Mum – P had 1 exam. R had 2. A came home for dinner. Took A & E to dentist in aft. A may have to have 4 teeth out & then wear a brace for a year. To go back on July 9. Then took A to see Mr Hunt optician. To wear his glasses at school & for reading for 3 weeks & to go back on July 8. Problems with muscles. Oh for someone to talk to!! Bought mat for black flowered skirt in aft. Cut it out whilst babysitting for Gerald & Thelma at night. V tired again.
Roger – I had 2 exams today. Chemistry and Social Economics. I thought I did quite well but I’m getting nervous about my other exams, waiting for them to come and worrying about what I’ve got. More fighting in Sth Africa. In the first day of the 2nd test England are 197 for 8. Close got 60, Brearley 40.
Notes
A Levels
P refers to my older sister Tricia (Patricia). She was taking her A levels, see Chapter 118. On this occasion, she had one exam.
O Levels
R refers to me Roger. I was taking my O levels, see Chapter 118. On this occasion, mum noted I had two exams. I noted that they were chemistry and social economics. I thought I had done quite well but notes that I was nervous about my other exams. There were two elements to these worries, waiting for the exams to come and worrying about my results. Although I had taken two O levels the previous year, this was my first real experience of multiple, major external exams including having to wait several weeks to get the results. As it happened, I did better in chemistry (A) than social economics (C).
Home for Dinner
A refers to my younger brother Alan. Mum noted that he came home for dinner. This would not have been usual for him but was because he had dentist and optician appointments that afternoon.
Dentist
A refers to my younger brother Alan and E to my younger sister Liz (Elizabeth). Mum took them to the dentist in the afternoon (aft). Mum noted that she thought Alan might have to have four teeth out and wear a brace for a year. However, in July, when he saw the dentist, he only needed to have one loose baby tooth out and no further treatment, see Chapter 116.
Optician
Mum took Alan to see the optician Mr Hunt optician. He advised Alan to wear his glasses at school and for reading for three weeks and he would then review him. He told mum that Alan had problems with his eye muscles. I believe he had a squint. When he went back, Mr Hunt told mum that Alan’s muscles were abnormal and he would need to be reviewed in a year. Following a number of reviews, Alan had surgery to correct the squint in July 1979, see Chapter 116.
Robin Hunt
Robin Hunt worked at L L Tillett’s at 87 Upper St Giles Street. Apparently, he was born in September 1944. L L Tillett was dissolved in 2010 but there is still an optician at 87 St Giles Street called Tillett Adams.
Someone to Talk To
Mum wished that she had someone to talk to, presumably about the issues arising from the visits to the dentist and optician. Following mum and dad’s separation, this was a common issue that mum raised in her diary, see Chapter 114.
Black Flowered Skirt
Mum bought material (mat) in the afternoon (aft) to make a black flowered skirt, see Chapter 126. She noted that she cut it out that night while babysitting for friends from church, Gerald and Thelma Cooke.
Tired
Mum noted she was very tired again. She often complained of tiredness at this time. Partly, this was just a reflection of a busy schedule. However, it also reflected the interaction between her mental and physical health, see Chapter 116.
Soweto Uprising
I noted that there was more fighting in South (Sth) Africa, see Chapter 129, This was the second day of what became known as the Soweto uprising. This was brutally suppressed by the apartheid regime with an estimated 176 pupils killed on 16 June alone.
Second Test
It was the first day of the second test between England and the West Indies at Lord’s. I noted that England had scored 197 for 8 with Brian Close scoring 60 and Mike Brearley 40. Although BBC1 showed the cricket live, I doubt if I watched it because of my exams. Presumably I heard the score on the news, probably on TV.
Brian Close
Dennis Brian Close played for Yorkshire and Somerset. He played 22 test matches for England. He also played six matches for Bradford City Football Club.
Mike Brearley
John Michael (Mike) Brearley played for Middlesex. Between 1976 and 1981, he played 39 test matches for England.
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