Diary 1970. Aetat 70.

Thursday, Jan 1 - We went to be about 10.30. We had f..... well and were lying relaxed afterwards when I switched on the radio and we heard Big Ben strike 12. Not only a new year but a new decade. Almost inevitably wonder whether if I shall see the end of it. The heart surgeon at the Radcliffe said he thought he could “keep my batteries charged” til the summer, which will bring me to the Keble Jubilee anyway.
Got Mary an early cup of tea and breakfast in bed, did chores, cat’s food, cat’s box, washing up, bedmaking, ashes and fuel. Mary’s mother always gave her a handkerchief on New Year so managed to find one in Burford. This pleased her.

[See Index of names at end of this post]


Sunday, Jan 4th - Great boost to travel agents as restrictions on foreign currency abolished.

Monday, Jan 5th - At 9.30 phone rang. Mr Allen offered me the Cokethorpe job. At 11 Mary came into my room, wanted to discuss our marriage. Went on to 2.30 a.m. ‘I must do something to make 1970 better tnan 1969’. This meant largely complaints about my behaviour in ‘69 and getting bogged down in mutual recrimination. Difficult to suggest anything constructive short of ditching Cherry, which I refuse to do. ‘What’s she got that I haven’t got?’

Tuesday, Jan 6th - Continuation. M very nervous we should meet friends and relatives in N. Oxford. Went to bed pretty exhausted after last night.

Wednesday, Jan 7th - Very bitter weather. 12° frost last night but roads clear and had tea in Broadway yesterday and today Annie’s at Stow. She had the Mothers’ Union in. Vicar in parish magazine wrote they were anticipating feast in heaven by having supper at the Salad Bowl!.

Sunday, Jan 11th - A bad day. Virus in night attacked nerves in right hip and sciatic leg and made it impossible to get comfortable. Leg ached and hurt all day. Temperature 100° at teatime. Got up after tea as so uncomfortable and watched an interesting religious programme about last 10 years - German theologians, the Pill etc. Eyes hurt and head ached. Damn! Afraid I shall not be able to make Cokethorpe on Friday.

Monday, Jan 12th - Up for lunch, but began to feel shivery after tea. New plate with two extra teeth arrived. More comfortable but inclined to fall out at meals, which will be a bit awkward. What a bloody nuisance flu is. Think I shall have to get inoculated next October.

Monday, Jan 19th - Temperature normal this morning. Got up for lunch. See I had flu in January 1951 at Henley and again at Adlestrop in 1961. Teeth very awkward, will drop out at meals.

Tuesday, Jan 20th - Have been indoors now for 12 days. The great enemy is boredom. Yet one does not feel like making the slightest effort. Mary has just come back to say Marcia Kitchin is having a baby in May. It has been pretty obvious for some time. First indication was two bottles of milk left each day. They have been married for five years.

Thursday, Jan 22nd - The sun was actually seen for the first time in 1970. It was mild and cheerful. Went for a short walk in  afternoon.

Friday, Jan 23rd. Into Cheltenham to dentist. Said new plate would cost £15 - £3 on National Health, if one could get permission to supply. He bent wire on plate, which made it a bit firmer.

Wednesday, Jan 28th. In spite of difficulty with teeth decided to lunch at Manor House, Moreton, and had t take them OUT! Baked egg, curry, apple flan, carafe of red wine. Felt I had eaten too much. Slept to teatime and went to bed after tea. Could not face any supper. This in honour of Mary’s birthday. Discovered they made Daiquiris. Cost £2 13 3d.

Thursday, Jan  29th - Started Cokethorpe. Very nice 1st year and dull put pleasant 2nd year.

Thursday, Feb 3rd - Lise rang up from Copenhagen to say Hilary on plane and probably in England. She was not quite right. The plane was slow and landed at Stanstead so he did not arrive till evening. He brought a bottle of Grand Marnier, bless him.

