Visit to Bedford with the family on a cold day, with a sharp north-westerly breeze, as I study The Curia Regis Roll transcripts for the early 13thC and then home to write up the rest of the history on Little Paxton Paper Mills before starting to read up on the Norman Conquest and Manorial history. Sad news as former champion jockey, Lester Piggott, has been arrested on charges of fraudulent tax evasion but better news as the Russian authorities allow Andrei Sakharov back to Moscow and out of political exile in Gorky Russia but the Russians now say that they would resume nuclear arms tests, after the first US test. All routine operations have been put off at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge, today and patients are sent home after an outbreak of a a virulent and antibiotic-immune virus.
A little more rested this morning, getting up without too much prompting and then being reasonably on time for breakfast. Had a couple of croissants for this meal, which may not have been all that wise from the slimming point of view, then to my office for a short while, catching up on yesterday’s journal and reading the paper. Planned a little of my trip to Bedford Library this morning and was then interrupted by the need to pay and tip both the milkman and domestic staff. Di had returned by now and, joined by Daniel as well as Daniella, we set off for Bedford, parking in the multi-story and having coffee as normal in the coffee house. Then I went to the inner reference room of Bedford Library and studied the Curia Regis Roll transcripts for the early 13thC and found but a few references for Paxton. Back to Debenhams for a Christmas lunch and then home by car, after a dispute over who left who behind in the shop as we got parted! This afternoon and evening I wrote up the rest of the history on the Little Paxton Paper Mills and that is another section done.
Spent a little more time starting to read up on the Norman Conquest and Manorial history, but did not get very far. To improve on the VCH Manorial trees will be a tough job at each end of the time span, but I shall do it in the end. A few personal tragedies in the news today. John Stalker, the Manchester Deputy Chief Constable, previously tied up in the Ulster RUC enquiries, has now decided to retire early for ‘personal reasons’, having been disillusioned by the course of events. Some think that he has been hounded out of the job, with his family put under an intolerable strain. The former champion jockey, Lester Piggott, has been arrested on charges of fraudulent tax evasion and was only released after sureties of £1.2 million were made on the security of his house and race horse training business. The boxer, David Pearce, who had planned a comeback bout tonight in Wales under USA rules, has had the opportunity taken away by the lack of an entertainment license for the Tredegar Club. The British Boxing Board of control refused to let Pearce fight again, even though brain scans that showed a deformity proved it was inherited and not caused by boxing injuries. He is heartbroken. Better news for Andrei Sakharov, as the Russian authorities allow him back to Moscow and out of political exile in Gorky. This is welcomed by Sir Geoffrey Howe, the British Foreign Secretary, who sees it as something the British Government has been pressing for for years. There is Russian newspaper criticism of Brezhnev, Gorbachev’s predecessor, which signals the new 1st Secretary’s plans for purging the state hierarchy. Yesterday, Russia said that they would resume nuclear arms tests, after the first US test in the New Year. The teacher’s dispute continues as a result of six separate unions representing their members interests and this stale mate gives Baker a continuing chance to intervene. Meanwhile, the university lecturers union, the AUT, is recommending action over pay, which will delay next summer’s degree results and there is now a claim for increased student grants from the Parliamentary Select Committee on Education, as many are having to take on work in addition to their university studies. All routine operations have been put off at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge, today and patients sent home after a virulent and antibiotic-immune virus is affecting patients there. Today’s weather was cold, with a sharp north-westerly breeze and tomorrow will be the same. There might be some snow showers soon and a white Christmas is not out of the question.