Making the cistern for the storm drain the following summer
Making the cistern for the storm drain the following summer

A day dominated by meetings with Mr Reed of Hunts DC about our storm drain outfall but a satisfactory conclusion has him supplying 15inch pipes for our work to be done. Then the necessary digging and preparation interrupted to ensure Daniel was ready for his Maths ‘O’ level exam tomorrow. Thatcher gives scant priority to the Western Leaders summit in Italy, despite the rocket attacks on embassies, to rush back for election campaigning where health is now the main issue

Up to my normal routine and, after breakfast, I went into my office to type out the letter to Hunts DC about the drain. Stopped by Mr Larkin on the way and he is now less happy about doing the work, even if HDC supply the pipes, but I gave him a copy of the letter anyway and set off to Huntingdon and parked the Daimler in the Council Chairman’s reserved space (!) as there was no other available. Proceeded to meet Mr Reed on the third floor in Technical Services. He is a drainage engineer and soon produced plans that showed the pipes and where they originated. The surface water storm drain caters for nearly all of Little Paxton village and the sewage arises from the pumping station behind 39 Gordon Road, where it is the overflow for when the pump fails etc. A calm, friendly individual, he is the husband of Linda Reed, the local historian studying the Reynolds family whom I have met and cooperated with. He was prepared to supply pipes for the job and agreed to come down to The Haylings later on. I drove back, briefed Larkin and then got Pete to start digging out the previous work, whilst I carried on with paperwork in the office.

It was not long before Mr Reed called and we examined nearby drain covers together and saw that the storm drain had 15 inch pipes. A meeting with all concerned identified the need for some large pipes and a cover and I hope the pipes can arrive tomorrow. After he had left, I donned my old clothes and boots, borrowed a spade from Larkin and helped Pete clear out the drain, removing the 4 inch pipes and letting the water flow. Broke off for tea with the family and, after checking that Daniel was fully prepared for tomorrows ‘O’ level maths exam, went out to shape further the bank on the other side of the boat harbour. In early to write up my journal and watch the TV news at the end of a trying day. To bed at 10.00, two hours after Di! News today is of the mutual Iran/British expulsions being completed and of the government hoping that the matter will end there. Thatcher returns from a lightening visit to the Economic Summit of Western leaders in Italy. This was against a background of rocket attacks on the Rome Embassies of US and Britain. She was there for only 18 hours and missed both the preliminaries and the final talks. Chancellor Lawson was only there for 7 hours and Geoffrey Howe was left holding the fort. The election campaign sees the last Conservative election broadcast and major speech for Thatcher. Labour attack the system of privilege on Health and Education and defend vigorously the decision of Mr Healey’s wife to have a private hip operation – she would have had to wait for three years of pain and delay and criticised the Tory cuts for bringing the DHSS to this situation. Dr David Owen and David Steel were on tour in the West Country and North-West, rallying the troops and countering poor opinion poll results with a prediction of a last minute swing and success in the seats that they have targeted.