Monday, Feb 9th - Mary blew up because I said I wanted to meet C on Monday instead of Thursday. Could of course get nowhere. The affair had been discussed with Hilary, who disapproved. The normal denunciation of C. Felt I could not stand much more of this but had nowhere to go and no one to go to!!

Wednesday, Feb 11th - Collected cake with 7 candles from the Woodside girls and went to lunch at Manor House, pork and a carafe of wine. To bed as tomorrow thought too shagged out with teaching - but rather dessicated anyway.

Thursday, Feb 12th - My seventieth birthday. Woke to find snowing hard and blowing. Got car on road and started for Cokethorpe. Reached A24 at Merrymouth but could hardly crawl in second up hill beyond, so managed to turn and retraced track slewing and slithering to Long View, where rang Cokethorpe and said was snowed in. At 10.30 power went, later came on but so poor it could hardly light bulbs let alone cook a dinner. Pump failed, radiators grew cold. As Nora would have said, ‘an emergency’.
The chicken was taken across to be cooked on Miss Leopold’s calor gas and fetched back through the icy blast and the rest, sausages, sprouts, bread sauce done in the little gas heater presented by Cyril. Asti for lunch.
My birthday cake with 7 candles for tea. By 7 electricity had failed altogether. We raised four candles with which it was possible to read A Talent to Amuse’, biography of Noel Coward, which contains the advice ‘that old age needn’t be so dreary and sad as it’s supposed to be provided you greet it with humour and live it with courage’.
When electricity fails you realise how dependent we are. Not only light but fridge, television, radio, storage heater in my bedroom, blanket on bed, heat for plants in porch and immersion pump.

Saturday, Feb 14th - Car started and off to meet Hazel Reynolds. Last seen a virgin 11 years ago, now a mother of three. She was fine, intelligent, well balanced and talkative, an excellent and rewarding guest, but had become Swiss rather than English and spoke with a foreign accent.

Thursday, March 5th - Told Mary after supper meeting Cherry tomorrow. Row followed. Breach of promise, double crossing her, etc.

Friday, March 6th - Shopping in Stow a.m. 3.30 started for Excelsior. Tea, sherry, bath, supper. C said I looked ill and suggested I should go home that evening, but refused and all right.

Saturday, March 7 - Started off 11 with Mary to Stratford, lunch in cafeteria, balcony seats to see La Traviata. When got home about six told Mary I thought I had had a stroke. Right leg funny; speech affected; hardly able in Stow on Saturday to sign cheque; mouth crooked.
She rang Dr King, who arrived about 7 and said yes, I had. Must rest and would call again on Tuesday.

Tuesday, March 10 - Dr King appeared about midday. Told him writing better. Said he was pleased with me and would call back in a week. Rang Cherry at school. Mary listening in the kitchen. Asked if she could ring me. Mary said NO and did not want letters either! King said I could go back to Cokethorpe next term, but at present not to drive car.

Sunday, March 15 - Told M I wanted to meet Cherry on Thursday. Had two hour session of objections.

Monday, March 16th - This continued 4 - 6. Mostly concerned with what a spiteful and horrid person C was what a selfish egoist I was.

Thursday, March 19th - 11.50 set out up to main road and saw C coming over the crest. Car on main road. Drove to Excelsior. After lunch stripped and had siesta. 6.15 set off for Westcote and home about 7.

Saturday, March 21st - What a day! At 5 told Mary that C and I would be platonic in future as stress was so bad for me. She did not welcome this. Wanted monthly instead of fortnightly meeting and no Saturdays and Sundays. Inevitably got into the the old boring circle of ending in bad temper and fault finding. Neither was prepared to give way. Told she knew C and I had been in bed because I smelt of her talcum powder and Mrs Shelmerdine asked if our phone was out of order because she had seen me use the kiosk. The past well raked over. Finally sat in bedroom while I undressed and continued till 10.30 while I lay in bed and dozed.

