Mum – P ignored my note. Work all day. Felt very dejected all day. FR rang lunch time – can’t come this week – ill. Didn’t feel worse after. We all went to Spotsoc concert in evening. Good. Felt dejected & lonely all the time. Rang Malcolm when I got in – to see him 9am tomorrow.
Roger – In our English Lesson we had a timed essay on the play Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare which we are studying for “O” level. Mr Macro gave us a crash course in german and in chemistry we did a multiple choice paper and got 38/50 that is 76%. Played football at lunch-time and this evening went to a production called “Nuts in May” by St Peters youth club. Both Patricia and Alan ware in it. It was good they had a band, a singer and performed several sketches based on an evening’s television’s viewing. There was an International Athletics meeting today at Crystal Palace. Tony Staynings won the 2,000m steeplechase, Ian Stewart won the 3,000m, Brendan Foster won the 1,500m, Mary Stewart won the women’s 1,000m and Sonia Lannaman won the 100m.
Notes
Tricia Ignored Mum’s Note
P refers to my older sister Tricia (Patricia). Mum had criticised Tricia the previous night for having what she considered to be too many late nights. Mum’s view was that she was not cross but that Tricia was! Mum then wrote her a note about how she felt, see Chapter 114.
In general, these kinds of notes, particularly if written when mum was upset or angry, were rarely helpful in my experience and were difficult to deal with. I am not surprised Tricia tried to just ignore it! At this point, Tricia was 18 so I would have thought she would have been pretty free to do as she pleased! At the end of that month, May 1976, mum told Tricia that she had only been in bed before 11.30 once in the last nine. Apparently, Tricia just “sort of laughed”. Mum was not sure what to do.
Mum Worked for Mr Ashken and Mr Stephens
During this period, mum worked as part-time medical secretary for the private practice of two surgeons, Mr Ashken and Mr Stephens, see Chapter 121. This practice was based at 41 Newmarket Road. She worked all day on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and half day on Fridays. On this occasion, as it was Wednesday, she worked all day.
Dejected and Lonely
After mum and dad separated in June 1973, mum often noted feeling lonely, see Chapter 114. She also struggled with depression and anxiety during this period, see Chapter 116. On this occasion, she noted feeling dejected all day and feeling dejected and lonely all the time.
Rev Dowson
FR refers to Rev F R Dowson. Frederick Rodham Dowson entered the Methodist ministry in 1936. He was born in Haxby, York on 5 August 1912 and he died in Selsey on 4 September 2011, aged 99. I believe he was superintendent Minister for the Park Lane Circuit from 1968 to 1974. He and mum were close and they spoke and corresponded frequently, see Chapter 114. On this occasion, he rang at lunch-time to say he could not come that week as he was ill. Mum did not seem to be particularly concerned about his health but did reflect on how she felt because he would not be able to come noting that she didn’t feel any worse after he had told her this.
“Nuts in May“
In the evening, mum noted that we all went to a Spotsoc concert at night. Spotsoc referred to a youth group at St Peter’s Park Lane Methodist Church formally known as St Peter’s Over Twelve Society, see Chapter 124. Mum commented that it was good.
I also noted this and that it was good. I referred to it as “Nuts in May” by St Peter’s youth club. From my description, it seems likely that this was a local production probably named after the play that had appeared on TV in January 1976 and which had proved very popular. Both my older sister Tricia (Patricia) and yougner brother Alan were in it. They had a band, a singer and performed several sketches based on an evening’s television’s viewing.
It is perhaps interesting that I referred to this as a youth club activity whereas mum referred to it as a Spotsoc concert. I don’t know if there was a clear distinction between youth club and Spotsoc. However, I think mum is likely to be more reliable on such matters than I was! I think the youth club met during the week, on Thursday, and was possibly more social in nature. Conversely, I believe Spotsoc met on Sunday evenings and it may have been more overtly religious/spiritual. I think many of the same young people attended both. I was not really involved in either although I did attend one or two activities, particularly after December 1978.
Rev Carter
Malcolm refers to Rev Malcolm Carter. He was a Methodist Minister who became mum’s friend and confidant, see Chapter 114. From Merseyside, he served in the ministry there and in Darlington and East Anglia. He was Minister at Court Hey Methodist Church from 1978 to 1986. He was the Methodist chaplain to Walton Prison, now HM Prison Liverpool, for 20 years. I found a YouTube video of him taking a service at Wonford Methodist Church in Exeter in July 2024. When he was in Norwich, he was mainly based at Bowthorpe Road Methodist Church. On this occasion, mum phoned him when she got in from the Spotsoc concert and arranged to see him the next day at 9 am.
Timed Essay
At school, in our English lesson, I noted that we had a timed essay on “Romeo and Juliet” the Shakespeare play we were studying for O level, see Chapter 118.
German Crash Course
I also noted that our German teacher, Mr Macro, gave us a crash course in the language. I assume this was some sort of revision overview, see Chapter 118.
Mr Macro
In addition to teaching German and coordinating sixth form general studies, I believe he was a very good runner and possibly cyclist also. I have vague memories of discussing a possible cycling holiday in Europe with him and of him running the Caister to Happisburgh walk with a small group of students. At the school sports day in June 1976, I noted that Mr Macro was beaten in the steeplechase by my friend John Durrant.
Chemistry MCQ
We also took a multiple choice question paper in chemistry, see Chapter 118. I noted that I scored 38/50 or 76%.
Lunch-time Football
At school, I noted playing football, see Chapter 118.
Athletics
I noted that there was an international athletics meeting at Crystal Palace, see Chapter 123. Tony Staynings won the 2000m steeplechase, Ian Stewart won the 3000m, Brendan Foster won the 1500m, Mary Stewart won the women’s 1000m and Sonia Lannaman won the 100m. Highlights were featured on BBC 1’s “Sportsnight” from 9.25 pm.
Philips Electrical Match
According to a report in the Daily Mirror, this was the Philips Electrical match between Borough Road PE College and the AAA. It was seen as a warm-up for the 1976 Olympics in Montreal. It is worth noting that Borough Road PE College was a teacher training institution that went on to form Brunel University.
Tony Staynings
Anthony (Tony) Robert Staynings was a British steeplechaser. In the 1976 Olympics, see Chapter 123, he qualified for the steeplechase final finishing 11th. He also appeared in the 1980 Olympics.
Ian Stewart
Ian Stewart was a Scottish long-distance runner. He qualified for the final of the men’s 5000m at the 1976 Olympics finishing seventh. He had previously won bronze in that event in the 1972 Olympics.
Brendan Foster
Brendan Foster was a very well-known British long-distance runner who became a TV commentator. He competed in three Olympics winning bronze in the 10000m in 1976.
Mary Stewart
Mary Stewart was a British middle-distance runner who just failed to qualify for the 1500m final at the 1976 Olympics.
Sonia Lannaman
Sonia Lannaman was a British sprinter. she had to withdraw from the 100m at the 1976 Olympics because of injury. She won bronze as part of the women’s sprint relay team at the 1980 Olympics.