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Another gloriously-sunny day for Debbie’s 10th birthday party as I took them to Wickstead park and then back to The Hayling View to swim in our pool and enjoy a birthday tea. Then to take Daniel for a driving lesson as we delivered some more of my books before a long session catching up with my journal
There was not much of a lay in this morning, as Diana had planned a day-long party for Debbie’s 10th birthday. I started early by feeding the doves, fish etc., but only had time to clean out the Range Rover and wash the outside roughly before the girls started arriving. Debbie had three friends each from Kimbolton School on the one hand and the village on the other, but Amy law had a swimming gala and could not come. Another gloriously-sunny day which was quite warm in the sun. We all set off for Wickstead Park, where we spent the morning and some of the afternoon. I got very tired and a bit bored standing and walking around but the girls enjoy themselves. Then home and they went swimming in our pool, which they also enjoyed. Lastly some party games and a party tea before their parents collected them at 6pm.
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Read more: Sunday 7th May 1989 - Debbie’s 10th birthday party
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The day collecting and returning poster boards and having more long post-election inquest discussions. The final Tory leaflet was quite effective in the Cambridgeshire County Democrats also reap the whirlwind from the hike in rates when coming into office which was done too soon and with lack of priority to those areas that are important to the electorate. This evening, we had an advance birthday tea for Debbie and invited Debbie’s friend Amy and her parents
A day collecting poster boards and chatting to the supporters who kindly agreed to take and display them. I took them all down and then, this afternoon, carried them over to Robin Martlew in Caldecott. More long post-election inquest discussions. The final Tory leaflet was quite effective in the Cambridgeshire County Democrats also reap the whirlwind from the hike in rates when coming into office which was done too soon and with lack of priority to those areas that are seen as important by the electorate. Then our county campaign organisation and coordination was lacking and publicity poor. This evening, we had an advance birthday tea for Debbie and invited Debbie’s friend Amy and her parents who could not come to the party tomorrow. To bed tired mentally and physically after a hard time lately.
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The day producing and delivering press releases after yesterday’s elections and conducting debriefings with candidates and organisers, concluding that our lack of resource in Great Paxton Abbotsley and Waresley had hindered us, but that the decline county-wide of Democrat support was the main reason for our narrow defeats.
This was very much the morning after the night before. Tired, disappointed but not put out, I worked with Percy to design and then paste the results slip onto his poster boards. Poor Michael Pope had succumbed to one of his migraine attacks and so I also produced a press release and, with Percy, got it round to the local newspapers. I collected up some of the local flag boards that we did not put the result slips on. I wandered around quite a bit and had a long telephone calls with Des Merrill and others. Des had left the count early to be with his family and they were disappointed with his children particularly so.
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A very well organised day, after an early start which revealed fine and sunny weather for the poll. Whilst organising the Gransden polling day organisation, I called in on the other committee rooms and did some locking up in Southoe myself. As the count started, we realised our returns been far too optimistic; Michael only winning by 400 votes, Des Merrill losing Gransden Ward 400 to 300 and Percy losing by 1200 to 1400. It was a good result, in comparison with poorer Democrat votes throughout Cambridgeshire but still very disappointing.
An early start and drive over to Great Gransden where I was due to run the polling day organisation for Des Merrill. We had a pleasant start things and found the Shuttleworth’s ready, taped to the work service and the first teller in place ready to start. It was a gloriously-sunny day, warm and still, and we anticipated a very good turnout. I used Des his children to help fetching the numbers on the telling sheets and cross off the names who had voted. As the day progressed, we found that nearly all of voters with those on our lists and I was convinced that we were building an ever-increasing lead in the District Ward, based on this centre of population. Even so, things were quite slow with such a rural area and so I had time to check on the Southoe, Offord, Buckden and Paxton polling stations and our committee rooms at St Neots and Buckden and all seemed to be going well.
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