Sunday, March 22nd - A mild and sunny morning. Sowed spinach, carrots and parsnips ‘Since foresight is the gardeners text’.
Expo Tokyo sign: ‘The Common Man. His daily labour bespeaks his dignity and pride.’ Copies to all abattoir workers, supermarket cashiers, prison warders, flophouse attendants and washers up in fish restaurants?!! Observer.
Another talk with Mary 5 - 6.30. More friendly. Platonic defined. Wanted C and I excluded from all her haunts, which means in practice all Gloucestershire and most of Oxfordshire.

Tuesday, March 24th - Con 70 on March 27th. Wrote a letter and enclosed a birthday card. Picked a crocus in the garden. This noticed of course. Accused of picking ‘our snowdrop’ - and had. No privacy, never alone, everything watched. This called ‘taking an interest’. Quite wrong policy with any man, certainly with me.

Thursday, March 26th - A nice reply from Con. Said my foto was on her mantelpiece in the place of honour. Her char said I had ‘ever such a nice face’. Well that’s good.

Easter Monday, March 30th - Everything very quiet. No planes, few cards and hardly any persons by, for the weather was cold and blustery with showers of sleet. Vera Brittain dead. Last heard her speak at Leicester in 1932 at League of Nations Union. No post. Cicely and Margaret came in and walked back with them as far as the Tattles. Lumbago very troublesome. How much of my life has been suffering from some kind of hampering rheumatism

Friday, April 7th - Michael Bland  has won his case on appeal to Archbishop’s Court. He was not to be deprived, only censured on one count of writing rude letter, and this cost the Established  Church £15,000! The judge said he hopes that if in the future similar problems arise every effort will be made to deal with them without litigation (a sledge hammer to crack a nut). A nice sock in the eye for my Lord Gloucester!   

Thursday, April 9 - Walked up to the hall to see if ready for county council elections on Friday. Not very adequate or healthy when they have to be there from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. That old bitch Mrs Blackwell made some cattish remarks. The Rector however did promise to lend his electric fire, there are facilities of W.C. and making coffee, and the Guides had more or less tidied up.
Financial discussion with Mary. ‘What would be her position if I did?’ Inevitably got on to spending money on C and my (alleged) change in  tastes - big hotels instead of simple ones, etc etc.

Tuesday, April 14th - Heard that astronauts on way to moon had had an engine failure and were likely to run short of oxygen and water.  No landing on moon now. Lucky if they get down in Pacific later in week.

Friday, April 17th - They made it!! A perfect splash down a few miles from the aircraft carrier in the S. Pacific. The most thrilling moment was when they entered the atmosphere and radio communication stopped. We did not know whether the heat shield had been damaged or would protect them. The commentators sat silent, one man with his fingers crossed, one biting his fingers, one with his head in his hands. After what seemed ages we heard them again and then you saw an object floating down gently through the clouds.

Wednesday, April 22nd - Stratford or Measure for Measure first seen 20 years ago, again 8 years ago. A good ,production, but Angelo not a patch on John Gielgud. The girl Isabella was very good, dressed all in white and very fetching. There was a urinary tract with Barnadine who turned his back on the audience and then sprang like Tom Cat on the man from Heraklion, then shook himself, the jerry was produced and the contents poured over him!

Thursday, April 23. ‘The Senators are a prolific source of advice, most of it bad.’ Dean Acheson. Substitute ‘governors’ for ‘senators’ and you have got the Grammar School at Henley-on-Thames!

Saturday, April 25th - Ragley Hall but found it shut and went on to Stratford, had lunch and got two tickets for Richard III. It was appaling. They bellowed and balled and shouted their way through the play, and when they were not doing this there was harsh and discordant music. Came out half way.

Friday, May 8th - Garden splendid - tulips, jonquils, aubretia, fritillaries, flowering shrubs, polyanthus, etc. Vegetables, broad beans, peas, carrots, parsnips, lettuce, summer cabbage, and so on.

Monday, May 18th - General election announced for June 15th. A bore! Telly started last night with interviews, Wilson, Heath, Thorpe. Wilson good, Heath aggressive and shouted down interviewer. Don’t like! Hope Labour will make it. Seems likely.

