Debbie meets her baby sister for the first time
Debbie meets her baby sister for the first time

Hectic day combining fatherhood with the company sales aftermath but Diana and Daniella are doing well, though my Mum is admitted to hospital as the news is still full of the Miners’ dispute with lorries, now, moving the coal

Woken by the alarm radio but tired and reluctant to get up for 10 minutes. Down then to make the morning drinks and up again to sit in bed with Debbie and Daniel as we drink, wake up and talk about mum and the new baby. Debbie hears for the first time and is pleased that we have a daughter. Daniel helps me put out some clothes and they have their normal morning dressing race and then help prepare breakfast, which we eat together. I take Daniel to St Neots to catch the bus, drop Debbie off with a neighbour and race to Eaton Socon to review arrangements for the day. An immense schedule of press mailings, meetings, arrangements, was dictated and written down and John Lamb, June Hamilton and I worked closely together to achieve the aim.

First the press bits were edited, then the employee announcement packs made up into branches with additional written briefings for the Branch Managers. The Comart Management of 17+ was briefed at Grove House in mid-morning and all staff in their departmental meetings in the afternoon. Hotel and meeting arrangements were made for the Byte Shop Managers and Directors to be briefed by Peter King; flown back from France specifically for that purpose. I hold phone conversations with Tony Keston of the DTI and Nigel Smith of the BMMG and brief them on the news and prepare the way for some of my ideas.

At 3.00pm I race back to collect Debbie, on to Kimbolton to collect Daniel and then to show them their sister for the first time. We are thinking of calling her Daniella and both her and Diana are doing very well. Home via The Little Chef for tea and then I do the washing from the day whilst the children have a bath together and go to bed.

News today from Dad that Mum has been admitted to hospital with a blood clot on the lung after stopping her anticoagulant drugs.

The national news full of more mining clashes as huge numbers of lorries are used to move iron ore and coal. The government today meets to consider how to abolish the GLC and will announce a policy tomorrow. At Wimbledon and Lords Cricket Ground yesterday our sportsmen were soundly beaten and England’s Captain, Gower, comes in for heavy criticism for declaring.