Some time in the office but no mail arrives yet and then to Stevenage for the train to London for a morning at The Silver Vaults where I make good progress in assembling my new silver collection before a taxi to pall mall and the RAC club for a business meeting and on to Westminster for a PITCOM meeting and dinner afterwards before home with no news
Awake slowly to my morning tea. My cold still prevails and the chill winds do not help. The morning paper at some length, breakfast and to get washed and dressed. No mail this morning at either address, but there is news that the dispute is ended by negotiation. Out to the birds and 12 eggs from the ducks and the doves carry on incubating without any disasters to date. To the office and messages from Barry Gamble of Fountain Forestry first of all. I return his call and agree to up our offer for Archer’s Wood to £32,000 to maintain our interest. Word also from Mrs Mason of the Belgravia Plate Co of Cambridge and I call her to discuss some old forks and dessert ware that they have and agree to visit next Tuesday when next in Cambridge. Then to get ready and set off by car to Stevenage and, after morning tea, by train to London. A morning at the London Silver Vaults in London WC2. Numerous silver dealers there, but only certain of them specialising in flat-ware and, even then, all but a few clinging on to dessert forks and spoons to make up sets for themselves. I have good success though, with Linden and Block and buy two half sets from each (SH DC dinner forks and SH DC desert spoons) and also buy a fine half set of dessert forks of a lesser known make (Charles Shipley) from another dealer. I eventually retired with a lighter bank account and heavier briefcase to a café and then a bench in Lincoln’s Inn to catalogue my purchases and take stock. These ½ sets were costing £200 each, with good condition dessert spoons for £260. Much more than my other purchases, but these ones were key. A taxi to Pall Mall and exactly on time at 4.30pm to meet Dr Tim Keen and his father at the RAC Club. A pleasant place, but briefcases banned in the smoking room, but we chatted socially about forests, silver and heraldry, before I briefed Tim on the BMMG. In his new role as MD of Nine Tiles Software, he will recommend their joining the group, which will be good. By taxi to the House of Commons and Committee Room 10 again, for a PITCOM meeting.
The speaker, Prof. Bryan Carsberg, and the subject, ‘Oftel – The Next 5 Years’. An absorbing address that discouraged all present on the magnitude of the task facing OFTEL in regulating British Telecom. I could not think of a good question to ask as the address covered the important matters, but I was pleased with his recollection of the JOVE recommendation and the importance of OSI standards, as well as pure competitive policy that lay behind it. After to chat to one or two other PITCOM members before collaring Philip Virgo and asking for more information on his Micro Survey that has been attracting press interest. Then back to the RAC Club for my coat and briefcase by taxi and to walk up Haymarket to a steak bar for dinner. A nice fillet Steak Brocheri that was supposed to have soup to start, but none arrived. After pointedly getting the bill corrected, I added effect by tipping another waiter that had assisted and giving my own waiter nothing. By tube to Kings Cross, by train to Stevenage, and home for bed at 11.00pm by car; with no chance for bedtime drink nor survey of the news.