member of the Royal Family, the Union Flag remains at full-mast unless a statement saying otherwise is released by the Palace. This what happened last June when the Duke of Gloucester died on the Duke of Edinburgh's birthday. Imagine the confusion if a member of the Royal Family died on St George's Day along with former Prime Minister Lord Avon and the Chilean head of state!

See in The Times that the new Duke and Duchess of Norfolk spent a few days with the Queen at Windsor last week. No doubt Her Majesty informed the duke that she'd give him the Garter as soon as one becomes available. They're normally announced on April 23, but I think the membership of the order is full up at present. By all accounts Uncle Miles won't have long to wait. Viscount Montgomery is far from well, and he's pushing 90 or so...

The decorating in the dining room is just about complete, and the lounge is next on the list. My fingers are quite itching for the feel of a paint brush, but we've no white emuslsion in storage at the moment.

The TV is boring tonight. I continue with 'George VI' by Wheeler-Bennett. The old king did a good deal towards making Anglo-American relations what they are today, with his friendship with President Franklin Roosevelt in the war years. I am an ardent monarchist and probably biased on the subject, but I fail to see why these anti-monarchist people cannot see that the Royal Family are the greatest ambassadors the world has ever seen. Prince Charles at this moment is doing what the Duke of Windsor did in the 1920s, and so little credit is given to him.

-==-

Sunday April 27, 1975

4th after Easter. Yet another beautiful day. Wake at about 11.30 and go down for a coffee. Sit glancing at the Sunday papers which I don't normally do because they're a load of old rubbish. See that the Labour party have voted with an enormous majority to pull out of the Common Market when this so-called referendum is thrust upon us in June. A tremendous blow it will be for the Prime Minister, and it wouldn't surprise me if he was to hand over all his powers to Wedgwood Benn. Then the Nation can relapse into total confusion and madness.

Everyone is talking about a camping trip at Whitsuntide, and so I'll have to save the pennies. Also, June 14 is the day that the holiday people want their money. Aaarrghh!

Depleted numbers out for a drink tonight. Just John, Chris, Carol and myself. After starting at the Hare we move on to the Station Hotel in Guiseley, where I've never set foot before. Don't like the place much. Move on to the Emmotts - horrible; then the Station on Henshaw Lane for the last one. The four of us have a good argument about politics. I try to persuade them not to vote in this coming referendum, and am pleased to hear that John and Carol agree with me that we shouldn't really be having one at all. Unconstitutional and pathetic it really is. Chris is of course a staunch Conservative and thinks we belong in the EEC - I quite agree with him, but refuse to believe that the British electorate should be allowed to make the decision. Harold Wilson just wants to pass the blame onto us when everything goes wrong.

-==-

Saturday April 26, 1975

Dad decorating the dining room aroused me from my slumbers at 1pm. Mum came in from the hairdressers and we had lunch immediately. Susan rang Peter to question him about last night and I couldn't help thinking how obnoxious and yak it would be to know a female would be ringing to get all the gruesome details off you the morning after. Let's hope I'll never be in that state.

Saw Maura and Marian last night, and Sandy Lawson. Indeed, it was my night for women. The most enjoyable __at Wikis for ages.

I'm glad I've been able to catch up at last with the diary. It's now about 6.30pm on April 26, so order is once again restored.

A beautiful day really. Cannot understand our weather. One week it snows, and the next week we are struck by a heatwave.

For 52 years the Queen Mother has been a member of our Royal Family. This day in 1923 the Duke of York married Lady Elizabeth Bowes Lyon and all's been well since. A true milestone in the history of Great Britain.

To the Hare at 8.30 and the gang go to Addingham on a minor pub-crawl. These are getting more regular as of late. Have a laugh with Christine White and Stuart (Newton), who are tremendous fun. Back to Pine Tops to see 'The Third Man'. A good film which always makes me think of Dad. He likes it so much.

--==--