Celebrated clinching the deal for the flat with Bobbie on the Friday evening, starting with an early evening visit to the National Theatre to see a platform talk about Kenneth Tynan. I think those Platform things were a new idea that autumn…an idea that is now more than 30 years old. Our first one had been Tony Sher some weeks earlier.
This Kenneth Tynan one was in the Cottesloe and was a really interesting, varied panel: Adrian Mitchell, Jonathan Miller, Edward Petherbridge, Kathleen Tynan and Irving Wardle.
As the diary says (if you can read it) we went on to the Archduke afterwards for dinner.
On the Saturday I collected the keys to Clanricarde Gardens and did some shopping. I remember spending more than a few bob in Tylers (which was up on Westbourne Grove back then) – I probably still have one or two of the items I bought that day – I’m pretty sure I am still on my first clothes horse, for example.
I also bought food for the Sunday, but the crowd that visited that day – John, Mandy, Ali Dabbs, Valerie and Bobbie would all have traipsed to Woodfield Avenue for that meal – I must have shlepped the grub from Notting Hill to Streatham Hill on the Saturday evening – the new flat was not yet fit for habitation.
What did I cook that day? Can’t remember. Bound to have been Chinese and/or South-East Asian food though…just possibly Southern Asian for that crowd. It would have been good, whatever it was, though I say so myself. I must have been knackered by the Sunday, though. What a week it had been.
Photo Mart 1986, reimagined by Nano Banana 2.1 from a mid 1950s image
During this fortnight, we said goodbye to Dad’s shop, Photo Mart, which had been his business empire for best part of 33 years. That seems like a heck of a long time, until I realise that I started my own business empire more than 32 years ago now.
Dad’s shop – a relatively tranquil place, mid 1950s
I don’t think Dad’s place changed much over the decades. That site is now a rock bar, Project Orange, “trendy” according to CAMRA , which, although an authority on real ale, might not be an authority on trendiness.
Anyway…
…here’s what I wrote in my diary around that time.
Wednesday 29 January 1986 – Returned from Keele first thing – had a sedate day at work & got some work done. Very tired in evening – went to bed quite early.
Thursday 30 January 1986 – Went to Golders Green for stocktake in morning – quite interesting. Spent afternoon in the office. Had a lazy evening in this evening.
Forty years on, I find terms like “sedate” to describe a day in the office and “quite interesting” to describe a stocktake in Golders Green somewhat impenetrable.
Friday 31 January 1986 – Work in office all day – except for rushing off to VL [Laurence Corner] for wages panic. Had a drink with Mike, Sandra, Terry + others after work. Mum + Dad went out in eve – had dinner listened to records etc, watched A Taste of Honey on TV.
I was reading plays like they were going out of fashion at that time and remember that I had really liked A Taste Of Honey by Shelagh Delaney. I don’t usually much like film versions of plays, but I thought this one was the dog’s bollocks…and still do.
Saturday 1 February 1986 – Rose early + went to shop with dad. Went through books, etc. Bought 2 pairs of trousers in Streatham + had lunch + then did some more work. Had a lazy evening at home pretty tired.
Gosh I remember buying those trousers, in a so-called boutique in Streatham. I was trying to smarten up a bit, but I don’t think I did anything like as good a job on myself as Nano Banana’s reimagining of me in my new trousers. I certainly didn’t dare to go quite that bright in colour in those days.
Me in trendy trousers, reimagined by Nano Banana 2.1
Sunday 2 February 1986 – Rose quite early – sorted out photographs etc. Had Italian lunch + then went to G[randma] Jenny in afternoon for tea. Went from Streatham to Kate [Fricker]’s place for supper – John [White] & Andy [Crawford] were there – phoned Pady [Jalali] & had bagels etc – had plenty to drink. Missed last tube train + stayed over.
What Kate was doing in Hampstead rather than Keele in early February I really couldn’t say. perhaps seeking some quiet study away from Keele during term time! In any case, that gathering sounds like it was fun.
