Friday July 30, 1982

 Ally's neck has recovered, but it's her tummy that's the culprit now. __________.

I returned from a hard day at the office to find her oblivious of the time reclining on the sofa beneath the ridiculous Susan Howatch tome. Her inner clock had switched off at 3 o'clock. We ate beef burgers in buns with chips and beans - good stodgy food. 

Freda Dudley Ward

A documentary on BBC2 featured Lord Mountbatten talking about his friendship with King Edward VIII. He stated that Freda Dudley Ward left the Prince of Wales [later Edward VIII] for the Marquis de Casa Maury. This is not so. Edward VIII jilted Freda after 18 years or so for the arms of Thelma, Viscountess Furness. Poor Louis [Mountbatten]. It's hard to imagine he's been dead for three years.

I varnished the new wood, and squabbled with Ally. We always fight when I work. She went off to bed quite jaded. I followed covered in varnish.

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Thursday July 29, 1982

 Ally much better, though remains uncomfortable. She phoned the doctor where the high and mighty receptionist told her she cannot see a doctor today and she fixed an appointment for 12:40 tomorrow. Bought Ally 'Postern of Fate' by Agatha Christie. We always commemorate illness with Agatha Christie novels. __________________.

Photographs are released of Prince William of Wales with his beaming parents today celebrating one year of marriage. God willing, the infant will be wearing the crown of St Edward well into the 21st century.

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Wednesday July 28, 1982

 Ally woke this morning and couldn't move her head. She fell asleep nursing Susan Howatch. It's given her a stiff neck. I went to work leaving her paralysed and in great pain.

Kathleen off. I told the EP newsdesk about the engagement of Viscount Ingleby's daughter, Sarah, to a Hervey-Bathurst.

I took a half day and returned to Piggy at 1 o'clock. I walked in and she took one look at me and burst into tears. It's hideous to see her so. I took a walk to the chemist and bought a tube of something to rub on the painful spot, and before long I was stripped to the waist rubbing away upon her like a Turkish masseur. She found some relief, but cut a sorry figure. 

_______. Afternoon TV is most odd. Things about wild birds followed by family quiz shows. 

Spoke to Mum who expressed concern at Ally's condition. I think Lynn might have been spreading doom and despondency.

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Tuesday July 27, 1982

 Ally came home from work this afternoon feeling sick and faint. The girls in the office were giving her 'funny, knowing looks'. She staggered out and managed to get a bus home. I found her at tea time snuggled down with a book looking pale and tired. __________. Lynn phoned, and hearing that Ally was 'off colour'  asked whether she's pregnant.

To bed early. Ally reading the ghastly Susan Howatch who she says, is 'good to read when you aren't really reading'.

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Monday July 26, 1982

 Up and out leaving John and Janette in bed. Today is Maria's 24th birthday. We didn't send a [birthday] card. This has nothing to do with her current marital status. She didn't send us cards, and so we returned the slight. Buggered all day. Phoned Mama who was cool about Janette. Her mind is made up ________. Ally and I think differently. Dad had been sent to the Stones concert, in an official capacity, and was very unimpressed and particularly took offence to Mick Jagger's bad language. He had to work overtime, poor man.

_________. Ally and I had a peaceful dinner and sat in the quiet of our tiny parlour watching TV. Dave G phoned to ask about the [Rolling] Stones.

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Sunday July 25, 1982

 7th Sunday after Trinity

Up at 8. A hot day. Ally felt sick and looked like death. Oh, dear! We seem to have done it again. Bacon sandwiches and mugs of tea later things were no better. John and Janette do not agree with this dawn start to this historic day but I am adamant. We were out at 9:45 and joined Sarah and Trevor at Horsforth, and they took us on to Roundhay Park. The scene there was incredible. I did not know what to expect but found the stage an amazing sight. We spent the day sitting around eating sandwiches and laughing at the crowds of fans filling the park. A constant stream of people until after 5pm. Not many weirdos or hippy types, but the majority seemed to be 20-30 year-olds. Saw warm up acts including George Thorogood and the Destroyers, the J Geils Band, all good, and yet very far away like ants. The [Rolling] Stones came out at 6 and were incredible. The only experience that might come close to the power of this is perhaps the Coronation of the Sovereign. [Mick] Jagger looking out at the crowds like Christ must have done at the feeding of the 5,000. We were all tip-toed with eagerness as Jagger strutted and leapt around covering hundreds of yards during each number clad in his baseball trousers and various jackets. We clapped and danced knowing we'll perhaps never see the likes of this again. John's face was a picture. He beamed like a child. We left Sarah at 8:30 after incredible fireworks and drove to Bradford and the Fire Brigade for a much needed pint, all wearing our 'Stones at Roundhay' T-shirts, and all eyes were upon us. Janette had been quiet as a mouse all day, but back in Bradford she brightened up _______. An old girl in the pub asked how the concert had been and said; 'He's such a talented boy [Jagger], and such a pity that not many people think so.' Oh dear. On to a Chinese fish and chip shop and then home for coffee and 'Emotional Rescue'. Say goodbye to Janette.

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Saturday July 24, 1982

Janette.

