1978 January/ February week 5

Sunday 29^th Jan

Got up at 12.00 pm.
Did English and Maths H/W
Bev phoned
Phoned Fi.

Sam phoned from Formby village. They have sold their house and they must be out by April. (his parents were moving to Staffordshire… oh no!!!!)
Went to Tiffany’s at 7.30.

Billy Butler off Radio Merseyside was there got a Billy Butler badge (wow!!)

(for those of you South of the Mersey or further a field Billy Butler is a leg end up here, later than 1978 he used to do a Sunday morning phone in programme called 'Hold your Plums' where the thickest of thick people would phone in. He would ask a question and they would say 'give us a clue Billy?' if they got the question right they would pull the arm of a one armed bandit and try to get 3 plums for a prize........ Pot 8 toes is a classic! It is a must hope the link works!)

Monday 30^th Jan

Had a careers talk this afternoon and I have decided to go to Colquitt Catering College in Liverpool (see what all those reports in the early 70s have done I wanted to be a professional domestic goddess!)

Served teas at school for 1^st years parents evening.

Watched ‘Hazell’ and ‘The Night they raided Minsky’s’
(so loved the Hazell series… must check out the box set)

Sam & Bev phoned
Sam is coming to meet me tomorrow after school

Tuesday 31^st Jan

Went to have a look round the High School 6^th form this morning = rubbish (now this was the all girls High School which wore green uniforms and I failed my 11+ & 12+ attempting to get in , although I didn’t want to go there)

It was freezing cold as it had snowed the night before.
Read Mayor of Casterbridge chapters 37 -43
Sam met me out of school & he came round here. Had a good time (I sure now know what that is a code for!!!!!)
He got 5.30 train back to Art College.
Met him at the ‘Brick’ at 8.00, had 2 games of pool.
Came home at 10.00 pm then went to ‘J’s until 10.45 pm. I left my scarf in the ‘Brick’

Wednesday 1^st Feb

Had my careers interview today at 11.15am. Mr. H. reckons (and you will split your sides over this one) I should go in for journalism (hee hee ) & I should take Economics, Geography and Sociology A’level.

Went swimming. Sam was there waiting for me, stayed there until 5.15.
Went to the ‘Brick’ and got my scarf back.

Sam phoned. We had a stupid argument but everything is ok now.

Thursday 2^nd Feb (7 weeks)

Went to Liverpool Polytechnic with Patricia (her dad had something to do with the college)
It was dead good.
Went round the graphics department, fashion and weaving etc.

Went to Kirklands for dinner. Had hot baked potato (well it wouldn’t be cold would it?) in chicken & mushroom sauce & a glass of cider.

(In the 80s I went to Liverpool Poly (not to do art malheureusement) and Kirklands was one of our favourite haunts, many a great night was had there. It was originally Kirkland's bakery building (35 Hardman Street, Liverpool 1), and in the 1980s became a wine bar apparently now it is called The Fly In The Loaf)

Came home at 13.45.
Met Bev out of school.
Bought Sam a Valentine’s card (the home made one must have been binned!)
Phoned ‘J’
Sam phoned me he was on the phone for about ½ hour.
Brother is in a right paddy = row with his girlfriend. (best keep out the way I feel)

Friday 3^rd Feb
Sam called for me at 6.15 pm got the train at 6.40 pm.
Went to the railway pub then to his house.
Don’t think he is very well as he is full of cold (obviously man ‘flu! but would not have realised that then!)
He went to Leeds Polytechnic today and said it was ok.

Saturday 4^th Feb

Worked 9.30 – 5.00

Sam met me for dinner at 1.15 pm.Bought a pair of leg warmers £1.99, a Woodstock wind up toy 99p(wow just looked on the web and someone is selling one for $5.00) & a highlighter for my hair. Sam was in a bad mood thought it was something I had done.

Met Fi & Bev after work in the ‘Brick’
Martin & ‘J’ came round to ours had a good laugh.

I asked Sam if he was a virgin before me = yes (OMG!!… I can’t believe I asked him that! & I can’t believe that he spoke the truth either!)

1978 School Report

So I reckoned this report was ‘OK’ ?? Would love to had seen a bad one to compare!!

English Language – G.C.E. Continuous assessment

English Literature – G.C.E. 26% 70s must tackle this subject in far greater depth (the thing is I enjoyed the subject and I DID understand it)

Mathematics – C.S.E. 67% an encouraging result – well done.

