The Top 10: Diary Entries

A collection of the finest journal-ism

Goodbye, Frank Bough: Elton John considers potential lyrics to his new song ‘Candle in the Wind’ (John Lewis)

Thanks to Glenda Cooper for this one. She spotted No 8 in a profile of Elton John, who said his diary for the period was “inadvertently hilarious” because he just “wrote everything down in this matter-of-fact way”.

1. “To Westminster Abbey, and there did see all the tombs very finely ... and here we did see ... the body of Queen Katherine of Valois; and I had the upper part of her body in my hands. And I did kiss her mouth, reflecting upon it that I did kiss a queene, and that this was my birthday, 36 years old, that I did kiss a queene.” Samuel Pepys, 23 February 1669. Katherine of Valois had been dead for 232 years, said Martin Oldham.

2. “Rien.” King Louis XVI, 14 July 1789 (the day the Bastille fell in the French Revolution). Nominated by Phil Masters and Mr Justice Lawrance, who added: “I understand that he put ‘rien’ down on any day on which he didn’t go hunting.” Ken Gray added: “I bet he didn’t regrette that one bit.”

3. “I’ve fallen in love or imagine that I have; went to a party and lost my head. Bought a horse which I don’t need at all.” Leo Tolstoy, 25 January 1851. “Busy old day,” said Peggy Hughes.

4. “The light has gone out of my life.” Theodore Roosevelt, 14 February 1884, on the day his wife and his mother both died. Nominated by Niall.

5. “Today 23 years ago dear Grandmama [Queen Victoria] died. I wonder what she would have thought of a Labour government?” George V, 22 January 1924, the day he appointed Ramsay MacDonald as Britain’s first Labour prime minister. Thanks to Allan Holloway.

6. “Still no invasion! I am beginning to think that the Germans may after all not attempt it. And yet! I have the horrid thought that he may still bring off some surprise on us.” Alan Brooke, C-in-C, Home Forces, 3 October 1940. From Arthur Spirling.

7. “Shunt. Back. Legs. Nose. Bruises. Bugger.” Stirling Moss after a crash, 18 June 1960. Thanks to Paul Ashby.

8. “Woke up, watched Grandstand. Wrote ‘Candle in the Wind’. Went to London, bought Rolls-Royce. Ringo Starr came for dinner.” Elton John, 1973.

9. “I don’t want your last day to see a big row with the Queen,” said Jeremy Heywood, the cabinet secretary, to Gordon Brown, who wanted to resign straight away on his last day as prime minister. Brown replied: “Why should I worry – I’ll never see her again.” Alastair Campbell, 11 May 2010.

10. “Research am dram venues in Beverley. Also wedding.” Mike Martin, one of my Twitter followers, last year. I thought it might be Philip Larkin.

Next week: Things that won’t happen until after Brexit.

Coming soon: Songs with years in them, such as “In the Year 2525”.

Your suggestions please, and ideas for future Top 10s, to me on Twitter, or by email to top10@independent.co.uk