- Details
Day working on The Lady, receiving Peter and his family for a barbeque and hearing of David Slater’s breakdown as Thatcher leaves hospital
A warm day with sun and cloudy intervals. Early to The Lady and a coat of varnish for the rear cabin – the second. Then to glue and sand the mast in final preparation. In late morning, tired out by the exertion, to town for some shopping and then on to the Happy Eater at Deborah’s request for a meal and Lego! After some more work and another coat of varnish on the boat, we get a call from David Slater’s wife. It seems he was in the office today and cracked up, incapable of work or even driving home. She is obviously shocked and upset, blaming me for his condition which Diana feels is most unfair.
This afternoon a visit from Peter, Jane and his children and brother with whom we had a nice barbeque tea. The kids enjoyed the tea, garden swings and slide and also feeding the ducks. Peter is returning tonight to stay in Peterborough before looking again tomorrow at houses in the local area. Late evening clearing up outside and applying a second coat of varnish to The Lady’s mast. Bill called me over and we swapped views on the superiority of varnished mahogany boats. He is still obviously lonely following the departure of his wife but is fortunately enjoying his times by the river.
Tonight Mrs Thatcher leaves hospital and the high altitude balloon attempt fails with disastrous damage. The first match of American football is played between visiting teams at Wembley and I personally hope it is the last.
- Details
Fine and sunny day reading my press coverage, interviewing manufacturing manager candidates and then an evening working on my boat as Thatcher recovers from eye operation
Another fine warm and sunny day after a rather disturbed night. Early to the office to open up as many windows and doors as possible but the nice cool breeze kept temperatures under reasonable control. Jacques Samuels took my instructions and contacted Carlton who is very keen and excited about this new Manufacturing Manager’s job. I now have references to take up, a pensions medical to arrange, and am confident that he can start quickly and be with us in 2-4 weeks’ time. Peter King arrives before lunch and briefs me fully on his assessment of the Nottingham and London Branches.
- Details
Fine and sunny day reading my press coverage, interviewing manufacturing manager candidates and then an evening working on my boat as Thatcher recovers from eye operation
Another fine, sunny but tolerably hot day. Early interest in the morning mail which included a successful article and editorial in Computer Weekly on me and the BMMG Tariff Issue. Than a disappointing session with Ken Goddard who again had let a customer down by not phoning him in time to delay an appointment. I had to personally bail him out by telephoning to apologise which I did not much enjoy. Then a session with a recruitment consultant and Ian Nickson and a briefing for a new position of Software Development Manager. The consultant did not impress me tremendously, trying to maximise the package and include a car. This made me feel he was trying to make his task too easy but I swallowed my feelings for Ian’s sake and allowed the arrangement to proceed with no car but a flexible salary line.
Then to my main task of the day and the final interviews for the Manufacturing Manager. Two equally talented candidates with large age difference and degrees of experience. I settled on 15mins alone, then 30mins with Ian Nickson and John Lamb, then an informal session for coffee (lunch) with Derek Morgan. Derek was then asked to spend 30mins showing the candidates around the factory. Then for completeness reception by June with a few trivial questions for a final subjective view. Against my expectations relationships with the older man won and I was pleased to note the absence of age discrimination amongst my colleagues. A choice, subject to references, is therefore made.
Last night I had performed miracles on the flag pole and tonight I prepared the rear cabin for painting and complete the mast gluing.
News tonight is still of Mrs Thatcher’s eye operation and rising concern amongst her senior colleagues that she has not handed over to a deputy. The pound sterling fell against the dollar today to close just below $1.50 which means Comart have reverted to surcharging clients for imported items.
- Details
Brighter day reorganising my office, completing Company Administration and then an evening putting the ducks to bed with Daniel and working in my shed
A bright sunny day but still cooler than the recent heat wave. First thing at the office I move around my office, orientating the desk so that I am facing the entrance door and creating a more informal area for interviews and discussions. The net effect is a great improvement in working environment. Then during the day to bring up to date all statutory company administration including share transfers, meeting minutes and the last annual return for the Byte Shop Nottingham. There only remains the job of sticking in the resolutions once typed and sending things off to the company registration agents.
Barbara, Geoff Lynch’s new secretary, is still up from Southampton today and is doing her best to note our working methods in a bid to sort Geoff out. A latish evening talking to John before returning home to see the ducks to bed with Daniel and an hour in the workshop trying to rebuild the mast now that the tools are properly sharp.
The business news is of international action to intervene on the foreign exchange markets to hold down the dollar, but the pound continues to fall anyway which I think is a good thing. The funeral of David Niven in Switzerland and continuing debate on corporal punishment in schools now that parental choice is being introduced. News tonight also that Margaret Thatcher has actually undergone laser eye treatment for a detached retina and now has had a further operation from which it will take a week to recover. It is very evident that the evidence of her condition has been heavily underplayed for public consumption.
- Details
Cooler and more productive business day as Torch founder but my parents arrive for a surprise visit as Mum makes progress and then an evening gardening as dampness stops work on the boat
Another cool and shivery day with temperatures in the low 60’s and the rain quite persistent at times. June is still very much behind and struggling to catch up which makes progress more difficult for me. I spend a deal of time, therefore, touring the building and keeping an eye on things in the absence of David Fear and Derek Weatherby. John Lamb is now into service with a vengeance and his Product Support Manager is interviewing a good short list of four candidates today.
A call to the employment law solicitor, John Short, establishes that we might well have another tribunal on our hands with Bob Robinson and I send him the files by post Recorded Delivery. The final sales and gross profit figures for July are passed up this morning and are over target for the month. The production report also sees us producing an excess of 30 machines last month and so stocks are reasonably replenished. I have to send back the production schedule as it is completely obscure and I show them how to present information so that all levels can understand it.
After lunch Daniel phones me to say that my mother and father have arrived to visit us and I race back. Mum has been very ill and immobile following an accident in hospital and is only now off the Wolfrin Anticoagulant drugs and able to take sufficient pain killers to make longer journeys. Apart from an hour back at the office in late afternoon, I am home for the rest of the day with my parents. They are coping with things and Mum is soon to get an electric wheel chair and already has a pneumatic assistance for entering the bath. She leaves eventually rather tired and strained but having achieved her visit. An evening cutting hedges and sharpening tools as the rain today has put back varnishing again.
Today news that GEC have pulled out of the Torch takeover and Martin Vlieland Body bites the dust. Our competitors seem to rise and fall and Comart continues. Peter King is at London today, Nottingham tomorrow and will have plenty to update me on by the time of his visit to St Neots on Friday. My own task of group chairman now also allows more personal time to be a more active Comart Managing Director.