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Great news later today of a famous victory in opposing the IBM/BT network after I research my family history and also attend a NEDO meeting and get a ‘British’ restriction included in their collaboration but Thatcher is now very bitter over the death of her friends
Up on time but tired from our active weekend and some bedroom antics occurring all too seldom since our latest child. Time to exchange my briefcase of papers with those more relevant to today’s activities, conducting a rare foray into the Lowe’s occupation at 39 Gordon Road at an early hour. Off then to the station for the 8.02am train from St Neots to Kings Cross and on it to catch up on my journal and read today’s Financial Times. By tube to Aldwych and my first resumption of my genealogical search for many months. Three completed applications for death certificates filed from further analysis of past research notes – hoping to find records of the death of John Broad (Snr) or his wife Ann in St George (East) or Epping where they may have moved from Watford. We shall See. Off by taxi to Millbank Tower room 1320 for a NEDO Office Equip EDC meeting as a steering group on collaboration. A good meeting getting agreement to convene the combined office products under a catalogue of an ‘Alliance’ of trade associations and major companies. Also getting the British owned and controlled criteria (an exclusion of IBM) accepted from an early stage. Then a buffet lunch and chance to talk to all and sundry about BT/IBM to good effect. It seems that DTI opinions are reported as changing largely to oppose the venture on balance. Then a walk to take fresh air from Millbank to the House of Commons where I enter several souvenir shops in the vicinity to ask after union jack tie pins (to no avail). Then a couple of nice bus rides first to Victoria Station and then on by bus again to Swiss Cottage – all for 70p total! I do enjoy the time to see London above ground rather than sweltering on the tube on what had become a fine warm sunny day. At Swiss Cottage reference library I took task again with the Census Returns – examining those of 1861 at 17 Kenton Street. John Broad (Jnr) seems to have had one or two ladies there at the time, helping to look after the young children and the terrible untidiness of the enumerator made deciphering unusually ambiguous. Then by tube in time to catch the 5.15pm train home from Kings Cross, taking a cup of tea and Evening Standard on board with me. A smooth journey and chance to catch up my journal again and read about the latest speculation on Grand Hotel security failures. Back to the house and as I was parking the car in the garage, I heard the radio 4 business news and the excellent news that the BT/IBM licence has been refused by the DTI for the reason that it would limit free competition.
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Happy day taking videos of the family at Alton Towers as the Sunday press supports my BOC anti IBM/BT campaign and the South African government does not like an MP’s criticism of its political detentions
An early call from Diana, but I lay in bed for half an hour before preparing my video equipment for the day’s trip. Even then I had to wash my hair and have a full wash; as I anticipated lack of time this evening or in the morning to do it. Eventually up, these ablutions completed, and a breakfast of melon and toast. Then to load and prepare the car and, half an hour later at 8.20am, all ready and our journey began. I decided to drive north along the A1 to Grantham, west along the A52 through Nottingham, Derby until signposts from Allchurch homed us in on Alton Towers. The weather had turned out fine – sunshine and warmth and we carried the minimum of clothes and left our coats in the car. Plenty of fun on the Log Flume, the Octopus, the Pirate Rocking Boat, the train and most of the rides that we had missed on our first trip. Lunch and tea of burgers and hot dogs and a good time enjoyed by all. We stayed until 5.30pm (it closes at 6.00pm) and set off back in more traffic home.
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Aftermath of the Brighton bomb with four now confirmed dead as I spend much of the day on my duck and dove houses
A good lay in reading first The Financial Times and then, after the post had arrived, The Economist. I was pleased to see the continued upward progress of the Gilt-Edged securities – particularly the Indexed Linked type that I had recently purchased in good quantity. Also that The Economist has come out against the BT/IBM licences which I hope will be of influence. Full details of yesterday’s Brighton bomb blast and the aftermath of ritual and widespread condemnations. Graphic pictures of the damage as well. Diana brings my normal breakfast to bed and after I wash, shave, shower and dress and go out to check my office mail and let out the ducks. Nothing much of interest has arrived, except an Electronics Weekly, which I read whilst allowing the ducks a morning feed. They had managed one egg again, but their moult has nearly finished and I am trying to bring them back onto lay. They will also need their wings trimming soon as well. I emptied their house of soiled straw and later filled it again with our last supply of fresh straw. We will need to get 2/3 bails soon for the winter ahead.
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Conservative Party Conference Brighton Bomb blast kills three and maims others on a day where another bombshell, this time from the NCC supporting the IBM/BT plan, enrages me as family health problems frustrate my plans for a get-together
A fair lay in and chance to read the Financial Times before a breakfast of melon, apple juice and toast. Up to the bathroom to get washed and dressed when I heard on the radio of the bomb explosion at the Tory Conference Hotel in Brighton. The Grand Hotel had a 25lb bomb placed at the front of the building on an upper floor and the subsequent blast collapsed the floors below killing three and trapping and injuring 30 others. Amongst the trapped and injured was Cabinet Minister and Secretary of State Norman Tebbit and his wife who was only freed after six hours with no internal injuries – only a broken leg, ribs, cuts and bruising. Over to my office and tidying various paperwork until at 10.00am I was to realise that the postman had only been delivering the Lowe’s mail to 39 Gordon Road and leaving PO Box 7 undelivered. A phone call to the local post office and vociferous complaint led them to apologise and drop it round immediately. From opening it, and reading the NCC BT/IBM Consultation Report and Computer News, I saw that the NCC had come out in favour of the licence which spoilt my day. I spoke immediately to David Fairbairn, its Director, and expressed my disappointment but this damage was done and I said it could well tip the balance against my efforts.