Sunday 4 August 1963
For Stephen Ward the end came quietly. The gay, glittering world of weekend parties at stately homes, of laughter from moonlit swimming pools, was now shrunk to a bare hospital room. Ward never opened his eyes to see the prison officer standing beside him, he never knew that the Old Bailey jury had found him guilty of living on immoral earnings.
In his final letter, Stephen Ward said, “More than I can stand – the horror day after day in the streets. I think Christine and Mandy have discredited themselves. There is a good deal I could say, but I want to conduct my case with some measure of dignity and honour.”
Mandy Rice-Davies said, “The past few weeks have been hell. I did my best for Stephen at the trial. It’s the bloody police and bloody government. They all need sacking.”
Forty cabbies are up in arms about their town’s only woman taxi driver. She is 32 year old Mrs Helen Clissold who does private hire work in Weymouth, Dorset. She wants a *full* hackney carriage plate allowing her to ply for hire on the highway and at taxi ranks. The male cabbies said she could not deal with troublesome customers – drunken sailors, for instance. Helen said, “I’ve done a lot of wrestling and weight training, and I’ll have them on the flat of their backs in no time.”
The mystery of the glowing pebbles on Bradwell Beach, near a nuclear power station, has been solved – they are not radioactive. They turned out to be plankton, a minute form of marine life.
Discland: recording bosses have a penchant for changing stars’ names. One man who really needs a name change is Earl Sinks. In fact, having listened to his disc Looking for Love, I’d say a voice change wouldn’t be amiss either.
Here’s a group from London I’m tipping for the top – the Rolling Stones, whose Come On could be a capital hit.
Television highlights: Robin Hood – The Oath. Millie – starring Millicent Martin, Cleo Laine and Johnny Dankworth. Songs of Praise from Bangor, Wales.
Radio highlights: Pick of the Pops. The Jazz Scene.
Weather: warm and sunny, chance of heavy showers.
Monday 5 August 1963
Dr Ernest Claxton, 63, assistant secretary of the British Medical Association, said that Britain is facing a “Moral Dunkirk.” He added, “Only a return to absolute moral standards can save us. We must show the world that Stephen Ward and others do not represent us. Chastity is a weapon we can grasp and use. It is not only a defence against moral corruption, it can be a source of strength.”
A new moral code is to be issued for comics published in Europe. All the characters will have to be decently dressed. Heroes will not be allowed to rely on superhuman qualities alone, but will have to display “noble virtues”. Above all – justice will have to triumph over evil in the end, no matter what happens in between.
June Imray, the 26 year old television announcer with the Scottish lilt, was in hospital last night. Previously, she’d been in hospital with paratyphoid. June is one of the few BBC announcers who have been told to keep their native accent.
Personal advertisement: second woman/man’s life. Anxious. Please write 46. Love.
Boxing: Lennie “The Lion” Williams and Frankie “Tiger” Taylor will meet in a return featherweight contest at Wembley on 10 September. In their previous contest, Tiger Taylor knocked The Lion Williams out in the sixth round.
Sport swamps both networks today with a line-up of cricket, motor racing, horse racing, athletics, swimming, sailing, tennis and polo. The BBC will broadcast four and a half hours of sport, ITV four hours.
Television highlights: Panorama – Britain’s disappearing coastline. Julian Bream – film profile. Animal Care – lizards.
Radio highlights: Desert Island Discs – Ian Fleming. A Cricket Anthology.
Weather: drizzle, thunder. Outlook – rain then bright spells. 20c, 68f.
Tuesday 6 August 1963
June Imray, the 26 year old television announcer with the Scottish lilt, was admitted to hospital because she took too many sleeping pills. “I wasn’t trying to do anything silly,” she said. “All I wanted was a good night’s sleep.” Her mother said, “June has found a lot of fame since she moved south, but she does not like living in London.” Mrs Imray added that she hoped June would return to a teaching job nearer home.
Bandits who hid in the Albert Hall after Saturday night’s Promenade concert escaped with £600 early yesterday after blowing three safes. They also took a number of tickets, but threw them away.
Due to poor weather, there was less traffic on the roads this Bank Holiday weekend. The good news is road deaths totalled 56 fewer than for the corresponding period last year.
Loudspeaker message at the Gloucestershire County Cricket ground in Bristol, “Will you please go to your car. Your dog has switched on the ignition.”
Tennis: Britain defeated Sweden 3 – 2 in the Davis Cup European Zone final, becoming the champions of Europe for the first time in thirty years. In the decisive match Mike Sangster defeated Ulf Schmidt in five sets, 7 – 5, 6 – 2, 9 – 11, 3 – 6, 6 – 3.
Wanted: Colt revolvers, duelling pistols, blunderbusses, muskets and other old weapons – £100 paid if in good condition.
Television highlights: Sons of the Navvy Man – people who build public works projects. New Vision – the creative arts: man or machine? Cricket – Lancashire v Yorkshire.
Radio highlights: Workers’ Playtime. Pop Go the Beatles.
Weather: sunshine and showers. Outlook – cloudy, light rain. 23c, 73f.
Wednesday 7 August 1963
Ma Gasking, 70, has barred customers from her pub in Hollingbourne, Kent. She said, “Young couples are wasting their time coming here. They won’t get in unless I know them, and if they do get in they will drink what I say. I don’t want smart-Alec’s turning up in big cars and on motor cycles. If they do, I shall shut up all together.”