Wednesday, June 3rd - To Cheltenham, Oxford Society dinner. Dr Helen Gardner on the unrest at Oxford. ‘Work-in’ at Radcliffe, ‘Sleep-in’ at colleges. She quoted young Mr Pitt, ‘Oxford will save herself by her exertions and Europe by her example’. But it was depressing. It seems likely that the college system is doomed. The young want hostels, the dons are married and live out of college; any attempt at controlling the young is regarded as ‘paternalism’. Co-education is popular and inevitable.

Thursday, June 4th - Like a fool I took a letter from Cherry into the loo to read and called in to lunch left it open on the bath. When I got up from my siesta to my horror I found it there and knew that Mary had read it. I learnt at tea that she had read it. It contained a remark that C was looking forward to September. This taken to mean we were planning a holiday together which we had undertaken not to do. I have no luck. you can’t win. What a fool!

Thursday, June 11th - Met C at George & Dragon, Long Harborough. From here to Bletchington Left car and took tea along the towpath to Baker’s Lock. Dabbled our toes in the water of the canal. Then by a stile below the tow path made for some trees where C removed her pants and we laid down. About 6.15 we went to Thrupp Wharf. A long boat, the Tysely, was waiting with a nautical steersman and a stewardess. We sat in the prow and had drinks till it began to threaten rain. There were a dozen or more people. The tables of four were laid. The galley was in the stern. and a very decent and efficient loo. At 7 prompt we moved off. By that time it was pouring hard and the trip between the willow clad banks had a dream like quality as we glided silently forward to the beat of the diesels. We finally reached The Rock of Gibraltar where there was a basin where it was possible to turn the boat round and dinner was served - paté, roast beef and Yorkshire, sweet, coffee and a bottle of Macon, expensive but very good. The table lamps were lit and the rain had stopped so we could stand in the prow and be amorous. At 10 we reached Thrupp Wharf and paid the bill, £6 2s 0d. A lovely and memorable June day!
Yesterday, Wednesday, took Cil to Stratford to see King John. So hot could eat sandwiches on outside terrace. Queer set up, ‘the bigger the bottom, the tighter the jeans!’ The play poor, almost went to sleep. Last seen Old Vic in 1916.

Saturday, June 13th - Last night another session with M. She finally rang up C - and there was I from a call box in Burford and Idbury and the line engaged! Asked if I could meet C next Thursday. Said No. Her week!

Monday, June 15th - Hidcote. Head gardener very gloomy, but garden lovely with roses and not too hot. Following election campaign on telly, Wilson virtuoso, Heath comical, Powell sinister, McLeod like a non-naked ape. The best Healey, very sane and level headed.  

Thursday, June 18th - Election day. Clanfield. Met C in the Plough for a drink and then to our lane. A lovely break. In p.m. voted (Labour). A day of dupes! Labour, the polls said, would get home comfortably. They were wrong. By 1.30 a.m. a Conservative majority of 40 was forecast.....Pantechnicon outside No 11. Queen at Ascot returns to London to receive resignations of government and summons Mr Heath.

Tuesday, June 23rd - The Keble centenary 1870 - 1970. People streamed into chapel. Chapel packed- chairs down the aisle. A good service, the bishops of Oxford, Exeter and All India. Mixed choir. Sermon by Dean of Westminster, some amusing cracks and also some of his ‘double talk’ as well. Huge marquee in the Quad. After lunch went up and talked to Abbott, also shook hands with His Grace of Oxford. Very content to have made it. Saw 15 contemporaries, including Tony Manson, very serene and saintly, now at Cowley Road, asked not to visit him in his ‘hermit’s cell. Mary very attracted by him.  

Friday, June 26th - To dine with Warden and fellows. Sat at my old place on the scholar’s table. Left at 10.30. Found Cherry had driven down and waiting outside to take me back to motel.

