Up to spend time with the children and dressed smartly for my visit to St Johns College, Cambridge, Archivist to see the Little Paxton Manor Court Rolls after spending time reading up on manorial history and before returning to The Cambridge Collection to see ‘my own’ Court Rolls for the Linton Manor. Back home to hear news of 19 new Government Bills which only pursue the Thatcher Government’s doctrinaire prejudices , including a host of privatisation plans and none to relieve unemployment and poverty but better news of the Queen Mother who is home for the weekend after her hospital stay.
Slept better last night, after retiring with Diana, and was refreshed when waking to my morning tea. Showered, shaved, and then dressed in smart sports jacket and trousers to be ready for my trip to St John’s, Cambridge. Breakfast of boiled hen’s egg (as the ducks are not laying too well at the moment) and Di had managed to overcook them and they were quite hard. Managed to be down early enough to eat with the children for once. Helped, after, with the children, as they and Di have been quite fraught of late. Sat in the play room and read my paper, as the girls played under my control. Then, after reviewing the mail, it was time to set off for Cambridge. A fair journey, but in line with a procession of traffic, as usual, and then parked in the Round Church car park and dropped in at Heffers bookshop. Bought a couple of books on interpretation of old records and documents and a nice social study of manorial society. Then walked on to St Johns College and had some trouble finding the Bursary at No 1 New Court, but found Mr Underwood, the Archivist, there. A very helpful man, who quickly found maps of the pre-enclosure period of Little Paxton and then the latest of the series of Court Rolls for Little Paxton Manor.
The map showed the proliferation of old strips of land, intermixed with other landowners and divided amongst tenants. Beautifully drawn, but only had details of St John’s holdings and left out landmarks such as church etc. The Court Rolls were superb – very legible and clearly kept by the Steward of St John’s Lawyers – but so much information that it is difficult to assimilate it. On to the Cambridge Collection in the reference library to review material on Linton again and then home in time to visit Debbie’s school for a teacher/parent interview. It seems that she is doing very well at her schoolwork. The news today is of the opening of a new session of parliament with 19 Bills listed and the centrepiece a new Criminal Justice Bill. Also included is the elimination of Local Authority Rates in Scotland and a host of privatisation plans. The Burnham Committee for teachers pay is to be scrapped to give even more power to the Education Secretary. The opposition is critical of the lack of measures for relieving unemployment and poverty for the less fortunate. All this seemed to be the opening shots in the run in to a General Election. The teachers negotiations go on at ACAS, but with the worry that the government is not listening anymore. Another family has produced sextuplets, but the widespread use of fertility drugs is making such events more commonplace. The prisoners are still holding a warden hostage at Petershead Prison, but 6 unwell prisoners have been taken back into their cells for treatment. The latest bulletin on the Queen Mother plays down the seriousness of her condition and she is described as being comfortable and set to return to Clarence House for the weekend.