Poor night and sunny but cold day receiving the disappointing news about Daniel’s ‘O’-level decision and anxiously awaiting Debbie’s entrance exam result the next day testing her and Amy for fun but good local history progress after the Samuel Jones and Gladys Hazelton interviews. Apart from the ferry disaster aftermath, English football clubs remain banned in Europe, a youth is cleared in the PC Blakelock trial, the government is criticised over Westland helicopters and Charles Haughey has become the new Republic of Ireland Prime Minister for the third time, but only after the Speaker of the Doyle had to use his casting vote.
Slept well, after first tossing and grumbling to Diana about the latest disappointment from Kimbolton. Daniel has not been allowed to take his ‘O’ level a year early, unlike the top set, and may fall further behind as a result. Awoke to my morning tea and sat listening to the radio for a little while. The window was open last night, to give us some air and the room was quite cold this morning as a result. Showered, shaved and down to breakfast, but Daniel was very slow today and only just made it in time. We were served boiled duck egg today, now that the birds have returned to lay, and we all enjoyed dipping toast fingers into them (all, that is, except Di, who is hopelessly prejudiced against them).
The morning paper and then, when the children had gone to school and Di and Della to Cambridge, I settled down to work in my office and read the mail. I heard from the ex-Samuel Jones Mill manager, who had written back with comments and information on the Riversfield history, but no news yet on Debbie's exam, which results are due tomorrow. It took me all morning and afternoon to transcribe 8 pages of interview with Miss Gladys Hazelton from the tape and had still not finished by tea time. A nice sole and baked bread for tea and then sat with the girls, as Debbie returned from ballet and ate a reasonably varied meal. Went through Daniel's work with him and he made very heavy weather of an English report compilation exercise. This afternoon Debbie and Amy had insisted on me giving them another ‘test’, which is their latest craze. This evening, I read to the girls a little and then sat in the lounge updating my journal and watching TV. The news today is still about the ferry disaster, four days after the accident. 8 bodies are still unidentified. Details had been published today of the way in which relief funds could be claimed from the company by relatives of the victims. There is still confusion about the death and casualty list, because there was no official passenger list. There is disgust and offence taken over a so-called legal advisor, who offered assistance in return for a 50% cut of the compensation and the Law Society is publishing a leaflet of advice. Mr Nicholas Ridley was embarrassed and caught out making an insensitive joke about ‘steaming ahead with bow doors open’ and had to apologise unreservedly to the House of Commons. The Vatican has issued a condemnation of test-tube babies, surrogacy and artificial insemination and, although this view may be regarded as somewhat extreme in the modern context, I for one agree with the edict. English soccer clubs remain banned from European football competitions after a EVFFA meeting today that considered the question. They say that British government is not taking enough steps to solve the problem of football hooliganism. This ban remains for another year at least. In the trial for the youths accused of murdering PC Blakelock in the Tottenham riots, another third youth has been cleared, but the trials of the three others continue. The Commons Select Committee on Trade and Industry has criticised the government over lack of an agreed policy on the Westland Helicopters affair, and also calls for new measures to reveal the beneficial ownership of nominee shares, after a suspected act to be in concert. The Alliance ‘Budget’ was launched today by Roy Jenkins, as a counter to the real government budget plans for next year. They are insistent that employment and control of inflation can be achieved together. Charles Haughey has become the new Republic of Ireland Prime Minister for the third time, but only after the Speaker of the Doyle had to use his casting vote. The weather had become quite sunny today, though still cold and the easterly breeze is forecast to continue for several days yet. To bed at a reasonable time on the eve of the day that we should receive the results of Debbie's exam, but I am not very hopeful.