Monday, June 29th - Disastrous. Met C at Burford 9 o’clock. Ostensibly going to Clanfield. persuaded by C to cancel lunch with Mary and tell her taken into Cheltenham by Dockers. Picked up Mary in Oxford in afternoon but she guessed C had met me and an hour of  recrimination. She always rumbles my manoeuvres, but I was angry because she refused to allow me to lunch with C on election day.

Wednesday, July 1 - Up to Paddington by 10 o’clock train. Tube to Trafalgar Square. Not our day. Down escalator not working, though fortunately up one was. National Gallery. Gents closed. Had immediately to go round to National Portrait Gallery, which involved much up and down stairs. Returned to N.G. and saw Tiepolo, but still no post cards! Then to cafeteria. Full of strange creatures. Got a taxi to Queen’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace. Sat there looking at Gainsboroughs to nearly four. Then to Lambeth Palace. Went to marquee on lawn and got a table for ten. Did not realise A.G.M. going on and soon ravenous hordes in long queue. At the back of it suddenly saw Mearas, so were able to provide them with seats and chairs. Food soon gave out! Winnie very worried whether the boys will get good degrees, though as one going into hospital administration and other into church does not really matter. Said those who had brains ‘had their women’ and did well whereas her boys who led respectable lives and worked hard might not do as well. There was no justice!

Wednesday, July 8th - Set off to clip Grandpa’s grave at Hatford. Visit Mrs Simpson, 84, but going strong and gave her chocolates. Visit Bayliss at farm by old church. Mary remembers local historian, Mrs House, at Stanford. Visit Mrs House who produces photo of Mother’s wedding and amusing village expedition in farm carts drawn by steam engine.

Thursday, July 16th - Wedding anniversary. Lunch at Manor House, Moreton.

Friday, July 17th - Went into Dr Robinson who took blood pressure. Said it was that of a man of 40 (in spite of fucking last night!).

Monday, July 20th - To Oxford motel for lunch. C there had laid out a silver salver, cut glass decanter and glasses (decanter full of sherry), her leaving present from St Joseph’s. Siesta, tea, chat, sherry bath and supper. Oxford motel differs from Excelsior. Papers and continental breakfast in bed. Smaller room, smaller bath, splendid view towards Godstow and Wytham Hill, so lucky to have second string when Excelsior full with coach parties.

Saturday, Aug 1 - Danes arrived with much baggage at Kingham 12.50. Taxi to Long View for lunch. Nicholas exactly same as year ago, Jacob as aggressive and noisy, always bellowing for something and in a temper if he didn’t get it. Nora arrived with frizzled grey hair. Tent pitched on lawn for boys and Hilary. Walked up to see air display in p.m. Parachute drop but low flying terrifying - planes ahead of sound.

Wednesday, Aug 5th - Having breakfast in bed. Jacob in morning too much for me. The children went down to mess about in the Westcote brook and before tea Nicholas showed me his stamps. After tea the Danes went for a walk. The adults sit naked at meals and wait for Jacob to start shouting, no sensible conversation possible. If he were mine I would clump him if he interrupted by bawling but he appears to be mother’s pride and joy.

Friday, Aug 7th - Went with Hilary to son et lumiere at Blenheim. Tapes of Churchill’s voice had been substituted for Burton and it ended with his funeral at Bladon and Land of Hope and Glory on the organ. I think Hilary enjoyed it, but he was his usual uncommunicative self.

Tuesday, Aug 11th - Taxi arrived at 9.15 and saw them off from Kingham at 9.49. At the time I write they will be at home. Enjoy having them and hope that soon Nicholas will be able to come by himself. At present at eight he can neither read nor write though whether this matters in the long run I doubt. Their school has a new headmaster and some teachers who will  teach (Speriamo!). Said to Hilary I hope he does not make the same mistake I made with him at Long Dene. He said No.