 Up for a fried repast. Tony Blackburn on the radio, dreadful stuff. We went to Leeds at 9:30 to collect Janette on Wellington Street. I was very pleasantly surprised and found her very attractive, clad in her red jeans and white ankle boots. Ally and I walked with John to the bus station  but afterwards regretted it because we felt 'in the way'. John insisted that we should all have a [Rolling] Stones t-shirt and spent £11 buying one for the four of us. Back to Bradford. Janette sat quietly smoking, her eyes fixed on John. He banged around with a hammer. 

At 11:30 we went to town to buy veg at the market returning at 1pm with fish and chips. Janette didn't eat. John's carpentry continued this afternoon, and Janette went for a sleep [she's been on the go since midnight]. Out at 7 to the Fire Brigade, and then for a pizza with two bottles of wine, at a place on Manningham Lane. I was intoxicated, but very full. John and I shared half of Janette's pizza. It was her first Italian. Not much call for it in Stranraer. Onward to Chaplin's. Saw Dave Porritt. Humid and noisy, but fun. Janette is a discoholic. Home after 11 and we clowned around playing records and swilling beer. I did a Mick Jagger impersonation. Laughter.

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Friday July 23 1982

 John arrived at 5:30 as we were tucking into chilli con carne. He set about measuring wood and performing his feats of carpentry. Throughout he suggested that we go out for a drink, but Ally just wasn't in the mood, and in her washer woman mode. She said I should go out without her, but it's something we never do, and I don't want to start. We sat watching the Royal Tournament and drinking beer. At 10 John bought us a curry from over the road. It's so good to be close to him again. To bed quite early, and not intoxicated.

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Thursday July 22, 1982

St Paul's House.

 Felt dreadful all day and on the verge of collapse. The alarm clock in John's room didn't function and yet I managed to wake up at 7. Walked around the house like something from a Peter Cushing Hammer film. John similarly incapacitated. Ally and I walked down the lane at 7:30 and straight away she got a bus to Bradford. I walked to the Station Hotel and got a 33 [bus]. Leeds at 9. Grew streadily worse through the day, sat with my head hanging. At lunchtime I forced myself to go find Silvio's confectioners and spent the best part of 90p on two sandwiches. I sat on a bench in Park Square eating salmon and cucumber sandwiches and admiring St Paul's House. Taking deep breaths I made my way back to the YP. Dissipation does one no good.

At home Ally was white and preparing food with heavy eyes. She also had to go out and eat at lunchtime. We had salad sandwiches and poached eggs. Bessie phoned. Bed with books. Difficulty sleeping - typical after the exhaustion of the day.

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Wednesday July 21, 1982

 Susie is 23 today. She was born at 11:55am and I can vividly recall the scene. It makes one feel extremely old.

Left the YP at 4. John collected us at 5:30, and surprisingly we were ready and waiting for him. Over to Guiseley to find Mum and Dad in high spirits. We ate grilled ham and new potatoes. Thirsty business, and thankfully we were out at 8 at the Fox & Hounds, Menston. Sue and Pete were already in the bar. Joined by Lynn, David, Margaret and Jim. After a few drinks David cleared his throat and asked us to raise a glass to Frances's brother or sister. Yes, Lynn is pregnant and expecting a baby circa December 31. Such very good news. Ally had guessed as much when she saw Lynn walking into the pub. She has put on so much weight. Ally said: 'She didn't look me in the eyes. Lynn always has some important thing to say when she doesn't look me in the eyes.' A jovial party. Margaret can be very amusing when manipulated from the start. Back to Sue's for red wine. Ally went up to peep at Christopher. Slept at Pine Tops.

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Tuesday July 20, 1982

 This morning 10 guardsmen of the Blues and Royals and Royal Green Jackets were killed by a bomb in London near Rotten Row whilst riding in full ceremonial to change the guard at Buckingham Palace.

Rotten Row bomb.

Our poor monarch must surely be at her wits end. The past ten days have been dreadful. On July 9 she had the intruder in her bedroom, and then yesterday it was revealed that her personal detective, Commander Trestrail, has been conducting a long standing affair with a male prostitute. Sat with my coffee looking at the Times I saw that Her Majesty's old friend, Lord Rupert Nevill, who was only 59, died on Sunday. Lord Rupert, heir to the Marquess of Abergavenny, was private secretary to Prince Philip, and has been in the Queen's close circle of friends since the 1940s. Princess Margaret and Group Capt Peter Townsend ended their traumatic affair at the Nevill's Uckfield home in 1955. He was also a godfather of Viscount Linley.

Couldn't phone Ally because of the strike. Phoned Mum. She hasn't really been the same since I told her of Janette's coming. They were at [Auntie] Hilda's last night. It does look as though John has told them nothing. Lynn and David returned from Wales on Saturday and we are going for dinner tomorrow before Susie's birthday drink session at some as yet unnamed hostelry.

Home at 6. I had been under the impression that we were going to the Chevin this evening to pick bilberries with David and Jean [Watts]. Ally, sombre and pale, says she forgot to make the arrangements with Jean, I think that Derek [Jenkins] has been annoying her, again. We ate quiche and salad and brewed beer. There's supposed to be a partial eclipse of the sun tonight. It was a glorious evening and I sat looking up at it. The next such eclipse isn't until 1998. Ally went upstairs with the vacuum cleaner. Why do they make such a bloody noise?

Mum phoned to say John will collect Ally and I tomorrow. To bed quite early. We would have been depressed watching a documentary on something about 'asbestossness' [an Ally quote]. Didn't bother.

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