- Details
A cold start and a stormy end to a day spent mostly in Cambridge at St John’s College and The Cambridge Collection studying manorial history either side lunch at The Copper Kettle and before home to a meal of Dover Sole as Myra Hindley has confessed to two more murders, Reagan is isolated over his Iranian Arms deal , Thatcher is on the defensive over an Officer’s MI5 memoirs, and The Broads Bill has its first unopposed First reading professing to make the Norfolk Broads into a National Park
Was up until midnight last night on my Little Paxton files and had trouble getting to sleep as the bed was cold and my mind was still active. Arranged to sleep in until 8.00am though, and so was quite rested when it came to breakfast. Showered and dressed afterwards, for once, and then had until 9.00am to get ready to go to Cambridge with Di and Della. Was there by 9.30am and caught both Charles and Norma in Eaden Lilley and so had a chat over coffee. His Latin is still good and, with a dictionary, he feels able to help me if needed. Then to St John’s, arriving at 10.30am, and resumed my task of transcribing the Court Rolls. Have found that the other landowners allotted enclosures under the ACT are still in jurisdiction of Little Paxton Manor at St John’s and have now found three other allotments treated thus. Hope eventually to find that most of Little Paxton was in this Manor. Stopped at 12.30pm to meet Di for lunch in the Copper Kettle, then went to the Cambridge Collection whilst St John’s were at lunch. Copied the Linton entries out of the Victoria County History and also some excellent notes by a local author on recent Lordships, finding the link between Linton with Little Paxton that I searched for in vain the other day.
- Details
Further day researching and writing about Little Paxton History after which I help Daniel with his homework and Di takes Debbie to Brownies as the Stock Exchange falls on insider-dealing worries, ‘Actione Direct’ kills Renault boss George Besse, Chinnok helicopters are grounded after the recent fatal crash and the Iranian Land Rover deal is denied
Slept well and dressed and showered in time for breakfast of wheat flakes and apple juice. Wore my older sports jacket and trousers for a day searching for local history. Some time at my desk ordering some paperwork and then telephoning several places with my intentions. Huntingdon Record Office this afternoon, St John’s College tomorrow, and also enquiring of Hertford Record Office certain information on my family history and it seems that I might have a few leads there. By 10 o’clock I had also reviewed the mail and it was time to leave for St Neots. Went up to the reference library and requested the two local history files on Lt Paxton and copied anything I did not have already. A long job that took me through until 3.00pm and, having missed lunch, I went to Tooks for a salad roll and pot of tea. Then to Huntingdon and the Record Office to see the actual original plan of the 1814 Little Paxton Enclosure Award. Also was guided to many other things for Little Paxton and was particularly taken with several excellent photographs of Little Paxton cottages etc., which will take pride of place in my eventual book.
- Details
A lay in and day of recovery after recent trips but some time writing up my Little Paxton field system research between family meals and activities as the papers are full of financial scandals following the recent Tory deregulation of the City with cases of insider trading and loss of confidence in established Merchant banks. The Teacher’s dispute is resolved, providing that ken Baker can resist Thatcher’s wish to intervene and unwind it and Reagan ferry’s Thatcher around on a golf cart at Camp David!
After our late retirement, we slept well and I was still asleep when Di awoke me with my morning tea at 8.00am. Sat in bed for a little while, then, realising it was an uncomfortable position for my back, I moved to our bedroom chair and wrote up yesterday’s journal there. A long process and it was time for my nice fried breakfast when I had finished and so I had to leave my ablutions until after. Rounded up the children for breakfast for Diana and found them unwashed and in their night clothes as well. Later still by the time we had all finished and then I went out to tend the ducks and doves (one more egg) before settling down to read the papers. To my office after, starting to compose a piece on the Little Paxton field system, but had only done some planning by the time I had to help Di with the laying of the table. Daniel’s friend Steve was over for the day and so also joined us for lunch. They were mostly playing computer games, but also ventured down to the river to look at the boats.
- Details
More history research at The Priory Centre library whilst the girls visited Jordon’s for more wheat flakes and then to Cambridge for the cinema as we heard news of the tragic death of an invited audience member in Noel Edmund’s Late Late Breakfast Show as An IBM research lab in Heidelberg has been bombed and Land Rover are completing a £27 million deal with Iran.
A pleasant night, going to bed with Diana and enjoying the same bedtime for once. She has been tending to creep off early of late, with me staying up even longer of consequence. Up at the usual time and was not interrupted during my shower, so dressed quite quickly afterwards. Wore a more casual sports jacket and some blue woollen trousers, which have been too tight until I recently got down to 13st 9lbs, a combined loss of half a stone. Breakfast of cereal and then a little time in my office looking at my local history notes and reading a little more of my Manorial Social History book. Out at 10.00am to feed the ducks and doves, finding a single egg, as the first for a little while, then the scramble to get the car out, the house locked up, and the family dressed and ready to go. It was 10.30am by the time they were ready and we arrived in St Neots a few minutes later. I was dropped off at the Priory Centre and went to the library, whilst the girls went down to Biggleswade for some more wheat flakes from Jordans. An hour or two in the reference library produced a few results. From the Little Paxton folders of the library and the local history society cabinet, there was a few photocopies of a few things, including a copy of the 1818 Enclosure Act settlement map. From this I could see that St John’s not only had the Manor Farm area, but also two strips of land, of 8 and 10 acres, mentioned in the last two Court Roll entries that I had transcribed.