Monday 3 February 1986 – Went home very early -> work after. Pretty tired at office but work OK. Had an early night.
uesday 4 February 1986 – Work OK – in office today. Lazy evening at home – did nothing very useful.
Wednesday 5 February 1986 – In office today – quite busy today. Had a quiet evening in.
Thursday 6 February 1986 – [No entry]
Friday 7 February 1986 – [No entry]
Saturday 8 February 1986 – Went to the library in morning -> Dad’s shop to sort out books etc – for last time. Quite tired in evening – stayed at home + did nothing.
Yup, we took those books of account home and I spent several evenings finishing off dad’s accounts and doing the sole-trader-closing-down tax returns, which was a money saver for dad and good “proper practice” towards my exams for me.
Sunday 9 February 1986 – Went to U[ncle] Josh [Moliver] stone setting – back to Sadie’s -> to Briegals [Jacqueline & Len] after with cousins etc for wine. Met Petra – went for Indonesian – very nice meal – came back late to stay after.
Josh Moliver centre back with arms stretched. From the front working back – Hannah Green (nee Pizan), Hazel Jacobs (nee Moliver), Jacquie Briegal (nee Moliver), Sidney Pizan, behind right, Sadie Moliver.
Josh was a lovely fellow whom I (and I am sure all who knew him well) remember(ed) warmly. All those depicted in the above 1936 picture (with thanks to Sidney Pizan) are no longer with us. Coincidentally, I attended Jacquie Briegal’s stone setting only a couple of weeks before writing up this article, in the autumn of 2026.
Monday 10 February 1986 – Saw Petra off – went to cafe – read for a while. Work OK – quite tired tho! Had a lazy evening & early night.
Tuesday 11 February 1986 – Work OK – had to go to [tax] Commissioners meeting in Woolwich in morning – OK. Stayed in eve.
The tax commissioners in Woolwich would have been a client assignment, I hasten to add. I hadn’t (and didn’t) get dad into a tax pickle by doing his closing years tax returns.
Saturday 25 January 1986 – Got up reasonably early – tried to do some work – went to Newcastle for tea + did some shopping, went round to L49 for a while + then went home. Had chicken in yellow bean sauce for dinner – (I cooked) + turned in reasonably early.
Sunday 26 January 1986 – Again got up fairly early + tried to get some work done + read paper. Went over to Kate [Fricker, now Susan] in afternoon – Petra followed, as Ruth [Miller] did a bunk. Went home + had gevikeltekraut for dinner but not too pleasant evening thereafter.
I can’t remember who was living in L49 that year. Hayward Burt and Pete Wild were still in L54 – my old flat, I’m pretty sure. Something tells me that Ali Dabbs might have moved to L-Block Barnes that year.
As for the cooking, I took credit for the chicken in yellow bean sauce (mine would have had fewer peppers in it). I’m guessing that Petra cooked the gevikeltekraut, although it might have been a Benita Wishart special, that dish. I don’t expect either of them to remember.
That weekend’s cooking illustrated with help from Nano Banana 2.1
Monday 27 January 1986 – Tired today – went to town for a while – did a little work etc. The afternoon was again rather strained but went to the AGM in evening + got rather drunk there. Fairly late night.
Tuesday 28 January 1986 – Again quite tired – did a little work – went to town at noon – met Ashley [Fletcher], came back to Petra’s etc. Went to Pinocchio’s for dinner in the evening – had trouble getting back but managed to do so. Very nice evening, lateish night.
Wednesday 29 January 1986 – Returned from Keele first thing – had a sedate day at work & got some work done. Very tired in evening – went to bed quite early.
Thank goodness Ashley got a mention in the diaries – he gets most upset if he is absent from Keele-related diary entries from that era.
I sense that the strain of the long distance relationship was starting to tell on both me and Petra, based on these diary notes. Perhaps more tellingly, I was starting to sense that student life was now for other people, not for me.
One thing I particularly remember was finding the prevailing chart music that season especially trite. While the students were no doubt digging A-ha, Dire Straits & Billy Ocean, all riding high in the charts…
…I found those tracks intensely irritating at that time and, strangely, returning to them, still do.