Geography – G.C.E. 46% a good result 70s must now consolidate her efforts

Biology – G.C.E. a satisfactory result (bloody marvellous result if you ask me… must be all the practical)

French – (gloom) 39% 70s must make a more determined effort (yak yak yak) although there is still a chance of success

German – C.S.E. 58% Like the curate’s egg - good in part (oh very funny) careful revision should ensure reasonable success

Art & Pottery – G.C.E V. Good. Has ability here (so where is the ‘A’ then?)

P.E. - Excused

Form tutor remarks- A good report (is she mad??) With attention to detail and thorough revision (not much hope on that front) 70s should do well (what no mention of French???)

Enclosed with the report we all got a letter from the Head Master. Now bearing in mind that we were the first year to complete full years 1 – 5 (as the school was only opened in 1973). So great things were hoped of us, I expect, as it would show how well the school had performed in those 5 years.

Now this letter I remember thinking… yes I have a Saturday job but I am doing ok. But isn’t hindsight a wonderful thing as I read my diaries I realize wow that is directed at me, I was one of those with attitude and sehr schlecht malaise (oops sorry APJ)

1978 January week 4

Sunday 22^nd Jan

Got up at 11.45 am with a huge hangover.
Did maths homework (well that will be a big fat ‘F then!)
Went to town with Bev at 3.35 pm
Sam phoned. He called for me at 8.00.
Went to Tiffany’s.
He told me he loved me again (oh double OMG!!)
Came home at 11.30 pm.

Monday 23^rd Jan

Got 3 cards today. One off Corinna & one off Auntie M.
Kate’s dad gave me his card it is about 3 foot x 2 foot. (gosh I remember it was the time when huge cutey cards were the in thing… the bigger the better. So glad we are now ‘less is more’)
Saw Sam on the train, he waved.
Bev & Fi at a party at Tiffany’s. Bev has just phoned me she is drunk (tut tut on a school night too!)
Sam phoned he is calling for me at 7.00 pm tomorrow

Tuesday 24^th Jan

Ace person’s 16^th birthday

La Fontana at 8.00 pm.

Got 19 cards today. Aren’t I popular!!! (eventually got 22)

Also got Bee Gees single ‘How Deep is your Love’ from Bev, lipgloss off Fi, talc & diary off Jackie (handy seeing as I have 2 on the go already) , a basket & Charlie perfume off ‘J’, £10.00 off Mum, £5 off Kate’s dad, £3.00 off my brother and my Auntie D.

Sam gave me a silver bracelet not the one I mentioned on Saturday as that did not fit .
It cost him £8.50. (hee hee can’t believe he told me how much it was)

The meal was ACE. We had orange juice, Sirloin steak, mushrooms etc. and fresh fruit salad. All together it came to £9.45.

Came home at 10.15 pm

Wednesday 25^th Jan

Had a fire drill during French (there is a god!!)

Went swimming and Sam came to see us
Went to El Cabala until 6.40 pm
Fi’s boyfriend finished with her today. I feel dead sorry for her.
Bev had her hair cut today.
Phoned ‘J’.
Sam phoned
He is meeting me from school tomorrow

Thursday 26^th Jan (6 weeks)

Party at Stan’s

Sam came to meet me out of school.
Called for ‘J’ at 7.30 pm.
Martin took us in his car to Stan’s at 7.45 pm

Party = good

Sam & I *%@^%$£

(Well you know …. we … well … we……………you know!! at least I waited until I was 16....)

Friday 27^th Jan

Got my school report = OK
Sam met me out of school I read his A’ level thesis, it was good. (like what did I know?? It was about Edward Hopper)

He left at 5.30 pm.
He came round again at 7.00 pm & we went to the ‘Brick’ with Bev.
Came back home and watched ‘The Mayor of Casterbridge’ (very educational but I bet I didn’t see that much of it!!!)

Sam missed the last train home so he had to walk home (about 6 miles)
Hope he is ok.
Watched a film called ‘Blue’ with Terence Stamp in it = good.

My brother came home from Algeria this evening (my brother during the 70s & 80s worked in nuclear power stations around the world, it was great as a teen as he would bring back fascinating gadgets and pressies home plus stories of his adventures)

Saturday 28^th Jan

Got up at 10.45 pm. Day off work
Phoned Sam.
He came round at 1.30 got the 2.10 bus into town.
Saw Bev & Fi in the ‘Brick’.
Bought a lumberjack shirt from ‘Stars’
Came home at 5.30 pm
Sam came round at 7.15 pm.
Went to ‘J’s at 7.45 pm
Martin came to ‘J’s at 8.15 pm
Had a great time. ‘J’ likes Martin quite a bit.

