A bright event on this otherwise cold and wet day as my new ‘Penny Edition’ of the ‘new’ Domesday books arrived so that I could study the Manorial entries for Little Paxton and my own manors of Great and Little Linton all recognised in 1088. A visit from the Rev Peter Lewis and a call to his PCC chairman gaining praise for my St James Church history chapter and the sad news of the state of the St James Church bells. Appalling news as Thatcher is now ending free NHS dental and eye tests which is a backward step for public health and more controversy due to delays in children’s’ hole-in-the-heart operations and as the Cleveland Child Abuse scandal wrongly accuses and imprisons more parents
Di slept a little better last night, but, after the day started well for her, she fell victim to eating certain of the chocolate icing whilst making some charity cake this afternoon. A mixed day for me. Started off by updating yesterday’s journal and reading the Financial Times and then tried to clear my desk and do some work. Then an event, as my ‘new’ Domesday books arrived – the Penny Edition. Had to check these thoroughly in view of their value and I set them out in our dining room, open at the places of Paxton and Linton. These will now aid my history researches, be safely kept as an investment and will accompany my documents and title as ‘Lord of the Lintons’ to add authenticity. Both of my Great and Linton manors were full manors at the time of the Domesday Book. Soon it was lunch and then this afternoon I made a list of my urgent priorities and had started to type letters when the Rev Peter Lewis arrived with back numbers of the Parish Magazine.
I chatted to him for a while and discussed my church history notes. He was quite impressed with what I have and told me about the present state of the church and its bells – evidently the tower is unsafe for the bells to be rung. I finished my urgent letters later and then helped Daniel with his school work. Lastly, I phoned Mr Alf Cousins, the Parish Council Chairman and Churchwarden, and arranged to meet him soon to see his documents and make further arrangement to study the church and churchyard. Later, I printed out my letters and wrote up today’s journal at the same time before watching the TV news. The main story today is of the government’s plans to scrap the free eye tests and dental check-ups under the National Health Service. To a new clamour of opposition, this government will pay no heed. They have thus aroused criticism from the medical staff associations and plan further to change the patterns of Doctor consultations and remuneration. At long last, David Barber, the young baby kept waiting through 5 postponements of his hole-in-the-heart operation, has had the attention he needed. His parents wish the other children waiting could have their operations and consultants reveal that 1 baby died last week through lack of a place in the intensive care unit, due to budgetary restraint and lack of nurses. More controversy about the child abuse cases, as the enquiry into Cleveland hears in detail about the anal dilation test and in Sandbach Cheshire, some 17/18 new cases were alleged and as many adults charged with child assault and a man and women remanded in custody. Trouble for recently privatised companies, as first the fee policies of British Gas have been referred to the Monopoly Commission and British Telecom is to lose its monopoly on telephone boxes. Today has been cold and wet and now it is to become windy as well. The winds are coming from the north and we should expect the weather to get colder still soon.