[August 13 - 23 - Holiday with Mary in Norfolk, staying at The Feathers, Holt. Visited 33 towns and villages and at each visited cathedral, castle, country house or parish church. Bill for eight nights at The Feathers £46 7s 10d. Notes on architectural features of every building visited, but not much else. At Peterborough Cathedral, the first stop,  the following: ‘Ladies and Gents locked as verger who opened them on request said they were used for promiscuous drug taking. He however was an ex commando trained in unarmed combat and was not afraid of skinheads, several of whom had already dealt with.’ They stayed at a motel outside Peterborough.]

Sunday, Aug 23rd - [On way home] decided to call on Tom and Hester Armstrong at Newton Blossomeville near Olney, a quiet village where Tom had a flat in the old rectory. Reached it about 3. Tom was washing up the dinner and we were both surprised by the untidyness and confusion, the books, papers, letters and music. Shirts hung in the sitting room, a mixing bowl for Tom’s breadmaking stood on the stove. He wore a rather dirty pair of drill gardening trousers but was very pleased to see us and his usual courteous and charming self. Hester by contrast was very smart. We were given a cup of coffee and stayed to tea. Left very pleased with visit and arrived home about 7. Mr Badger very pleased to see us.

Monday, Sept 14 - Started at Cokethorpe. FIrst full days teaching since 1929!

Thursday, Oct 1st - First cheque from Cokethorpe £75. but damned hard work specially preparation for sixth form. Find the young gentlemen of Upper VIth a bind, very superior not to say rude and one Lewis’s sole purpose appears to catch me out on some trivial point.

Saturday, Oct 24th - Last morning at Cokethorpe. Sorry to go. It has been fun after 13 years to belong again to a school community and share their life and teaching. The staff pleasant and the H.M. flatterous. The boys rather poor intellectually and 4b dirty and unruly.

Saturday, Oct 31st - Car brought up at 3.30. Austin 1100, 1967 and 24,000 miles. My seventh since 1928 and last! Paid £538. £40 offered for the old one.

Sunday, Nov 1st - Out for a spin. Found gears difficult and got stuck in Burford. Gradually gained proficiency in numerous switches and indicators. Pleased with it.

Tuesday, Nov 10th - Went to read to Cecily tonight and she told me de Gaulle had died. Now with the exception of Monty all the war leaders gone. ‘The captains and the kings depart’.

Tuesday, Nov 24th - Mary wanted to go out so took her to Wild Fowl Trust. A lovely sunny autumn day. Had it to ourselves. Walked to tower which I climbed up with aid of white pill, but felt this perhaps the last time. Lunch at cafeteria watching the Cuban flamingoes. Geese from Siberia and wild swans circling.

Tuesday, Dec 3rd - To Tempest at Stratford. Ariel a nude man hairy to waist and whitewashed! Caliban ditto fat and dirty. Prospero, Ian Richardson, spoke his lines well and Miranda too was good. Looking at the audience one saw the gulf between young and old. We were surrounded by a long haired school, dirty and unkempt and unwashed, who spoke their native English appalingly badly but who did keep quiet during the performance

Friday, Dec 4th - Clanfield. Excelsior for lunch. Siesta, tea, chat, sherry, supper with a whole bottle of Asti Spumante.

Saturday, Dec 5th - After supper suggestion that old Mr Baker to lunch to-morrow. Pros and cons of this weighed up with more care appropriate to that of the nation joining Europe! Finally reached conclusion that WE WOULD!

Sunday, Dec 6th - He came at 12.15 and had a good lunch, chicken, cider and baked apples. The first meal he had not got himself in nine weeks. Gertie in Banbury and wonder if she will ever be able to come home. Her right side paralysed.

Monday, Dec 7th - Mary had woken at 8.30 the electricity failed. To show their disapproval of the government’s trade union bill the power station workers staged a go slow and work to rule. When we reached Cheltenham, Cavendish House was closed, but the lights and traffic lights were on. At 8.30 to-night they went again and am writing this by light of one candle.