(I am slightly concerned not only by the alcohol consumption some 4 weeks into 1978, the fact I bought a lumberjack shirt & oh well 'you know what' !!! But more concerned about how the hell did I remember the time of everything and why was it so darned important??)

1978 January week 3

Sunday 15th Jan (one month to the date)

Got up at 9.00 am. Went to church.
Stayed in all afternoon.
‘J’ & Bev phoned.
Sam phoned. He was doing his homework (sucker) (well at least someone was!!)
Did English essay about Hijacking (ok I will let myself off there)
Had a bath and hair wash.
Sam came round at 7.30pm.
Went to Tiffany’s at 8.00 pm.
He wore brown cord drainees (obviously flares were out by then!), blue shirt & tie, brown ‘V’ neck jumper.
Got home at 11.10 pm. Phoned ‘J’

Monday 16th Jan
Got French result 39%.
Had a lecture off Geog teacher about working hard for our exams.
Me & Bev got separated in Biology for talking. (oh how history repeats itself.. my teen in Maths!)
Went to Maths tutor after school, did combined transformations (what???)
‘J’, Fi, Bev and Sam phoned.
I am phoning Sam tomorrow.
Finished English essay
Washed my hair

Tuesday 17th Jan
Returned slip of paper about my exams.
It snowed.
Went shopping for P.E. staff in games lesson. Got a lift up the road by a teacher in his Capri
Phoned Bev & Sam.
Sam said he saw me on the way to school from the train(how embarrassing)
Had a comprehension exam = hard. (no surprise really how could I comprehend anything as I had not gone to bed early in days!!)
Went to bed at 10.15 pm

Wednesday 18th Jan
The weather is icy cold frost is everywhere. Hated getting out of bed this morning (oh the days before central heating, just a coal fire downstairs. Frost on the inside of the window. Going to bed in a jumper, clothes damp if left on the floor..... actually, come to think about it I lived in some flats like that in my 20s)
Went swimming = good.
Saw Sam when I was on the bus, leaned out of the window & shouted to him (oh how common!!)
Went to meet him at Art College. Went to El Cabala for a coffee.
He phoned me about 9.25 pm for ½ hour.
Bev phoned
Had a bath and hair wash

Thursday 19th Jan (5 weeks)
Medical 9.45 am
It snowed heavily (yippee)
Had medical = dead embarrassing had to take my bra off (gulp!!!) (I wonder what examination that was at such an age???? The nanny state we live in now I would be asking questions?)
Fell over in the corridor & cut my hand. (must have been the shock of the medical!!)
Bev, Fi, ‘J’ & Sam phoned.
Sam is meeting me out of school tomorrow
Made him a Valentines Card (but it is only January?)

Friday 20th Jan
Boring day at school.
Had triple German & double French (yuk!)
Had films on equatorial lowlands in Geography (yawn)
Sam met me out of school. Both he and Bev came round for a coffee.
Phoned ‘J’. Martin phoned her yesterday (yippee!!)
Sam came round at 7.15 and stayed until 11.00. Had a good time.
Bev phoned.

Saturday 21st Jan
Bill’s 18th Party
German teachers 31st birthday
Worked 10.00 – 5.00 pm.
Sam met me for dinner. Bought Bill a card.
Bought myself a Snoopy book.
Went to Bill’s party at 8.00 pm.
Me, ‘J’ and Bill’s sister got a bit drunk.
Sam made me walk it off as I felt sick.
He gave me my pressy, a silver bracelet with a little padlock on it.
He told me he loved me (OMG!!! after 5 weeks?)
He is taking me to the La Fontana (restaurant)

1978 January week 2

Sunday 8th Jan
Got up at 11.00 am.
Did O’level Maths paper for tutor tomorrow also wrote an English essay.
Went to the Scarisbrick and met ‘J’.
Walked round Lord Street.
Got home at 11.15 pm

Monday 9th Jan
The start of another boring week.
Got Geography result 46% passed by 11% (scraped through in my book)
Went to maths tutor got 34% for Maths exam I did yesterday (Oh my in deep poop!)
Bev phoned
Sam phoned from Formby on his way to the Railway Pub.
He went to Liverpool today to do his A'level thesis. He also bought another pair of grey drainees.
Phoned ‘J’

Tuesday 10th Jan
School!!! Need I say more.
Bev phoned, she maybe getting a boutique (Bev’s parents were way rich, swimming pool in the back garden and all that!)
Sam phoned. I am going to meet him after school tomorrow.
Got a letter from Corinna. She is quite pretty (Corinna was a pen pal in Germany fixed up through school, I wonder where she is now??)
Did French homework.
Watched ‘Third Echo’ until 12.15 am (I have no hope have I??)