My music listening was orienting towards big, big, symphonies around that time. I mentioned Mahler’s Resurrection Symphony in an earlier piece about returning to Keele. I also especially remember the strains of Bruckner’s Fourth echoing around my head in those days, as I stood on those cold railway platforms and sat in those trains back and forth [did you see what I did there?] to Keele.
It’s not as far away from student-oriented rock music as some readers might think. The riff in Seven Nation Army by the White Stripes is surely based on the motif from Bruckner’s Fifth, which is almost too cool for school…or too much of a steal for Keele.
Saturday 18 January 1986 – Busy day – did quite a lot of shopping, got hair cut went to Brixton etc. Went up West in evening, met Bobbie, went to see My Beautiful Laundrette + then had a Vietnamese meal. Very nice evening.
In the absence of my diary, I’d have sworn that I saw My Beautiful Laundrette with John White, but clearly I saw it with Bobbie. I remember thinking it a truly excellent film.
The restaurant we ate in afterwards was almost without question Saigon in Frith Street, which was pretty much the only Vietnamese Restaurant up west in those days.
Sunday 19 January 1986 – Rose fairly early + had large Chinese lunch with folks + lazyish afternoon & evening at home taping, reading etc.
Monday 20 January 1986 – At work in Sam Phillips factory this week – not too pleasant really. Had a lazy evening tonight.
Tuesday 21 January 1986 – Still at factory in Finsbury Park – working quite hard. Had a quiet evening at home.
Wednesday 22 January 1986 – Working at factory in Finsbury Park today. Went into town to meet John [White] after work – Andy [Crawford] was there too. Went to Punch & Judy – had a few drinks then on to Kowloon restaurant – got home quite late.
Thursday 23 January 1986 – Working in Finsbury Park today – which is OK if you like that sort of thing. Quite tired + had a lazyish evening in this evening – watched some TV etc.
I really didn’t like working in that Finsbury Park garment factory, did I? And who could blame me? It was cold and far from friendly.
Friday 24 January 1986 – Work or went to Finsbury Park in morning – rushed back met Caroline [Freeman, now Curtis] for lunch – worked in office in afternoon. Went to Euston – had a drink – went up to Keele – arrived late & very tired. Petra [Wilson] cooked mussels (delicious) in evening – very nice.
I had arranged a short break in Keele for the next few days, which included the AGM, which was one of those events that the previous committee was “expected” to attend, as this “order” from the Union attests:
Nano Banana 2.1 has reimagined the scene for me based on my instruction, although I placed us, from memory, on Waterloo Bridge, but Nano Banana wanted us on Westminster Bridge
Tuesday 31 December 1985 – Had lazy day taping and lounging around – met Petra in afternoon – > John’s -> Poons -> bridge
“John’s” in those days was the flat in Bow that he shared with Mandy, Rachel and I think one or two others.
I don’t list the people who joined us for that meal in Poons and for the celebrations on the bridge afterwards, but it is just possible that either John or Petra will remember.
I’m pretty sure that John’s number one choice of Chinese in those days would have been Joy King Lau. I am guessing that Joy King Lau was full and/or had a longer waiting time than Poons, which I remembered (correctly) was immediately next door in Leicester Street.
My profound love of The Original Poons restaurant in Lisle Street came a little later – other Ogblog pieces might oblige with details of that ultra low key but very high grade Cantonese food place.
As for the bridge in question, my vague memory suggests it was Waterloo Bridge, not Westminster Bridge. I took up this matter with Nano Banana, which responded with the following image, which strikes me as a scene with a view of the Palace Of Westminster that suggests it is roughly where Waterloo Bridge might be:
I’m sure we were all better looking than the youngsters depicted, but maybe we weren’t.
Anyway, here is what I said about the hours following the tolling of the bell:
Wednesday 1 January 1986 – Wandered round the south bankside – took cab – Petra + I hitched back to Bow – bedded down at John’s – hung around at John’s a while in afternoon. Went & had something to eat in Covent Garden – saw Petra off – went home & had lazy evening + early night.
