05-Jan-2010, 05:51 PM
This message is meant for Bruce or Victor - they'll know which without giving their surname! Yes, I'll plead guilty to teaching one of you to climb trees. Technology hadn't arrived in those days! No TV, no plastics to make toys, Health & Safety had never been hear of, just the occasional German bomber dropping a few bombs on Leyland Motors foundry! I saw that happen, ran in the house to tell my mother and auntie and all I was told was, 'Ok, go and play'.
One or two names I' like to mention to jog a memory. John Lambert who lived in Southlands Drive, Alan Scott ditto at Malt Kiln Farm, Ken Draper, Alan(?)Yates who lived in Longmeanygate The Forshaws already mention at Manor House Farm - I once spent some of the October half-term holiday potato picking for him. Back breaking work, poor rate of pay and pulling frozen potato tops not my idea of fun. I recently met Brenda Gill (has brother Tom) who lived at the farm near St James School. She has a wonderful collection, in albums, of Lancashire villages' postcards bought mostly at car-boot sales.
In 1954 I was called for National Service but around the late 40s I was one of the 'ten little n*gger boys' who walked zig-zag along the May Festival route hence walked a greater distance that anyone else. Jessie Woods who organised us - make-up and suits, took us all for a treat to watch Preston North End play against Newcastle United - I remember them from their black and white striped shirts. I've never been as bored before or since so I now have no interest in football whatsoever! Very educational - it taught me a lesson!
Tom Finney, now Sir Tom Finney KBE JP, played that day and he is still around and the most respected man in Preston. I became a magistrate in 1990 and he retired a year later at 70-years old so he must now be nearing 90-years old.
I'll leave it at that just to provoke you and elicit a respondse from others.
P.S. When I out-grew the 'ten little n*gger boys' I was promoted to being the driver for the May Festivals 'Tom Thumb and his wife' in their pony and trap. It poured down all day!
One or two names I' like to mention to jog a memory. John Lambert who lived in Southlands Drive, Alan Scott ditto at Malt Kiln Farm, Ken Draper, Alan(?)Yates who lived in Longmeanygate The Forshaws already mention at Manor House Farm - I once spent some of the October half-term holiday potato picking for him. Back breaking work, poor rate of pay and pulling frozen potato tops not my idea of fun. I recently met Brenda Gill (has brother Tom) who lived at the farm near St James School. She has a wonderful collection, in albums, of Lancashire villages' postcards bought mostly at car-boot sales.
In 1954 I was called for National Service but around the late 40s I was one of the 'ten little n*gger boys' who walked zig-zag along the May Festival route hence walked a greater distance that anyone else. Jessie Woods who organised us - make-up and suits, took us all for a treat to watch Preston North End play against Newcastle United - I remember them from their black and white striped shirts. I've never been as bored before or since so I now have no interest in football whatsoever! Very educational - it taught me a lesson!
Tom Finney, now Sir Tom Finney KBE JP, played that day and he is still around and the most respected man in Preston. I became a magistrate in 1990 and he retired a year later at 70-years old so he must now be nearing 90-years old.
I'll leave it at that just to provoke you and elicit a respondse from others.
P.S. When I out-grew the 'ten little n*gger boys' I was promoted to being the driver for the May Festivals 'Tom Thumb and his wife' in their pony and trap. It poured down all day!
JAT