Wednesday 11th Jan
School (well of course)
There was a sponsored walk around the field to raise money for a mini bus (woh how exciting!!!!)
I made teas for the staff. Got home at 3.15 pm.
Went to see Sam at Art College.
Went to the El Cabala with him and ‘J’.
He phoned me about 8.15 pm.
Had a bath & hair wash.
Bev phoned. She is going to see a pantomime with Fi cos a lad from school she fancies is in it.

Thursday 12th Jan
Got English Literature result = 26% (GULP!!) (yes you may well gulp… that is dreadful)
Jackie reckons she’s got a rumbling appendix (rumbling hypochondria more like!)
The weather is absolutely freezing about –5C. Wore drainees for school.
Bev phoned. She was doing her Physics project (I bet she hadn’t rang me for help there)
‘J’ phoned.
Sam phoned at 10.15, am going to his house tomorrow at 6.40 pm

Friday 13th Jan (oh dear!!)
Nothing drastic happened today even though it was Friday 13th.
Bev phoned at 6.15 pm. ‘J’ phoned at 6.00 pm
Caught the 6.40 pm train to Sam’s house.
Went to the Railway to meet some of his mates.
Got 11.00pm train home
Watched ‘A Rough Night in Jericho’ = OK

Bed 12.30 am

Saturday 14th Jan
Got up at 11.45 am
Phoned ‘J’
Sam phoned
He came round at 11.15 pm. We went to S’port. Got a pair of ‘Granny’ shoes for £8.99 for my birthday.
Came home to see footy results.

Went to town at 8.00 pm.
Went to the ‘ELTONEL’ wine bar = very good (this was one of the best places to go, eat and chill out , now the Glasshouse)
Met ‘J’ and Martin.
Had 2 bottles of wine between us (bet it was Hock or Piesporter!)
Saw Bev in the ‘Brick’
Lift home in Martin’s car. (mmmm I hope he hadn’t been drinking???)

1978 Happy New Year

Sunday 1^stJan

New Year ‘DO’ at Tiffany’s

Got up at 11.45 am (still obsessed with time I see).
My head is a bit heavy cos I was drinking ‘Scots Mac’ & Martini last night.

(now I have no idea what Scots Mac is/was so had to look it up on the t’internet…. "A blend of mature British Wine and Fine Malt Whisky" no wonder my head hurt. The link is quite amusing btw! I can’t imagine where I had been for New Years Eve to drink such a hideous thing!)

Bev and ‘J’ phoned.
Sam phoned about 4.30 & 5.00 pm (I have decided to call the ‘boy’ Sam as it would have been my choice of boys names if I had a son, seems as good a name as any).

Went to Tiffany’s. Called at ‘J’s first for a drink.
Bev was upset about some bloody lad again.

Tiffany’s was a nightclub that was at the end of the road from where I lived. It was originally a cinema I believe in the 50s, then it was a nightclub called the Moulin Rouge. Apparently in May 1967 Pink Floyd gigged there. Spookily that was the time we moved to the area from Liverpool.

In 1975 Tiffany’s opened.

During this diary this venue will be mentioned a lot. On a Sunday night it was the under 18’s disco (I can’t believe they had a night for under 18s the day before school). They didn’t sell
alcohol in that bar but they had an over 18s bit… so guess where me and my mates ended up?)

Monday 2^nd Jan

Got up at 11.00am.
Washed my hair & then ‘J’ came round. Took her dog for a walk round the cemetery. Sam phoned at 3.30 & 5.15 pm. Went to his house.
Train was late had to wait ½ hour. Went via Rick’s house cos we had to take some records back (obviously Sam was waiting for me at the station, oh the age before mobile phones he would have been there and no way of knowing were I was… how did we cope?)

Watched ‘The Two Ronnies’

Sam lent me 3 Snoopy books (awww!)

