My 40th Birthday – I was celebrating my birthday with the children first thing this morning before resuming my family history research by travelling to Hertford but back too late for joining the girls for my birthday tea but in time to join Debbie for her ‘Brownies’ investiture and bedtime reading. This as the release of the American hostage aids the Republican congressional elections, East Midlands teachers are called out by their unions, Tebbit is criticised by his own senior colleagues for his rabid BBC attacks and British medical staff in Saudi Arabia are expelled for attending a party where drinks were served
A late retirement to bed, after watching a very nostalgic programme on TV. It was a repeat of the 1963 ‘That Was The Week That Was’ Saturday night satirical show – considered outrageous in its day. I used to stay up late to watch it, at the end of lonely Saturday evenings, after my parents had gone to bed. BBC2 TV channel are presenting a series of 1960s repeats for broadcasting and historical interest. Cold as I went to bed, for the house had yet to warm up after our time away, but I was warm from my log fire and soon went to sleep after the disruption of our unsettled nights away. Awoken early and Debbie was the first to wish me ‘Happy Birthday’, bringing a nice card and a present of a pencil. Then Daniel weighed in with another card and a box of fudge (unwrapped) and then Della and Di were there with a present of a nice Badger and Bristle shaving brush, which I used to shave with before breakfast.
Had wheat flakes and then shared some toast and marmalade with Della, to keep her away from the biscuits for a while. A little time reading the paper, as first Daniel took Di’s bicycle to visit Steve for a couple of days and then Di took Debbie to school and went off shopping with Della. I then did a little paperwork, took morning coffee in my office and made a few phone calls to Hertford Record Office/local studies library and then to the Guildhall, London. Chose to travel down to Hertford and, grabbing some biscuits and crisps, took off in late morning and arrived by midday. Examined the victuallers licensing archives from St Albans Quarter Sessions, but could not discover much apart from John Broad’s aunties. Then looked through the Tring Parish records, in vain, for any prior history of Ann Bull, before finally digging out Francis Broad’s apprenticeship indenture to Sadler and Harness Maker, William Hedges and succeeding in getting this fine document satisfactorily photocopied. The drive home in the dusk of a wet and miserable day, to find that the girls had already had my birthday tea and were scrambling to get out for Debbie’s investiture as a ‘Brownie’. Ate some tea and then went with them, as neighbour’s daughter, Clare, babysat Daniella. A touching ceremony as she takes her oath and seems to enjoy Brownies immensely. Home after to read her a Country Companion, before I put her to bed and Di went off to her slimmer’s clinic. The evening to myself to update my diary and study the results of today’s research. The news today is of a government committee to tackle the AIDS disease epidemic, under the chairmanship of Lord Whitelaw. It seems a late effort after many years of inertia and we are yet to see how much money they are willing to spend. Also today the public celebrations for the release with David Jacobson, tinged with concern over the fate of the other hostages. On the day before tomorrow’s American mid-term congressional elections, Reagan is making most of the hostage release and the Republicans outspending the Democrats 10 to 1 to try to retain control of the Senate. More trouble in the schools today, as the NUS/NWT call out teachers in Humberside and Lincolnshire, in protest over pay negotiation progress. Other area strikes are also planned. Senior back-bench Tory MPs are openly critical of Chairman Tebbit’s pursuit of the BBC and feel that his campaign has gone ‘over the top’. Good progress for the heart transplantee at Papworth, as he waits for a human heart to replace this temporary support device. Much consternation in Saudi Arabia, as a whole lot of British nurses and doctors are arrested and most deported, after attending a private birthday where alcohol was served. A misty, but bright, night in prospect.