Long warm, sunny and humid day learning Physics with Daniel, WordStar for me and then some share purchases before Nigel arrives to talk BMMG business as a four-way City merger sets aside conventions and protections
To the office with Daniel and I start his summer lessons with the first two chapters from a new ‘O’ level physics book. A long day’s session learning my new Comart WordStar word processor and putting up details of my personal and family investments in tabular form. Then in late afternoon finishing a long search around the Prestel CitiService, Hoare Govett and de Zoete Bevan information before selecting for purchase 10,000 shares each of BP, Barclays Bank and Blue Circle. Trouble with the HG Prestel ordering system and so I phone them through to their assistant and hope the deals are done. In mid-evening to make hotel arrangements for this weekend’s stay in London and then Nigel Smith of Modus arrives and we spend several hours on BMMG business reviewing the whole range of activities.
These included the BT/IBM VAN license objection, three lines of enquiry with NEDO, membership progress, press releases and meeting commitments. We ended quite late and I turned in after some Bournvita and a scan of the evening’s news and teletext. News today of continued acrimony in the miners’ strike as Scots dissidents try to start legal action for a National Ballot. In the city a new 4-way merger is planned between Mercury (parent of Warburg Merchant Bank) and two stockbrokers and a jobber including Mullens, the government broker and gilt specialist. Political outrage on the Ulster Constabulary shooting of IRA demonstrators is somewhat defused by James Prior accepting ministerial responsibility for the Noraid Director’s ban – it being counterproductive. Our House Painter is nearly finishing 6 Willow Close and our husband and wife cleaner/gardener team is working marvels. The weather very warm, sunny and humid relieved later by rain in the evening.