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Day reading and preparing tax return information, replacing my lost car key, and then attending the Kimbolton School Association’s Barn Dance with Diana and Marilyn
A cool day with a strong breeze, fading later. An extended lay in bed completing all manner of reading that has been weighing down my briefcase lately. Diana to Huntingdon with my car key serial number and there to get a duplicate key – I had lost my own key yesterday. After lunch I settle to bring my own personal papers up to date and reply to my accountants with information for my 1982/3 Tax Return which they complete on my behalf.
Late in the afternoon I take Diana’s car to the office and try my new key which fits the Rover fine. An opportunity to get rid of my completed reading from my briefcase and photocopy the Income Tax enclosures. This, together with elimination of unnecessary information, allows my expandable briefcase to be closed without expansion for the first time in a few weeks. Also to authorise the entire personal expense claims for the group and complete my own.
Home in time for a wash, shave and change into studied casuals for the School Association’s Barn or Country Dance to the Brixs and Brussels band. I take both Diana and Marilyn who is escorted, to her concern, by the newly divorced employee of husband David’s company Tesco. He has been all too close to Marilyn recently but David does not seem to mind. A very energetic and enjoyable evening’s dancing with line or wave dances, square and circle dances and a merry confusion of steps and partners at times. Though uncommon, these dances have a good effect of making everybody dance and mix as the steps land you with new partners and couples during their progress. The band was implored to play on awhile afterwards as we all recovered from our evening’s exertions. Marilyn is a strange but warm soul, secretly bringing in her home-made wine to save pennies and, both in conversation and action, displaying an exceptional naivety that is both endearing on the one hand but could be rather irritating for a husband trying to avoid embarrassment.
Home to bed after midnight and we retire after drinking lots of liquids and paying off Marilyn’s daughter Caroline who babysat for us.
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Comart office day and Product Introduction Meeting before meeting Tony Keston of the DTI to seek support as the Tories plan to scrap city councils for political reasons.
In good time to the office and first to brief John Lamb on problems of yesterday on car loans and service matters. Then the mail briefly and to convene the Product Introduction meeting to discuss all projects which are progressing into production. A full agenda for two hours including introduction of the forthcoming topics of standards work, modular production and change note procedures. Then to check outgoing mail for signature and immediately to receive Tony Keston of the DTI, showing him around the factory and to lunch to discuss computer industry affairs.
Then to the office for a long session of discussing Comart alone and the range of support schemes for financial support. The DTI policies are selective support of the ‘winner’ computer manufacturers and we must appear to have an overall strategy for success. A hectic half hour of desk work and then evening discussions with David Fear and John Lamb on building and managing our team of people. I agree short term sales executive recruitments with David, realising it will be next year before we can have sufficient resource to segment effort on a market sector and geographical basis. John has real problems with Service Manager, Daniel Joffey, who has relationship problems with staff colleagues alike who regard him as arrogant. The company was very busy today with all departments striving for the achievement of the new weekly targets. Business currently looking very good. A minor tragedy as I could not find my car key at the end of the day and had to be lifted home!
News today of a big row over the city councils being earmarked for scrapping by the conservative government – all strongholds of Labour. This is seen as political war and interference. Continued speculation of Cecil Parkinson’s position and likely resignation and also news of conservative party discontent before the next week’s Conservative Conference. Meantime the Labour Party under Neil Kinnock has the media in good shape and could rally the party yet.
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Arduous Byte Shop London board meeting and housekeeping issues at Comart before an evening meeting with Nigel Smith on microcomputer industry tactics as Cecil Parkinson gets caught out with his secretary
A dull day and early rendezvous at the factory with John Lamb for a drive down to London and the Byte Shop London Board meeting. The traffic was very heavy and delays frustrating but I had dropped my car off at Stevenage station so that John chauffeured me there. I caught up on a great deal of reading as a result. An arduous meeting with much confusion and complication over the Byte Shop administration systems with added personnel problems a complicating factor at London. Abruptly to finish the meeting before three and a fast train back to Stevenage and managed to write up the minutes on the way. They will never realise what clarity in minutes I manage to make out of the confused meetings I have to deal with.
A fast drive from Stevenage to the office and much concern over the poor standard of housekeeping and tidiness in the loading bay area. Derek Morgan was also having trouble in agreeing the terms for the agreement for taking over our new building lease and thus commencing work. An evening meeting Nigel Smith of Modus, the BMMG vice chairman, and to hatch up plans of several types. First to agree publicity on the BMMG victory we are encouraged to claim on the Duty Issue. Next to prepare a speech for Nigel to present on Alvey. Last to the future of the Federation and whether the BMMG has a role to play. Off to the Falcon for a drink together and I suggest to Nigel that he could take over the BMMG chairmanship when I have to retire in February.
To bed late and tired. News today of Cecil Parkinson’s affair with a former secretary who is now carrying his baby and of strong denials that he will have to resign which I am sure he will in the end.
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Productive day of Comart company meetings and administration as a Brit regains the land speed record and an Italian town has the ground rising 8ft in 30mm steps causing concern there
A good lay-in after an equally good night’s sleep. Breakfast with the family and off to the office on a bright sunny morning. The weather later turned dull and cool. A day of meetings and desk work with company administration progressed and priorities agreed on Purchasing, Marketing and the Manufacturing side. The first meeting on developing a new Quality Policy and I spend the early evening writing up the results. A much better day for catching up on correspondence with June back on form.
News today of a row in the Labour Party Conference with Jim Callaghan provoked into speaking out against unilateral disarmament. Lech Walesa is awarded the Nobel Peace prize and intends to ask permission for his wife to travel and receive it on his behalf. Richard Noble of Great Britain drives to achieve a new world land speed in Nevada following in the footsteps of Hobbs and Campbell in a great British tradition. Further fascination in the media with the case of the Harley Street Doctor Brian Reynolds, arrested in the US charged with conspiracy to murder his partner Dr Peter Stephan – although both are involved in the hocus pocus business of life extension and rejuvenation. Also a spectacular report of the Italian town, Potzwali, where the ground is rising 8 feet by regular hourly seismic shocks 30mm at a time – the public are very anxious at this phenomena. Back in England, the domestic problems are still mass unemployment and its side effects.