Sunday 12 May 1963
One of the world’s loveliest women, the Duchess of Argyll, is to tell her story to the Sunday Mirror. As soon as the Argyll divorce case is disposed of, she will reveal all. What is she really like? She is twice married, has a magnolia complexion, green eyes, chestnut hair and a 33-23-33 figure. She has been called the perfect woman with the loveliest eyes.
The Duchess considers sleep a waste of time. She is devoted to animals and is a music lover with a collection of over 3,000 records. What is the truth about the scandals raised in her divorce case? The Duchess will tell us when she is legally allowed to do so.
Greville Wynne, the businessman accused of spying, has been sentenced to eight years in prison by Russian judges, three years in jail, five in a labour camp. Some people in the court yelled, “Too little! Too little!” Mr Wynne will appeal for a pardon.
Sweden is to drive on the right, leaving Britain and Ireland alone in Europe to drive on the left. Cross-over Day will be in 1967. Every sign and road mark will be changed. Bells and sirens will sound to warn road users and speed restrictions will be in place for weeks.
Football: Everton are Division One champions. They beat Fulham 4 – 1 at Goodison Park while Tottenham Hotspur, their nearest rivals, lost 1 – 0 to relegation-threatened Manchester City.
Television highlights: Fireball XL5. International Soccer – Italy v Brazil. Play – Jungle Juice.
Radio highlights: Pick of the Pops. Show Time ‘63.
Weather: rain at times, sunny periods. Outlook – showery.
Monday 13 May 1963
Grete Wiltschka, 22, from Vienna has offered to give Ray Charles her left eye. When Ray Charles heard of the offer, he said, “Her sacrifice would be too much for any man to ask. Life is still life, whether one is able to see people or not. Eyesight doesn’t bother me much.”
The Conservatives have been trounced at the Local Elections. If these elections are any guide to the General Election then Mr MacMillan and his bedraggled troops have had it. What is for sure is that the next General Election will see the dirtiest pieces of political in-fighting for a long time.
Jewellery valued at £11,000 was stolen from the country mansion of millionaire Malcolm McAlpine. Raiders climbed a drainpipe and entered through a bedroom window.
The rear-engined Hillman Imp has opened up a debate – where should the engine go? Even though rear-engined cars are becoming more popular, I forecast that the majority of the cars of the future will have engines at the front, driving the front wheels.
Aerosol cheese is a new idea. Processed cheese is packed in a can and, by gas pressure, is pushed out like toothpaste. The can and contents are guaranteed sterilised.
Television highlights: Panorama – unemployment in the USA. Coronation Street – Elsie is double-dated. World in Action – a report on charities.
Radio highlights: Woman’s Hour. Cricket – Lancashire v West Indies.
Weather: sunny intervals, showers, windy. Outlook – sunny spells. 14c, 57f.
Tuesday 14 May 1963
Britain must stop treating nurses as Cinderellas. There is widespread discontent over the recent pay award because people who work in the City are having a ball on the proceeds of the affluent society.
Mr Hennicker Thorpe, who will be 99 on Friday, has mumps. His doctor said, “This is extremely rare. I’ve never heard of anyone at his age getting mumps.” Mr Thorpe said, “I’m fed up with being in bed. I want to get up. A fine thing having mumps at my age!”
The Duke of Edinburgh got a blasting yesterday for his “trigger-happy exploits”. The League Against Cruel Sports said the Duke shoots game birds “by the hundred for the kick of it. That he is President of the World Wildlife Fund is humbug.”
Milk-selling slot machines may vanish from Britain within two years. The sixpenny slot machines should contain just under half a pint, but some vendors are charging sixpence for a one-third pint.
The latest Chelsea fashions for men – pale blue flap-fronted denim pants, silk tailored jackets and pink gingham shirts. The conservative look is out. More jazzy styles are in.
A new floor covering has been declared Twist-proof. Women can dance on it without leaving stiletto heel marks.
Television highlights: State Visit of the King and Queen of the Belgians. American Space Flight (three hours). Do It Yourself Democracy – Iceland.
Radio highlights: Songs For Everyone. Dancing Party.
Weather: sunny periods then rain. Outlook – changeable. 16c, 61f.
Wednesday 15 May 1963
The Independent Television Authority is to control the content of programmes on ITV. They will be able to ban any item of which they do not approve. The main problem is not with British programmes, but with American imports, which are often considered too violent.
The Duchess of Argyll protested against the huge divorce bill she must pay – £50,000. She said, “I feel that as a woman I have the right to defend my fair name – without having to pay these vast costs.”
Engineering workers have joined the campaign for a forty-hour working week. At present they work forty-two hours. They believe that a forty-hour week will lessen fears of redundancies in the industry.
Cigarettes worth £25,000 were stolen from a lorry in Sussex. The driver and his mate were attacked by masked men, tied up and bundled into a shed. They escaped two hours later. The lorry was found empty and abandoned in Essex.
Bets won recently: eating 246 oysters – £50 won. Eating 45 half chickens – £50 won. Eating 54 eggs in seven minutes – £10 won. Hymn singing: the Holy City, thirty times in the middle of Trafalgar Square – £5 won.
Football Fixtures: European Cup Winners’ Cup Final – Tottenham Hotspur v Athletico Madrid. Scottish FA Cup Final Replay – Celtic v Rangers.
Television Highlights: I’m Going To (careers advice) Work Overseas. Professional Ice Skating. The Flowerpot Men.
Radio Highlights: Theatre Organ. Vespers.
Weather: mainly dry, sunny intervals. Outlook – cloudy, some rain. 15c, 59f.
Thursday 16 May 1963
Gay Gordon is on the Big Ride Round. It has been Go, Go, Go all the way for American astronaut Gordon Cooper. Early today he was gaily whirling around the world in his spaceship Faith Seven. He said, “What a thrill! What a thrill! It looks real pretty here. I feel comfortable, real comfortable. In fact, I had a little nap.”
The beat non-conformists now look so alike you cannot tell them from the crowd. Men no longer look original. Women will have a similar problem because it’s getting harder and harder to tell the difference between a boy with long hair wearing jeans and boots, and a girl with short hair wearing jeans and boots.
Buses that replace train services axed by the Beeching Plan may be equipped with luggage carrying trailers. The buses would link up with the trains that will continue to run.
A lorry loaded with £6,000 of tea was stolen in Islington, London, yesterday.
Battery-operated gadgets are set to replace items that rely on the mains. They include a magnetic torch, a battery gas lighter, an alarm clock radio, a transistorised four-speed record player, a battery shaver, a drink mixer, a battery toothbrush, and a portable tv run off rechargeable batteries.
Football: Last night Tottenham Hotspur became the first British side to win a European final. They beat Athletico Madrid 5 – 1 in Rotterdam to take the European Cup-Winners’ Cup. Leo Horn, a top Dutch referee who watched the match said, “This is the best performance I have ever seen from an English club.”
Television highlights: Perspective – Being With It. Pops and Lenny the Lion – featuring the Beatles. Hot Ice – The Cool DJ Show, new series of disc shows on ice.
Radio highlights: The Strategic Thinking of Henry Kissinger. Italian Serenade.
Weather: Sunny spells. Outlook – sunny intervals. 14c, 57f.
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