I can’t quite reconcile “took cab” and “Petra & I hitched back to Bow”. Something’s missing in that statement. Perhaps we took a cab to one place, where we dropped some people off, then we hitched the rest of the way.
JOHN! Can you disambiguate this memory?
Update: John White Writes…
My diary entry for 1.1.86 reads. TODAY FOLLOWING THE NYE REVELRY, WE SLEPT LATE. CHATTED TO IAN AND PETRA AND WATCHED TV. Exciting hey?
My thoughts on Poons was that it was posher than Joy King Lau so maybe we decided to spend a bit extra. I can’t remember the evening at all other than in the mistiest of tones. I am sure we stumbled around had a few drinks and as Big Ben struck kissed each other before getting home. Probs the night bus then.
I wrote back to John, suggesting that his 31 December 1985 diary entry might contain the vital missing information.
Here is the typed up version, scanned from what I think must be carbon copies. Is there anyone else left on the planet who remembers what carbon copies were?
I guess I prepared these for our glorious return visit in January 1986 for the traditional UGM/AGM thingie.
Paul Deacon showing off his gear – picture (post 1985) from Paul’s FB images
This period of my life was all about keeping my head down at work and spending as much time with old friends as work and study would allow.
Friday, 15 November 1985 – work okay – met Caroline [Freeman] for lunch – farewell drink for Norman – up to Keele in evening.
Saturday 16 November 1985 – lazyish day. Went to L Block & Thorns – helped Petra with essay etc – dinner in etc.
L Block Barnes was my old flatmates, Alan “Great Yorkshire Pudding” Gorman, Pete Wild and the usurper of my favourite seat, Hayward Burt.
My seat. that was my seat, Hayward.
I cannot imagine what Petra’s essay was about, but as she was first year law at that time, it is safe to say it would have been something criminal, tort or contract. It’s also safe to say tat she would probably have got by without my help.
Sunday, 17 November 1985 – lazyish Sunday – did some work etc – decided to stay over – did so – v nice weekend.
Monday 18 November 1985 – returned to London. Work OK – did some work in the evening etc.
Tuesday, 19 November 1985 – work ok – stayed in evening – did little.
Wednesday, 20 November 1985 – all day at ST [Setty Textiles] – okay. Quiet evening – reading etc.
Thursday, 21 November 1985 – felt absolutely lousy today – spent day at ST. Stayed in evening feeling yucky.
Friday 22 November 1985 – work ok – feeling a bit better today – quiet evening in.
Saturday 23 November 1985 – went to shop with dad briefly -> library -> shops etc. Went over to Paul [Deacon]’s in the evening – inspected his gear.
Paul was, at that time, getting deeply into DJ-ing – I think from memory at radio Kings – the Kings College Hospital radio station. “His gear” will have had something to do with taping and/or DJ-ing. Paul might just remember.
Say something, young Paul! This picture also “borrowed” from Paul’s FB picture stash.
Sunday 24 November 1985 – stayed in all day – worked – had lunch – read and did a bit of taping.
I’m pretty sure that my autumn 1985 taping would have primarily been to do with classical music rather than contemporary music. I have recording lists but not dated ones. I’ll be doing some trawling of those at some point and might add some YouTube Music playlists to point at the stuff I was listening too around that time. I do recall that Mahler started to enter the frame around then. This classic 1948 Vienna Philharmonic recording of Mahler 2 conducted by Bruno Walter was one of the first versions I picked up.
Monday 25 November 1985 – at Setty most of the day today (office for a while). Quiet evening in.
Tuesday 26 November 1985 – work ok – stayed in evening – did some work etc.
Wednesday, 27 November 1985 – work ok – went over to Andrea [Dean]’s in the evening – went out for a meal etc.
Thursday 28 November 1985–Setty ok – went to backseat drivers class in the evening – ok.
Friday 29 November 1985 – work ok – met Caroline for lunch – went to Keele in evening.
