Soviet monkey Dryoma went up into space in September 1987, before being presented to Cuban leader Fidel Castro.
Soviet monkey Dryoma went up into space in September 1987, before being presented to Cuban leader Fidel Castro.

Rather frustrating search for turf suppliers in the Sandy area, but some scaffold fittings secured and then the discovery of my picture on the front of The Trader with my History of Little Paxton story. This evening to welcome Michael Pope and Percy Meyer and to be recommended for adoption as their prospective Alliance candidate for Paxton. Another aftershock affects Los Angeles, the Tory Conference backs the introduction of a Poll Tax, Fiji is declared a Republic and two monkeys get up to tricks in a Russian Spacecraft

The normal morning routine, but still rushed to get to breakfast on time. A showery and miserable start to the day, but fortunately the gardener had chosen today to work elsewhere. Decided after breakfast to go out with Di and Della to Sandy and other places on a shopping expedition. There are several turf suppliers in that district and I was hoping to call by and get samples. First we drove down the A1 and stopped at the Sandy roundabout Little Chef for a morning coffee. Then to B&A Scaffolding nearby, where I managed to secure a half dozen ‘finial’ scaffolding joints that had been holding up my construction of the new river frontage riding poles. Then on to Everton, but could find no sign of the Rolawn people, which was quite a disappointment. Next to Gamlingay, where Di wanted to visit a fruit farm that had been recommended by a friend as a fun place to ‘Pick Your Own’ fruit of good quality and low cost.

The rain was pouring by this time and so we limited ourselves to buying a tray each of Cox’s apples and Conference pears. On to find a couple of turf suppliers near Duxford, but were again disappointed. It seems to me that all roads keep leading back to Sandy, as Hibery & Sons (for instance) referred to ‘their turf fields’ being there. I suspect they buy from Rolawn and sell on, as the seed mixtures are the same. At last we cease our searches and drive home via the A45, stopping at the Little Chef for a rather slow lunch with the crowds at 1.00pm. Back to St Neots after and picked up my photo batch from Alexander Studios (mug shots to replenish those used for recent press release). Whilst Di shopped for our week’s groceries at Waitrose, I checked with A&N Audi, who had still not fixed our portable stereo, claiming that the maintenance manual had still not arrived. To the newsagents, where I found my picture gracing the front of The Trader, with a nice piece on my Little Paxton History book. I need this extra copy of the press cutting to allow entries in both my Little Paxton and personal archives. Back to collect Di from the supermarket and get some drinks for my drinks cupboard and home at last. Already I had a number of calls on my answering machine from people interested in local history. Later this afternoon, I started preparing my office for this evening’s visitors, by setting out the drinks cabinet and range of cocktail tidbits. After a tea of pie and vegetables, I completed the task and rearranged the chairs, before carrying on some work at my desk until they arrived on time at 8.00pm. They were Michael Pope, Cambridge Councillor for Priory Ward and Chairman of St Neots and District Liberals and Percy Meyer, Chairman of St Neots and District SDP. We chatted a while, them explaining the tasks and responsibilities of District Councillor for Paxton Ward, and me asking lots of questions about the same subject. At the end of the evening, we agreed that they were happy to propose my candidature for the Alliance candidate in next May’s elections and I was willing to accept nomination. They took away a few remaining questions to answer for me and we bade one another farewell. To bed without much chance to do anything else and so I am updating my journal and reporting the news a day later. There has been another ‘aftershock’ earthquake in Los Angeles, which is interesting ahead of our forthcoming visit. The Tory Conference accepts the course of Poll Tax reform, in place of Rates, and wants to get it introduced and the controversy behind them at an earlier date, ahead of the next General Election. The Fiji military coup leader, Colonel Sitiveni Rabuka, finally executed his threat to declare Fiji a Republic and all eyes are on the Governor General for his responding move. After yesterday’s record 1 day fall on Wall Street, US interest rates rose, amidst more stock exchange falls around the world. The Dover inquest jury, into the deaths on the Herald of Free Enterprise, failed to reach a verdict. One of two monkeys sent by the Russians into space on a satellite has broken loose and is tampering with equipment, meaning that the voyage may have to be ended early. The Government is to set up a Broadcasting Standards Committee, to hear complaints of sex and violence on TV. In Sri Lanka, Indian peacekeeping troops have been ordered to use force, in a desperate attempt to restore order in the north and east of the island, where Tamil separatist guerrillas have murdered nearly 160 people in 21 hours.