Adrian Mole discovering that he himself has cancer. His loyal friend and co-worker Bernard Hopkins comes to the rescue, moving in with him and promising to remain until his cancer is in remission. Fortunately Adrian's cancer treatment is successful and Bernard leaves to pursue romance with a local widow, giving Adrian a pig as a farewell present. The final book ends with Adrian finding out he will be a grandfather and Pandora arriving outside the house. The Mole family is dysfunctional. Adrian's parents Pauline and George Mole are working-class characters with limited social mobility who drink and smoke heavily. Both are often
John Courtney (diarist) John Courtney (diarist) John Courtney (1734–1806) was an English diarist, lawyer and property owner. He attended Trinity College, Cambridge, where received legal training, and inherited lands and properties in and around Beverley, Yorkshire, where he lived and served in the local militia. He kept diaries from 1759 to his death. Courtney was born in Beverley. His father, also John (1679–1756), the son of a London stonemason, worked for the East India Company and became Governor of Surat. His mother was Elizabeth Bourdenand (née Featherstone), daughter of Thomas Featherstone of Beverley. His parents were married in 1732. Courtney studied at Beverley