A better night’s sleep after sex and then first to The Greater London Record Office and then to Swiss Cottage in six inches of snow for more family history research as Thatcher takes a ‘U’ turn over British Leyland and it is claimed that Alan Bristow was offered a Knighthood if he backed out of the European Consortium support and thousands of anti-nuclear demonstrators picketed the Molesworth base today
After a late night, I wake Diana for a frolic and then settled to a sound sleep. The normal morning routine and then I settle back in bed to read the Financial Times and quite a lot of mail. By the time I had washed and dressed, it was time for morning coffee at 10.00am and, with the snow falling and a six inch layer already, Diana’s parents opted not to come over for lunch today. I got the log fire lit for Di and the baby, arranged for Pete to feed the doves and then set off by car to London for some more family history research.
The pool contractors were a bit stumped today – first they seemed to have some problem with the Smalley excavator and then the ground was too hard and covered with snow to enable them to easily fill in the ruts on the verge. I was well away from it, but did not get to London until 12.30, when I parked the car at a meter and settled into the Greater London Record Office to do some searching. A long time since I had been here and so I had to search around getting into the swing of things. Most of the parish registers are held on archive, with application needed for viewing, but there are a good number of indexes which volunteers have prepared over the years. I scoured each of the Bermondsey indexes and built up a much better background to the local Broads from 1765 to 1815, but could not identify John Broad Snr with any degree of reliability. I finished at 4.00 and then drove on to Swiss Cottage Reference and Local History Library for a further look at the 1841 Census Returns for Bloomsbury and St Pancras. Home from 7 to 8 finding the roads quite clear, but the snow still falling. A late tea and survey of the works, before relaxing in front of the log fire and writing up my journal. Some televised snooker before the evening news programme. News today was of a Thatcher ‘U’ turn over British Leyland as the government called off talks between Ford and Austin/Morris to end uncertainty. The Cabinet had exerted itself as minister after minister had spoken out against the proposal on political grounds. They are still trying to preserve the truck and bus division sell offs and Ted Heath still leads the opposition against it. The Defence Select Committee interviews Heseltine today and based on his view of the selectivity of key document publication, they now call for sight of the documents full text. Alan Bristow today claims that he was offered a Knighthood if he backed out of the European Consortium support and it seems more damaging revelations will follow in the run up to next Wednesday’s Westland Shareholders meeting. The government announces an £8 million scheme for rejuvenating inner cities, but critics call the sum paltry. Rows also at Sellafield, Cumbria, in the aftermath of yesterday’s radiation leak. Unions walk out for the afternoon in protest at not being told about yesterday’s Amber Alert. The Irish government want to hold talks with Britain as well, because the Republic is down wind of the site. Thousands of anti-nuclear demonstrators picketed the Molesworth base today and there were only five arrests for minor civil disobedience offences. Voting begins tomorrow in the Philippines, but there are fears that, even if Aquino’s challenge is successful at the polls, a vote-rigging campaign will prevent President Markos from being turned out. More snow is forecast and temperatures of down to -15degC for the weekend, which puts me in fear for the safety of The Lady’s engine and equipment from freezing.