Finalising my Broubster Forestry plans and then combining my family duties whilst making computer industry plans as The Lady is finished, a mass army and police presence clears the noble peace protesters from Molesworth and the miners plan a return to work next week
Awake after a slight lay in and some reading concerning my Sutherland forest details before the paper arrived. In comes Debbie and a long session reading half of a crocodile story until breakfast. Quickly after to finish all of my forestry details and so I now consider myself briefed to complete the arrangements. Quickly to the bathroom to wash, shave and get dressed before out to the birds on a mild and misty morning. I get the doves to settle on the bird table again and they eat quite well and they have fresh water also, now that I have re-filled their dispenser. Six eggs from the ducks this morning. To the office by 9.30am and no phone messages received. A few NEDO and Export IT papers setting the dates of forthcoming meetings. Phone calls made to Martin Isherwood, who had got yesterday evening’s message and could offer advice and also from Richard Allen of Buckden Marina, who advised that The Lady is now finished and can be seen later this week and taken away. Then to talk at length to Barry Gamble of Fountain Forestry, who answers my questions on the Broubster Estate.
It seems that most of the 10 other sections are sold, the roads are being built and that the large central lochs are being retained by the Fountain Forestry for coordinated and future sporting use. A little time for correspondence only as I manage to get a letter back to Kode, pointing out why I could not simply sign the forms they requested. Late to Nigel, as I could only leave home at 1.00pm, though I phoned to warn him. I collect him from Baldock at 1.15pm and we drive towards Buntingford, stopping for lunch of a beer and sandwiches on the way. We arrive at Owles Hall at 2.00pm and convene our meeting with Bill Barrett and Helen Gibbons at 2.15pm. A good discussion and resultant action agenda for our 6 week campaign to consider micro computers in the moratorium survey. We set our press conference date and book the National Electronics Centre. Good conversation afterwards and Helen tells me of her Scots landowner friend who has land near Broubster. She will ask him tonight about the land I am negotiating for and its suitability. Home before dark, dropping Nigel off at the factory and buying an ordinance survey map of Thurso and Dunbeath on the way. Back to the office and to return a phone call to Peter Large of The Guardian. He can find no evidence of inward investment plans for micros and I phone Bill Unsworth to try to get more data, which I do not manage to do. Next to call Richard Bullock of ECIF and brief him on an imminent semi-conductor project we had turned up in meantime, before home to tea of shepherd’s pie and ice cream to follow. A fair battle with Debbie tonight, who had been bad and was not going to be read the rest of her story. Time to set high standards for Daniel’s biology homework. He also tells of this term’s ‘assessments’, which have a good number of 2Bs as ratings. News today of the massive operation to clear away the peace camp at Molesworth and erect a 6ft barbed wire enclosure to keep them out. Over 15,000 army personnel were used and a huge police contingent, which is surely a huge overkill against the pacifists. Talk today that the NUM executive meeting tomorrow will discuss an ordered return to work on Monday, without a settlement. Acorn shares were suspended on the USM today, following a sharp fall and rumours about their financial health. I shall try to contact them, if able, to see if any help is appropriate. As I write, Nigel Smith phoned about this news coverage and I am further resolved to do so.