Wednesday, Dec 9th - Clanfield. Met C in Shelton Lane for an hour or so. Alone now both A. da Panti and children gone.

February, Dec 11th - Letter from Eric [Attrill]. A 7 year old asked how many in family replied, ‘Well, there’s five of us and Mum, but she can’t get married til the the police catch me Dad!’

Monday, Dec 14th - Cecily finished The Riddle of the Sands. Heard electricity workers ‘work to rule’ to be suspended while arbitration - so no cuts probable. A most unpopular go slow with public, and their own class against them too.

Thursday, Dec 17th - Via Burford to Excelsior. Lunch, siesta, tea, chat, sherry, bath, supper. Room has gone po from 5.50 to 6 5s but good value - especially if let to matrimonials!

Saturday, Dec 19 - To Hatford with posy. Mrs Simpson, aet 85, as bright as a bee, cheerful, cat, dog, oil lighting and cooking (so no cuts) and brass on chimney piece shining.

Monday, Dec 21st - About tea time phone rang. Cherry in a terrible tizzy! She had had a very nasty anonymous letter and wondered if it came from Mary. Fat then properly in fire. A little reflection however convinced me gym hag at St J’s, an enemy of C’s whom C had ticked off for cutting Mondays.

Thursday, Christmas Eve - Stow and Bourton shops crowded to bursting. Took Kathy a bottle of Chianti for Christmas but, poor dear, she has breath like a sewer! and has probably therefore never married.

Christmas Day - A light sprinkling of snow and a bitter east wind. Lunch chicken and strawberry jelly with cream. Asti Spumante.

Sunday, Dec 27th - Donald and his mother rolled up about 12 noon and stayed to 3.30. Donald even fatter, more moon faced and jowly than before but very bonhomous. Interesting about student revolts at Liverpool. Efficiently dealt with by vice-chancellor after pressure from staff and how the discipline of medicine makes long hair and dirt impossible so that you can always distinguish the medics from the rest. Mrs Heath at 70 is bright as a bee. She and Mary hit it off.

Tuesday, Dec 29th - Usual misunderstandings about meeting C. However got off about 11 and reached Mitre soon after one. Had to wait for lunch. Siesta, tea, chat, sherry, bath, supper.

Thursday, Dec 31st - Went to bed at 11 o’clock and lay together but my watch was ten minutes slow so when I turned on the radio as in previous years we could get nothing but foreign dance music as the British stations had closed down. However we said we would do better in a year’s time (if we are still here!)
In some ways a good year. No serious illness. A fine warm summer after almost non-existent spring.
A year of kidnapping and hijacking. Two wars in Israel and Vietnam and two civil wars in Jordan and Northern Ireland. Numerous demos by students and other. New divorce by consent law comes into force.
In the home television and a new car. Some domestic ructions partly through bad luck but much happiness with M and C.

Christmas cards: 70 (Religious 9, charitable 32, snow etc 19, others 10)

Index 1970
Armstrong, Tom - Aug 23, Baker, Mr - Dec 4, 5. Bishop of Gloucester - Apr 7. Blackwell, Mrs - April 9. Bland, Michael - April 7. Clanfield - June 29. Clayden, Mary (Cherry) - Almost every entry. Cokehorpe Jan 5, 29, Feb 12, March 10, Sept 14, Oct 1. Dart, Con, - March 24, 25, Coward, Noel - Feb 12. General Election - May 18, June 15, 18. Hatford - July 8, Dec 19. Heath, Donald - Dec 27th. Hilary and family -  Feb 3, Aug 1-11. Keble - June 23, 26. King, Dr - March 7, 8, 10. Mary - almost every entry. Meara family - July 1. Norfolk- Aug 13 - 23.  Oxford Society - June 3.  Reynolds, Hazel - Feb 14. Roberts, Mrs, Cecily, Cil, Margaret - March 30, June 11,  Nov 10, Dec 14. Shelmerdine, Mrs - March 21st. Stratford, Mar 7, April 22, 25, June 11, Dec 3.