Sunday June 28, 1981

Hotel Armadoros.

 _. 2nd Sunday after Trinity

We spent our wedding night at 35,000 feet. We touched down at Athens at 6:50am. An insane taxi driver took us to Piraeus where we arrived just in time see the ferry on which we were booked steaming out into the blue ocean. This almost caused our first marital tiff. We aren't good when we both panic.  We found another ship which sailed at 9am, but going via Tinos [where Prince Philip's mother spent some time doing charitable work], Siros, Paros, Mykonos [the gay island, where we changed ferries], then on to Naxos, or was it Paros? They all blend into one, you know. We spent the journey on deck, close to exhaustion. We came into Ios at 10pm. A man looking like Peter Sellers came from the hotel in a dingy car and took us to the Hotel Armadoros, the only hotel. We ate pizza, drank Campari, and retired to bed.

Ally: on deck.

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Saturday June 27, 1981

 _. The most sacred and beauteous day of my life. I was awake at 5:30 having slept in a sleeping bag on the dining room floor. Billy and Dave G were awake, and we sat on the back terrace steps, taking the early morning air. I did laps of Greenfield Avenue, first on my own, and then with Dave. 

Breakfast was a stampede. My brother, and best man, arrived at 10:30 and by 11 were were dressed. I shook only very slightly. In fact John seemed more nervous than me. Mum began to fluster and this made me feel worse. John and I left for the church at 11:40, and at Esholt a multitude were amassed outside. Cameras clicked. Dave Porritt there with the video camera. I kissed Bessie, all in pink, in the church doorway and John whispered: "Who is that?" Of course, they have never met. The bride arrived at noon. I had to turn and look as she glided down the aisle, her full skirts shining like silver. Breathtaking. Her face lit with happiness. This set the tone of the service. We stood 'eyeing' each other and grinning. I think my responses were audible. I did, however, pronounce the 'H' in honour and said 'death do us part' insead of 'death us do part'. Ally said something wrong and then said 'sorry', only to be hurried along by Calvin Ward with a 'never mind, never mind'. We managed to kneel without falling on our faces. What I always thought might be a hideous ordeal was in fact exciting and unfortgettable. Why didn't we think of doing it earlier? We signed the register without a hitch. In the singing of the second hymn 'All People That On Earth Do Dwell' the organist dried bringing everything to a brief standstill. We left the church, arm in arm, to sunshine outside.

Outside the photographers took over. Jack Simon and Graham Lindley, from the YP. The session lasted for over half an hour. The drive in the marvellous old car to the Cow & Calf gave us the chance to talk. We formed a reception committee in the doorway greeting all the guests in a chain of kisses and grasped hands. Auntie Mabel was the only one who looked to be on the verge of tears.

I had no appetite. Poked at my roast beef. I worked out a speech plan with John. Graham said grace in Latin. John stood and proposed a toast to the Queen, not my suggestion, but Frank's. John then said a few words, proposed a toast, and then so did I. Frank then stood, and for a man used to public speaking, he looked very pale. He made a very moving father of the bride speech, saying how Ally had come back to live in the north and that Mum and Dad had looked after her so well. He almost broke down.

Speeches over we mingled with all the tables. Delia and Sarah were sat with the Rawnsleys. They were howling with laughter.

We left at 9:30 in a taxi from the Cow & Calf to Manchester Airport. We flew in the early hours to Athens.

-=-

Friday June 26, 1981

 _. Dull and damp. Breakfast at 8. Frank drove us into Bradford where Ally went to the tanning place, and we went to the John Street Market. Bessie bought us a small table, a wine table? Anyway, the car was laden with flowers, and after collecting Ally we went on to Esholt Church for a pantomime entitled 'Widow Twanky Goes Flower Arranging'. 

It took us ages to gain access to the church. [The caretaker was in Shipley having her hair set], and when Bessie began dismantling the altar, we made our escape. 

#Frank dropped us in Guiseley and we bought a few things in Boots, and then had fish and chips in newspaper as we walked up Hawksworth Lane, giving nervous glances at each other. Our last unmarried day.

