Back to our Copper Kettle lunch venue today
Back to our Copper Kettle lunch venue today

A busy and varied day that starts with our trip to Cambridge with our routine of Eaden Lilley’s for coffee and The Copper kettle for an early lunch each side of some shopping and other chores. Home to tend the swimming pool and to prepare our children for Kimbolton School tomorrow, Daniel taking Debbie there for her first day. The Belgian trial of English football fans after the Heysel Stadium Riot causes concern, Murdoch’s Wapping dispute aftermath provokes criticism of the Electricians Union and the TUC, so called ‘Loyalists’ shoot a Belfast man in front of his family and ‘Spycatcher’ is banned in Hong Kong.

Slept well and was ready for my morning tea. Went downstairs after and got Di to cut my hair, before returning for a shave, shower and hair wash. This let the family think I was going to be late, but I was first down to breakfast and ready to go straight out afterwards. It was the trip to Cambridge today and date to get the Daimler serviced. We left at 8.00am and arrived in the Cambridge area at 8.45am. How busy the traffic is at that time. We usually miss it when going in later, but today we had to drive around the city to get to Marshalls garage in Cherry Hinton. Left the car there to be serviced and walked into the city centre on a mild morning. Little Daniella managed to walk most of the way and I encouraged her with a few walking games.

As soon as she can walk long distances happily, we can forgo the push chair, which is a pain. Dropped off my Moss Bros hire suit and made our way to Eaden Lilley for coffee. Daniel had gone off to find out the bus times, as he was anxious to leave Cambridge before us to get back to Paul and the girls. We all met at the restaurant and found Charles & Norma Jackson and stayed together for a while to have a good chat. Then we split up, until I found Diana’s friend, Linda, and took her by the hand to see Di and ask about Cambridge dress shops. When on my own, I bought an old book ‘Church Bells of Huntingdonshire’ and some other odds and ends that I needed. Also a pair of size 11 (wide fitting 7) British leather shoes from K-Shoes for £45, with which I was well pleased. All together for lunch at 11.45am at the Copper Kettle, then a little more shopping before the trip home. I searched the antiquarian book and print shops, but found little else of much interest. Once home, I settled down to sticking in the rest of these last two month’s press cuttings and then checking and filing photograph negatives in my scrap book. Also tended the swimming pool, which is working a bit better. Di and the girls went swimming and then Debbie’s friend, Amy, joined them when she came home from school. It may be one of the last chances they get, as our children go back to school tomorrow. Dan enjoyed his afternoon, but I made him stay at home this evening and prepare fully for school. He is feeling a bit rebellious at the moment and I think his Little Paxton friends are ribbing him about going to Kimbolton School. Debbie settled down well enough this evening and does not seem at all nervous about going. We have a routine that involves both Di and me every night and she has stopped her crying spells. She is enthusiastic at learning her recorder, but shows little skill yet and I hope her school music lessons will be good. The news today concentrated on football problems. The English Heysel Stadium riot fans are confirmed as going to Belgium, amidst assurances that they will be fairly remanded and tried. There are now doubts about the validity of extradition to face additional charges and counts of manslaughter, not originally covered by the extradition warrant. The prisons there are now quiet after the recent trouble, but not everyone is convinced that there will not be victimisation by other prisoners. Meanwhile, it is hoped that the European ban on English football teams will soon be lifted and it may be that the UK government’s compliance with the fan extraditions is designed to win such favour. Back at Overthorpe School, parents managed to get their children into the building’s dining room, but it seems that they will have to be housed elsewhere. Meanwhile, at Headfield School, the headmaster and teachers hit back at what they say is unfair criticism of their standards. At the TUC, the past analysis of the News International Wapping dispute still goes on, with the Electricians Union and the General Council coming in for criticism from the delegates. ITV has realised it made a serious error in screening an American TV programme in family viewing time. It had scenes of rape and assault and in future they will more closely check such films before screening. Another sectarian attack near Belfast’s Springfield Road, as the ‘Loyalists’ this time shoot and kill a man in front of his children. Courts have restored a ‘Spy Catcher’ ban on a Hong King newspaper.