Christina Onassis had a great life ahead of her when seen here in 1978
Christina Onassis had a great life ahead of her when seen here in 1978

I spent much of the day organising the delivery of my focus newsletters to Little Paxton, Southoe and Diddington but breaking off for lunch with the family and taking the girls to the Fair on the common. This evening formatting my history book and returning some calls. The Queen is advised not to go to Russia for security reasons, Christina Onassis dies young at 37 from a heart attack and the Royal Ulster Constabulary are being cut back

Slept well and woke early and so showered and shaved so that my morning tea arrived as I was dressing. A cursory look at the newspaper and then out with my FOCUS edition five copies for distribution to my deliveries. Loaded up the car and then travelled and chatted my way between them until they were all gone except round 4. Then home to pick up this set and, on foot, I walked around Paxton and delivered all of this batch too. Diana was out shopping at first and then delivering round 1. Quite a tiring and cold experience but I got there in the end. I wanted to go on to Diddington and had to look after the girls who had grown tired of Diana’s round. Soon time to go to St Neots and collect Daniel for lunch which we had at our regular Saturday venue of the St Neots Bridge Hotel.

After lunch, I had to go with the girls to the Fair which was pitched on the common; then I found out that Tricia Palmer had failed to turn up at my office at the appointed time of 3 o’clock and so more time wasted. With an hour to go before dark, I went off to deliver the Southoe outliers but did not get far before an old couple in Rectory Lane invited me in and talked about Little Paxton history until teatime! They were the couple that met at Ray House and you as much as any about the history of that informal riverside leisure spot. Home a little late for tea and then, this evening, I returned a couple of calls and then tried some formatting for my History Book. Later to the lounge for my bedtime drink. News tonight is of the services of the Royal Ulster Constabulary being cut with 11 small police stations closing due to cutbacks; which seems a strange policy. The millionairess, Christina Onassis, daughter of the Greek shipping magnate, has died at the age of 37 from a heart attack. There is a rumour from Whitehall that the government are going to advise the Queen not to go to Russia in a return head-of-state visit because of ‘security problems’. This seems Thatcher’s way of grabbing the limelight for herself.