Finishing the 30th page of Scrapbook transcription on a very foggy day before taking Debbie horse-riding as 6 people are on trial at The Old Bailey charged with murdering PC Blakelock and reprisal killings take place in South Africa
Slept soundly on a slightly mild night and awoke to my morning tea to find the day’s weather very foggy. Washed dressed and shaved in time for breakfast with the others and had a nice meal, with Della only slightly misbehaving. Straight down to my work today, though starting with a fair headache that only got worse until taking two aspirin before lunch. Di returned to provide a salad lunch and a couple of mince pies and cream afterwards, left over from Christmas. Back to work and kept at it throughout the afternoon, finishing the 30th page of typing of the transcript from the Little Paxton scrap book.
I had a couple of phone calls today – one from Howards Photographic, who have taken the photographs and say the prints will be ready on Monday. Another from Martin Isherwood – a P.R. man from the computer industry, but I had to tell him I was no longer involved. The County Record Office kindly returned one of my pieces of notepaper, left in the office the other day, which was nice of them. Had afternoon tea early, so that I could take Debbie horse ridging and it is a problem eating a large meal at 4.15pm in the afternoon, which gives me quite a tummy ache. Very foggy on our way to Offord, but got there quite safely, but none too early. Debbie was first put on Emma, then, realising it had just been fed, she was given Patch. She managed well, considering that it kept pulling at the reins and being a reluctant mount. Home in the dark, as well as fog, and kept to 30mph to see our way. No time for Daniel’s prep tonight and I had to trust him to do it himself. Did manage half a Country Companion with Debbie, before typing out today’s efforts and a further letter to Mr Ramply, to put his mind at ease. The news today is of a 27 year old man, Kelvin Chapman, being charged with the abduction and stabbing of Cathy Humphrey. At the Old Bailey, 6 people – three men and three juveniles – were under trial for the murder of PC Blakelock during the Tottenham riots. It was claimed that he had dozens of wounds and that they intended to behead him and stick it on a pole. In South Africa, there are allegations that the Zulu’s were guilty of a mass killing of VDF youth league members. Several were lined up against the wall and shot. In Lebanon, Terry Waite has still to return after 30 hours, after going to talk to American hostages. Another roasting for DTI ministers in the Commons today over the Guinness affair. The fog today led to a series of collisions on the Kent M2 and a man died and two more were badly burned in a series of pile ups. James Anderton, the Chief Constable of Manchester, stood down for the Royal visit to Manchester today, as his outspoken claims to be a Prophet of God led to increasing public embarrassment. The Tory head of the Manchester Police Committee calls for his resignation. The largest Scottish teaching union have voted to accept a 16-odd percentage pay rise and so ends a protracted industrial dispute. Norman Fowler is in his element in San Francisco, leading a high-profile visit to examine AIDS core across the Atlantic. The stock exchange fell back today, with profit taking after the recent rises.