A council has designed 332 new houses so that the television set can take the place of the hearth. In Hull, the fireplaces are being moved discretely to one side. Another 2,000 homes with the same design are planned.
America launched a new attack on Europe in the “chicken war”. In thirty days, America will impose tariffs on wine, brandy, cars and electric shavers. In Brussels, a spokesman said the American move was an ultimatum, and it did not create a good atmosphere for the forthcoming “Kennedy Talks”.
More new cars on the never-never. Hire purchase debts in Britain jumped by £11,000,000 in June to £906,000,000. However, credit on used cars was lower.
A storm is brewing in Britain’s teacups. Reports from Ceylon, where one third of Britain’s tea is grown, suggest that the Minister of Finance has threatened to nationalise British owned tea plantations. Mr John Brooke, of Brooke Bond, said last night, “Some of the finest tea in the world comes from Ceylon. We already have to pay 87% tax on profits there.”
Television highlights: Stars and Garters with Kathy Kirby. Gardening Made Easy. Zoo Time.
Radio highlights: Let There Be Musicals. Play – The Lady on the Grey.
Weather: cloudy and cool. Outlook – sunshine and showers. 20c, 68f.
Thursday 8 August 1963
Since the East-West German borders were sealed in August 1961 at least 65 refugees are known to have been killed trying to escape to the West. Nearly 16,500 have escaped across the borders and the Berlin Wall.
Ma Gasking kept her bolted doors policy last night – only allowing her friends into her pub. Ma was known as The Duchess during World War Two when she kept open house for RAF pilots. Why the change? Ma explained, “I don’t want young people in my pub. They will steal my possessions.”
The War Office is to investigate the private lives of women soldiers at an army camp in Surrey where there are no men. The inquiry will focus on “unnatural friendships” between the women.
Thousands of people in Hong Kong are being inoculated against cholera, which has broken out again in the teeming colony.
A thief yesterday cracked open a safe at the Majestic Cinema, Woodford, Essex and stole £1,000. The film this week is…The Cracksman.
Personal advertisement: Dental unit with electric drill, suitable for chiropodist.
This week’s number one: Sweets For My Sweet – Searchers. New entries – Come On – Rolling Stones, Bad to Me – Billy J Kramer.
Television highlights: Aida – open air performance from Verona. Road Works Report. Space Patrol – Robot Revolution.
Radio highlights: Thanks for the Melody. Harpsichord.
Weather: drizzle. Outlook – mainly dry, perhaps some showers. 19c, 66f.
Stop Press: More than £2,500,000 has been stolen in a train ambush in Buckinghamshire. Detectives have not ruled out the possibility of a Master Mind being behind the ambush. Old-time crooks are being checked on.
Friday 9 August 1963
Scotland Yard was tipped off months ago that a big train raid was being planned. And now it’s happened. Twenty men were in the gang that ambushed a train in Buckinghamshire. Detectives are watching race courses and other gambling spots for evidence of big spending. A £10,000 reward has been offered for information.
At 3.15 am £2,500,000 was stolen from a mail train travelling to London. Driver Jack Mills said, “I tried to put up a fight, but I was coshed with an iron bar wrapped in cloth.” His co-driver, David Whitby, said, “They threatened to kill me. It was a terrifying experience.”
The train robbers left behind two clues – a glove used to cover the official green Go signal light, and a battery used to light up the fake red Stop signal light. This is the ninth major train robbery in the South of England in the past three years. The previous money grab record was £238,000, stolen from a Post Office van in Oxford Street, London, on 21 May 1952.
Racing driver Jack Brabham might drive Bluebird and attempt to beat the land speed record. This situation has materialised after a row between Bluebird’s driver Donald Campbell and his leading sponsor Sir Alfred Owen. However, Campbell said, “I own Bluebird and I will decide who should drive it.”
Television highlights: The Eisteddfod. Roving Report – the women of Italy. Ready, Steady, Go! – new pop show.
Radio highlights: Music While You Work. Round Europe in Song.
Weather: dry. Outlook – uncertain. 23c, 73f.
Saturday 10 August 1963
A £260,000 reward is waiting for the person who “turns in” the gang who got away with £2,500,000 in Thursday’s mail train raid. And it will be tax free. The reward is as big as the biggest football polls prize ever won – £260,000.
The BBC’s plan to give Britain around the clock radio has been put off indefinitely. The decision was made because an agreement could not be reached over the copyright and broadcasting of recorded music. In the past twelve months 2,500,000 radio sets have been sold. Meanwhile, the BBC is considering broadcasting news bulletins on the Third wavelength throughout the day.
An unmarried mother entered her baby in a baby show and won first prize. The mother, Kathleen Morgan of Slough, said, “Why shouldn’t I enter my baby? She’s lovely. Now I’m prouder of her than ever.” Miss Doris Blunden, organiser of the show said, “It is the babies that are entered, not the parents.”
The council at St Ives, Cornwall has declared war on beatniks. A spokesman said, “Dozens of them sprawl on the sand and lounge on the harbour wall. They spend as little as possible on food, nothing on soap and razor blades, and drink as much beer as possible.”
Television highlights: Juke Box Jury with Graham Hill and Barbara Windsor. The Third Man – drama series. The Morecambe and Wise Show.
Radio highlights: Desert Island Discs – Geraint Evans. Holiday Music Hall.
Weather: mostly cloudy. Outlook – rather cloudy. 20c, 68f.
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