30 things stashed in an old LBC Radio (261) bag dating back to when I was in the Sixth Form
1) Carbon copy receipt for one two-hour driving lesson, cost £13 2) Mr Fussy's Note Book, containing field notes from Geography Field Trip to Cader Idris 3) Full colour mail-order brochure for new Sinclair ZX Spectrum (8 colours, BEEP command with variable pitch and duration, high resolution 256x192, "Massive 16K RAM") 4) Punched computer card, on which I scribbled down the Top 40 chart for 20th July 1982 during the Gary Davies show (1 Irene Cara, 2 Trio, 3 Steve Miller Band) 5) HF Holidays Conistonwater Centre Programme 1982 (Week Two - Fairfield, Scafell, Helvellyn, Swirl How) 6) Certificate awarded by BBC Television for successfully following the Puzzle Trail to the Treasure 7) A letter from Jan (written on the back of a Peppermint Aero wrapper, the back of a Bournville Dark wrapper and the inside of a box of Rowntree's Fruit Pastilles) 8) Day-by-day plan for a week's Youth Hostelling in the Peak District (total accommodation cost £20.15) 9) Letter from London Country Bus Services Ltd, St Albans Road, Garston, inviting me to ring for an appointment to pop in and chat to the area manager 10) Newspaper cutting from the Sunday Times confirming that the Masquerade riddle had been solved and the golden hare discovered 'close by Ampthill' 11) ET Glow in the dark Action Transfers, given away free inside a packet of Shredded Wheat 12) Computer printout of a BASIC program I wrote to sort a pack of cards into four bridge hands 13) Birth chart, drawn the old fashioned way, confirming Mars in Virgo and Venus conjunction Saturn 14) Train ticket to Coventry, for attending Warwick University open day 15) UCCA reply forms from five universities - Conditional Offer, Interview, Conditional Offer, Unconditional Offer, Conditional Offer 16) Christmas card from the son of an Oscar-nominated actor 17) Statement of Failure to Pass Test of Competence To Drive, dated 23rd December 1982 (with reference to use of gears and inadequate three-point turn) 18) Statement of Failure to Pass Test of Competence To Drive, dated 24th January 1983 (with reference to unsafe manoeuvre exiting driving test centre at start of test) 19) Photocopy of Certificate of passing of a test of competence to drive, dated 10th March 1983 (signed by A.J 'Failer' Taylor) 20) 18th birthday cards from close family, ageing aunties, old ladies we called aunties, penpals and school friends (one with a racing car on the front, another with a yacht) 21) Careers brochures for Journalism, Advertising and Operational Research 22) Letter from manager at Lloyds Bank, hoping very much that I might open an account when I start university, and by the way his branch has three Cashpoint machines 23) Handwritten list of all the Doctor Who stories from 1977 to 1983 24) A Level statement of entry, Oxford & Cambridge Schools Examination Board (including two exams on 24th June) 25) Scales & Arpeggios for Violinists, Book 2, from the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music 26) A Level Revision timetable, painstakingly drawn out in multiple colours 27) 10p ticket for school Summer Fair draw (1st prize Acorn BBC Microcomputer, value £300) 28) Election leaflet from the first person I voted for in a general election ("By voting for me on June 9th you will not only be voting for a package of sensible policies but also for a new start for Britain") 29) List of 69 clues for the Mothers' Union Car Rally, July 1983 (we scored 43) 30) Book token, remnants of, signed by headmaster (used to buy a book he would not have approved of)