Frank, Bessie and Andrew joined us after an hour or so, and we all had a gin and tonic with Mum and Dad before taking Ally away for the rest of the day. It was moving to see her go.

To Otley with Mum and Dad. She bought some shoes. Then to Yeadon, and home for 4. Looking at old diaries: did you know that Ally was mentioned in the very first entry in my journal on Jan 1, 1973?

This evening Uncle Bert, Aunt Jadwega, cousin Reginald arrived, as well as Dave G and Billy. Pure magic. The chemical reaction which took place between Billy and Jadwega was unforgettable. A brilliant double act. The song and dance routines followed, and the jokes. Hours of musical comedy.

-=-

Thursday June 25, 1981

 _. My last unmarried day at the YP. Made my way to Lidget Green at 6, pockets full of holiday money.

Lynn, Dave and Frances came over, and in D walked in carrying a refrigerator, a wedding present from them and from Sue, Pete, John and Maria. Within minutes it was affixed in the space that would, in a normal house, be a kitchen. We busily started freezing things. After salad sandwiches they left to make way for Frank, Bessie and Andrew. They came in at about 11:30 and the usual chaos reigned. I think they will eventually relax when the wedding day comes. We drank tea and opened presents from the Lancashire aunts.

Bed after 12. 

-=-

Wednesday June 24, 1981

 _. Didn't see Ally. She is turning Ash Tree Cottage into Clarence House in readiness for the arrival of her parents.

Winston: blue eyes?

Dined with Mum and Dad. She made fine Yorkshire puddings and eulogised over my imminent passing. Dad was genuinely moved and blinked away tears. "We will miss you, Mike", said Mum very breezily, but I knew how she felt. Or do I? Twenty six years of love and devotion, care and attention, and in the blink of an eye your child has gone -- gone off with another to repeat the process all over again.

Anyway, enough of that. At the office my telephone trilled. It was a portrait painter, working on a portrait of Sir Winston Churchill, and was desperate for an accurate description of the colour of the great man's eyes. One would have thought that this might be an easy thing to pin down, but no. Nowhere does it say what hue twinkled in that Bulldog head. He did of course have sandy, dare I say ginger hair, before he lost it, and so would make a guess at a blue/grey shade.

-=-

Tuesday June 23, 1981

 _. Catherine's second birthday. 

At Club St up at 5:30am and cleaned the windows. It took about half an hour. Breakfasted with Ally and then off to the YP.

Ally's cousin, Patricia Tolley, gave birth to a daughter, Louise Emma at something in the vicinity of 3am. The child is well, but the mother has had a very difficult pregnancy.

Home at 6.

-=-

Monday June 22, 1981

 _. Visitors: Marlene, Frank, Debbie, Karen, Steve, Diane and Paul came over to Pine Tops this evening bearing wedding presents. Marlene & Frank were the first to arrive. She looked shocking, hay fever. The others brought pans and trinkets, and stayed for drinks until 12. Afterwards Ally and I returned to Club Street. Tempers between us had been fraught in telephone exchanges this afternoon. It's nerves kicking in.

-=-

Sunday June 21, 1981

 _. 1st Sunday after Trinity. ~ Father's Day

A day at Ash Tree Cottage. Surprised to see 'Britt' as we affectionately call her, our next door neighbour [in fact Mrs Ethel Greenwood]. She made a rare appearance in her garden, and she reprimanded us for never visiting her. The sweet old lady was born on July 15, 1888, and she tells us it rained 'cats and dogs' on the day of her birth, St Swithun's Day. She says her grandson 'Our Graham', a Bradford policeman, interviewed Peter Sutcliffe. She says the Ripper is a 'plausible liar'. 

On to Pine Tops at 5:30 with sausages and beefburgers. Lynn, Dave B, Frances, Sue [looking bright] and Pete arrived at 6:30. We frolicked on the lawn, barbecuing steaks, &c. Haven't seem Mama laugh so much in ages. By 10:30 we were still outside wrapped in blankets and coats, shrouded in the dense all consuming charcoal smog. 

-=-

Saturday June 20, 1981

 . Dull, overcast, and very wet later. Feel hideous. Climbed out of bed at 11 and was violently sick, just in time for breakfast  of scrambled eggs on toast. 