Terrible winds outside nearly got blown away on my way home.

Tuesday 3^rd Jan

Got up at 8.00 am.
Sam called for me at 9.00 am.
Went to Liverpool.

I bought a ‘blanket’ coat in the sales for £20.00 = ok. (£20.00 that was a heck of a lot of money then and oh how I remember that coat. I have surfed the t’internet for a similar image in vain…. Nothing can compare to the brown, beige, cream random pattern on this midi length hooded monstrosity but they were all the rage then)

We had our dinner in Solitaire.
Sam bought a sketch pad and a Paddington pencil for me.
I phoned Sam at 8.15 pm.
Bev and ‘J’ phoned.
Had a bath & washed my hair.

Watched Q7- Spike Milligan & ‘Scully’ they were great

Wednesday 4^th Jan

Back to skool.
Maffia Dance at the Midnight Lounge.
Met Sam at the F&G (Fox & Goose) at 8.00 pm. Went to the Midnight Lounge = quite good.

‘J’ dancing with Adam all night. Sam = a bit drunk.
Left about 12.00 am. Had to hide from this mate of Sam’s so he could not get a taxi with us (oh how tight is that?)

Skool is terrible Fi is off with flu.

Thursday 5^th Jan

3 weeks (that must mean the number of weeks with Sam)
Another boring day at skool.
Jackie went to the hospital about her back, she has to wear a corset too cos she has rhemetism? (just remember I type how I see it!!!)

Bev phoned
Sam phoned. He is going to the Dr. tomorrow cos he cannot breathe properly nor swallow.
Fi phoned. She maybe back at skool tomorrow.

Watched ‘Why Shoot the Teacher’ = quite good (one for you Frac!)
Did French & German homework (YUK!!!)

Friday 6^th Jan

Anthony R got battered by Terry B cos Anthony battered Terry’s brother in. Anthony came off worse.

Sam phoned at 3.50 but I wasn’t in.
I phoned him at 6.00pm.
He came round at 7.15 pm & went at 11.15pm.

Watched ‘Gangsters’ & listened to Stevie Wonder, Sex Pistols etc

Bev at Tiffany’s & Toby Inn
Sam did not go to the Dr’s (coward)
Fi is back at school.

Saturday 7^th Jan

Sunday School Chrimbo Party = OK

Went to town with Sam at 2.00 pm. Bought a ‘V’ neck brown jumper for £1.99 ½ at ‘LEX’ (those were the days of ½ pennies)

Went to El Cabala for a coffee. Saw Bev there.
Went to party at 4.00pm. Got home at 6.30.
Phoned ‘J’ and Bev.
Sam phoned at 6.40. He came round at half 7.
Got bus into town. Played pool at the ‘Brick’
Saw loads of mates from skool.
Had 2 Martinis came home at 11.00 pm

1977 December

In 1977 my best friend ‘J’ was already in her second foundation year at Art College. It was quite cool having an older mate at college as I got to do more mature stuff ….. namely partying, pubs & clubbing it.

I was never asked to show ID in any venue as a teen because I looked and acted older than my youthful years, thankfully that has reversed a bit now I am older and although I feel 40 something I have been told I don’t look or behave like a 40 something (lol).

I would call at the Art College after school (following a quick change out of uniform of course) to meet ‘J’ and grab a quick coffee or something to eat.

On this one occasion I noticed this boy looking at me from across the studio. ‘J’ introduced me to him and I thought little more about it after that.

In Novemeber‘J’ and I went to the Art College Do at the Midnight Lounge attached to the Southport Theatre.

It was a ‘Black & White’ do. It was really good fun and that night the ‘boy’ was there too.

On the 15th December we started dating.

What my Mum thought about this romance I can only now imagine being a parent of a teen. Her tactic was to let it be hoping, I suspect, it would fizzle out but it took 7 years for that to happen!!

For the purposes of this blog I will call him …….? Gosh I can’t think of a name that would suit him. I’ll let you know about what I decide in my next post.

So all the good intentions of keeping my head down and studying a hard for my O’levels went totally down hill. A whole brave new world opened up for me, like a kid in a sweet shop…….. I have scanned through the two 1978 diaries tonight (yes 2 diaries! Why? I have no idea) and I am amazed at the late hours I kept, the places I went to and the total lack of dedication I had in studying for my exams………… (oh how I have to keep this fixed in my head when my teen is doing her G.C.S.E.s!!!)