HB_in_'84
Journal of 1984 - 25 years on
by
Harold Beck
Recommended - first read Prelude to 1984 & Journal Contents
HB_@_84
Prelude TO 1984
My1984 followed a 1983 packed with events which radically changed the pattern of my life. These events are here summarised to enhance understanding of what took place in 1984.
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For 12 years I had been a Senior Lecturer in Management Studies at Hatfield Polytechnic, based at Birklands, a country house near St. Albans. It was in 1983 that, following the raising of Party political issues in an appointment interview in Hatfield Polytechnic, I re-started my fightback. I was determined that come what may I would persist in bringing to public notice the behind-the-scenes processes which had massively disrupted my life.
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My first move was to write a paper on Diversion Practices which in February 1983 (Valentine's Day as it happened) I sent to the County Hall official who was behind moves to get me to North Herts College. That diversion was stopped in its tracks.
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In April 1983, Living Longer in Harpenden, the report of a local inquiry into the care of the elderly, which I had Co-Chaired with Rt. Hon. Lord Hill of Luton (the former Radio Doctor and member of a Conservative Government) had been published.
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In May 1983 my 10-year stint as a St. Albans District Councillor, 3 years as a Conservative followed by 7 years as an Independent, had come to an end with my defeat at the polls.
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The release from activities as a Councillor gave me time to produce an account of what had happened at Marconi Instruments, concentrating on the personality, comments and actions of the Managing Director of that Company.
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Constantly at the back of my mind was the M.D.'s statement that clues and cues were being fed to me and it was up to me to puzzle out what was meant. This led me to classify coincidences into one of three categories:-
1) genuine 2) contrived by man 3) judgement reserved.
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My report on M.I. was ready in time for circulation in mid-June to two St. Albans Councillors attending the Triennial Magna Carta celebrations, taking place after the usual interval of 15 years in St. Albans.
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My masonic activities continued. For most of 1983 I was Junior Warden of Alma Mater Lodge, on my way to becoming its Master for the second time.
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In February 1983 an invitation by a Lodge member to a Pepys Feast at Magdalen College led to the first contact with Gonville & Caius College for very many years - I think booking a room to stay the night probably led to my being sent The Caian (the College yearbook) for the first time ever, together with an invitation to join the Caius Club.
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In April 1983 there was a delightful Consecration of a Royal & Select Masters Council at Letchworth at which I was installed as its first Master.
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I continued attending Services and meetings at St. Nicholas Church, Harpenden. Being ecumenically-minded, I counted many members of other denominations as my good friends.
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Also in 1983 I continued to chair the Harpenden Branch of the United Nations Association.
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In October 1983, prompted by an episode of The Prisoner on TV and a phone call from the 1st Secretary at the Embassy of the Peoples' Republic of China, I made my first Tp call (Tp = Telephone). No doubt I also had at the back of my mind the coincidental surprise invitation by Prince Charles to Harpenden's foremost Chinese restaurateur.
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In my Tp call I spoke into the phone without dialling - if the phone was bugged the message might get through and if the hall where the phone was located was bugged the message would get through anyway. No doubt this is when I gave the 7.45 pm or 1945 code, i.e. I asked that the surveillance listeners use it to identify themselves. I chose that particular identification because for numerous people it was a time after a meal but before an evening meeting and would therefore be convenient for the listeners to make a time identification. It was some time before there was a response but when it came it was quite incredible.
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In the final weeks of 1983, Management Centre staff were greatly concerned about a proposed move to Balls Park near Hertford, which would enable the County Council to put Birklands up for sale.
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I found H.M. The Queen's 1983 Christmas Broadcast particularly interesting for as she described seeing a space-shuttle in the U.S.A. and then referring to a visit to India, H.M. performed an action closely resembling one I had to perform as both J.W. & S.W. of my Lodge.
As 1983 gave way to 1984 I was resolved to resist to the utmost all attempts to divert me from bringing to public scrutiny the behind-the-scenes practices to which I had been subjected.
JOURNAL Contents
My1984 Journal has been compiled
from jottings in a Boots Scribbling Diary together with material from
letters, memos, newspaper cuttings and notes of various kinds.
Images or text of key and illustrative documents can be accessed from the Journal by
clicking on the 
hyperlink.
Entries from other diaries, for example with teaching times, subjects of sessions, courses and participants, have in general been omitted. Also, the Journal includes only occasional references to family events, domestic matters and the like.
Names, signatures and private addresses have been omitted, shortened, aliased or retained as appropriate.