At 1pm Ally, Dave G and I went to Bramhope to observe the wedding of Christopher Baker and Julie Harris at St Giles's Church. The vicar, I thought, made a ghastly gaffe going on and on about the breakdown of marriage and the perils of divorce. Dave G looked at me and whispered loudly that the vicar was instructing the couple to 'bleedin' well not bother'. 

At 2 we returned to the Woolpack for a couple of pints before waving a sad goodbye to Master Glynn. He has to be back on duty at dawn tomorrow at Stockport Hospital.

The Vintage restaurant.

To Guiseley. Slept in a chair until 7pm. Then to Lidget Green to get changed. The two of us went to dinner at the Vintage Steak Bar in Bradford. The T-bone steaks were £5.40 each, and were deplorable, disappointing. We laughed though, and made small talk. I know it's wrong but we had a bottle of Liebfraumilch with our red meat. The bill came to £18 which we can ill afford.

-=-

Friday June 19, 1981

 _. Mum and Dad's 27th wedding anniversary. I made an appearance at the marital bedroom at 7:30 and gave them a card and a present ~ a dish [Royal Albert] bearing a charming likeness of Lady Diana midst the roses.

The YP was glum. I made good my escape at noon. Ally met me on Wellington Street and we went to the railway station and met Dave G. We had a drink at the Central - hideous, and more alcohol at the Bank where I bought Ally a quiche salad. The latter watering hole was packed with estate agents and solicitors drinking gin and lusting after their secretaries. Then on to Jacomelli's, on Boar Lane.

To Guiseley via Bradford where we had fish and chips with Mum and Dad. Ally went off to Burley to bake with Lynn and no doubt discuss last night. They started off at Burley Gates and then went to the dear old Il Trovatore. I am told that Ally did her party piece and vomitted in the taxi.

I am a vision in green tonight. My Primo 'Moshe Dayan' jeans and a bottle green T-shirt. Dave G and I were deposited at the Woolpack by Ally, and she left us to our own devices. Joined by Pete, Chippy, Dave B, Dave L, Dave Allinson. From here we went to Chaplin's [Bolton Junction, eating raw carrot in Dave L's car]. Saw Dave Porritt, our DJ next week. On to 'Time and Place' in Bradford at 11:15 but they wouldn't allow Dave L in because of his inappropriate footwear, and so on we went to Gatsby's, a hovel if ever I saw one.

Dave L suggested that we should perhaps mug someone in the gents toilets so that he could swap shoes with the victim. He made several attempts but failed to find a candidate with his size of shoe. It was a bit like a modern day Cinderella re-worked. After 1am Dave L, in his offending footwear, drove Dave G and I to the Elmer in Shipley, and the others continued to Guiseley. The rest is lost. I remember nothing. Hideously pissed.

-=-

Thursday June 18, 1981

 _. Hot day. At the office Sarah ahd Shazzo were howling with laughter about something. Shazzo asks me to ask her what she did yesterday. I obliged, and was told that at 11am she had married her Turkish boyfriend at Leeds Register Office after a courtship of ten days. What's more, the new Mrs Shahid Koc [pronounced 'Koch'] is being carried off to Turkey is two weeks time. We will have seen the last of Shazzo. All day people made the usual sneering remarks about the Turks. Our general view of these eastern gentleman hasn't been entirely favourable since one of their race attempted to slay the dear Pope last month. Sharon handed in her notice amidst a general office breakdown. Comments ranged from 'Coo. It's like a fairy tale' to 'she must be bloody crackers'. It proved all too much for Carol J. She took a half-day.

Kathleen went out at lunchtime and bought me a teapot, not my cup of tea, but never mind.

It is Ally's 'hen night'. She came here in her yellow shorts and t-shirt. Susie didn't appear, because of a heavy cold, and neither does she want to consume vast quantities of alcohol on a pregnant stomach, and so it was just Ally and Lynn, and off she went to meet her at 8.

I sat in on one of Mum's 'Jim and Margaret nights'. Utterly boring.

-=-