Saturday 30 November 1985 – did little today – visited some people etc – meal in evening etc.
Keele didn’t look exactly like this in the winter and absence of Nano Banana Lite 2’s help.
Sunday 1 December 1985 – lazyish day – did some work etc – visited some etc – stayed over.
Monday, 2 December 1985 – went down to London – Setty warehouse for the day – ok – early night.
Tuesday, 3 December 1985 – work ok – Setty – stayed in evening – did some work etc.
Wednesday 4 December 1985 – Setty ok – stopped off at office – met John Boy [White] (inadvertently met Pete Roberts) for drinks & a meal.
Thursday, 5 December 1985 – at Setty today – skipped backseat drivers today – felt tired.
Friday, 6 December 1985 – work ok – stayed in evening – did some work etc.
That would take a bit of careful eating in Cavendish Square. Image by Nano Banana Lite 2 from Googe Flow on my instruction.
Mum & Dad must have been away at that time; they got into the habit of going away late October into November after dad retired – although this would have been their last holiday before he retired. I might be able to work out where they went etc from their old photographs from that period – I haven’t yet excavated that part of the family photo archive in any depth.
Petra popped down to London a couple of times during that period, I see and indeed recall.
I’d also started socialising a bit with work colleagues, I see.
Monday, 21 October 1985 – office OK – did some studying/stayed in evening.
Tuesday, 22 October 1985 office OK – did some work in the evening etc.
Wednesday, 23 October 1985 – work okay – went over to Andrea’s after work for nice meal very pleasant evening – stayed over.
Thursday 24 October 1985 – office OK – went to salt beef bar [Presumably The Brass Rail]/Cavendish Square for lunch. Went to back seat drivers class in evening.
Friday, 25 October 1985 – work ok – went out to lunch with Hayden, Spencer & Ming – Had a lazy evening in.
Saturday, 26 October 1985 – did work in morning – shopped afternoon – met Petra [Wilson] in evening – went up west (St James’s Park -> Mayflower) > my place.
Sunday 27 October 1985 – saw Petra off – lunch – went to Grandma Jenny in the afternoon. Early night.
Monday, 28 October 1985 – work ok – did nothing in evening.
Tuesday 29 October 1985 – office ok – stayed in evening.
Wednesday, 30 October 1985 – work okay. Met John Boy [White] after work – drink – Chinese – etc. Very pleasant.
Thursday 31 October 1985 office ok – went to backseat drivers in the evening – ok.
Friday 1 November. 1985 – work ok – met Caroline [Freeman, now Curtis] for lunch – had a quiet evening in.
Saturday 2 November 1985 – nice day. Met Petra in morning – went to Fortnum’s etc. – met Bobbie [Scully] in the evening – went to theatre [Sweet Bird Of Youth] and then for a meal.
I’ll write up Sweet Bird of Youth separately – that was some production.
Met John after work – went to see Topical Heatwave (footlights review) – then for meal – nice evening.
I remember the show rather well. We thought it was quite good. Not vastly better than the Ringroad stuff I just finished doing at Keele, obviously, apart from the more significant production budget of course.
I learn, from searching that the cast was Bill Cashmore, Chris Luscombe, Alison Cook, Daniel Strauss, Kathryn Crew, Graham Wynne, and that the director was Charlie Pattinson. One or two familiar names in there.
The diary is silent on where we went for our meal – not even a mention of the type of meal we ate. Probably a modest eatery along Southampton Row. Italian perhaps.
Full day on [Financial Training] course – went to Annalisa’s -> meet John and Mandy. Saw Jumpers and had Chinese meal.
Again, nothing specific about the Chinese Restaurant. Probably Mayflower or Joy King Lau, is my guess.
Jumpers. I remember enjoying the play and the production without being bowled over by it. The cast was very 1970s/early 1980s sitcom heavy, which made them familiar, perhaps to excess. At least in those days you didn’t get sycophantic audiences giving “stars” standing ovations simply for turning up and walking on to the stage.
