Age 0 - 21 ... Teenage years
At home, during my Secondary School days, I spent quite a bit of time on my own in my bedroom. I spent the minimum amount of time doing homework. This was pre-TV-in-bedroom days, and the only pop radio stations were Radio Luxembourg and the pirate ships. I listened to sister Sue’s Peter Paul and Mary records over and over, and taught myself to play along to them on an old guitar. I bought myself a new guitar from a music shop in Reading when I was about 16.
I travelled almost everywhere by bicycle, only occasionally catching a bus or train. My school friends mostly lived in Wokingham, about three miles away, so I would cycle down to see them after school and at weekends. We never got into any trouble. We mostly just sat-about chatting, either in someone's home, or in the local park. None of us smoked or drank alcohol in those days. At age 16/17 I would occasionally hitch-hike - especially after school if a quick visit to Reading was to be made. Hitch-hiking was far more popular then than it has become now, and lifts were easy to get.
One of my favourite activities was to cycle alone around the miles of country lanes in the area. Sometimes I would stop a while on a roundabout on the A4 at Twyford or Woodley, and sit and watch the cars. In summer, I particularly liked going to the towns on the Thames, which were bustling with visitors. Henley was my favourite, especially at Regatta time when the atmosphere in the town became very light and friendly.
I looked after my bicycles carefully. I had two - a basic one with 'no frills' to ride to school, and one with gears and lights and a saddlebag for my outings around the lanes. The latter, I had built-up myself from a frame that had been Dad's bike, but with new wheels, brakes, handlebars saddle and so-on. I painted it red and named it 'Firebird'. Dad had happily shown me how to dismantle and reassemble the various parts, and I occasionally spent a happy Saturday washing ball bearings in petrol before packing them in grease back into the wheel hubs. I kept the bikes very clean.
During most of my teenage years, I managed financially at the generosity of my father, who would issue weekly ‘pocket money’. I don’t recall the amounts involved, but I didn't have a lot that I wished to spend money on, and enjoyed counting my savings that I kept in a money box in my bedroom.
At about the age of 16, I was encouraged by my parents to get a part-time job. I don’t recall having much of a problem securing a position at David Greig’s supermarket in Wokingham. (The shop stood on the junction of Peach Street and Market Place, and Google Streetview, 2009, shows the building to be in use as a clothes shop). My work was 5pm - 9pm on Fridays and 9am - 1pm on Saturdays. I am not certain what I was paid – I think it was possibly 25 shillings for the eight hours work - £1.25 in today’s money. My job was mostly as a warehouse assistant on Fridays – bringing endless boxes of produce down from the upstairs warehouse and onto the shop floor so the self fillers could restock. On Saturdays, I did all manner of tasks, including sweeping floors, shelf filling, or packing bags at the checkout.
Also when about 16 (in 1967) I started going to a couple of Folk Clubs – one in an old stable building at the back of the White Horse pub in Reading, and one in a back room of the Molly Millar pub in Wokingham. I didn't have the confidence to get up and perform on ‘floor singer’ nights though. Bill Boazman was a regular at the Molly Millar – he has become better known these days as Sonny Black. I also remember a special night at the White Horse when Ralph MacTell had been booked to perform – he had just released his iconic ‘Spiral Staircase’ album which includes the song ‘Streets of London’.
I did all the trips to Wokingham, to work or folk clubs, on my bicycle. I thought nothing of riding home in the dark, almost always preferring to use the dark country lane back roads than the more direct and lit but busy main road. Many of the roads I used were later swallowed up by the development of the M4 and A329(M) motorways. A large motorway interchange was built north west of Wokingham. Many country lanes disappeared altogether, and today, others end abruptly where the motorways cut them in two.
I travelled almost everywhere by bicycle, only occasionally catching a bus or train. My school friends mostly lived in Wokingham, about three miles away, so I would cycle down to see them after school and at weekends. We never got into any trouble. We mostly just sat-about chatting, either in someone's home, or in the local park. None of us smoked or drank alcohol in those days. At age 16/17 I would occasionally hitch-hike - especially after school if a quick visit to Reading was to be made. Hitch-hiking was far more popular then than it has become now, and lifts were easy to get.
One of my favourite activities was to cycle alone around the miles of country lanes in the area. Sometimes I would stop a while on a roundabout on the A4 at Twyford or Woodley, and sit and watch the cars. In summer, I particularly liked going to the towns on the Thames, which were bustling with visitors. Henley was my favourite, especially at Regatta time when the atmosphere in the town became very light and friendly.
I looked after my bicycles carefully. I had two - a basic one with 'no frills' to ride to school, and one with gears and lights and a saddlebag for my outings around the lanes. The latter, I had built-up myself from a frame that had been Dad's bike, but with new wheels, brakes, handlebars saddle and so-on. I painted it red and named it 'Firebird'. Dad had happily shown me how to dismantle and reassemble the various parts, and I occasionally spent a happy Saturday washing ball bearings in petrol before packing them in grease back into the wheel hubs. I kept the bikes very clean.
During most of my teenage years, I managed financially at the generosity of my father, who would issue weekly ‘pocket money’. I don’t recall the amounts involved, but I didn't have a lot that I wished to spend money on, and enjoyed counting my savings that I kept in a money box in my bedroom.
At about the age of 16, I was encouraged by my parents to get a part-time job. I don’t recall having much of a problem securing a position at David Greig’s supermarket in Wokingham. (The shop stood on the junction of Peach Street and Market Place, and Google Streetview, 2009, shows the building to be in use as a clothes shop). My work was 5pm - 9pm on Fridays and 9am - 1pm on Saturdays. I am not certain what I was paid – I think it was possibly 25 shillings for the eight hours work - £1.25 in today’s money. My job was mostly as a warehouse assistant on Fridays – bringing endless boxes of produce down from the upstairs warehouse and onto the shop floor so the self fillers could restock. On Saturdays, I did all manner of tasks, including sweeping floors, shelf filling, or packing bags at the checkout.
Also when about 16 (in 1967) I started going to a couple of Folk Clubs – one in an old stable building at the back of the White Horse pub in Reading, and one in a back room of the Molly Millar pub in Wokingham. I didn't have the confidence to get up and perform on ‘floor singer’ nights though. Bill Boazman was a regular at the Molly Millar – he has become better known these days as Sonny Black. I also remember a special night at the White Horse when Ralph MacTell had been booked to perform – he had just released his iconic ‘Spiral Staircase’ album which includes the song ‘Streets of London’.
I did all the trips to Wokingham, to work or folk clubs, on my bicycle. I thought nothing of riding home in the dark, almost always preferring to use the dark country lane back roads than the more direct and lit but busy main road. Many of the roads I used were later swallowed up by the development of the M4 and A329(M) motorways. A large motorway interchange was built north west of Wokingham. Many country lanes disappeared altogether, and today, others end abruptly where the motorways cut them in two.
Cars
As a teenager, I developed an almost obsessive interested in cars which probably began in 1963, when a neighbour, Michael Melia, who worked as a sales executive at Norman Motors in Slough, took me under his wing and invited me to the Norman Motors showroom for a few weeks during a summer holiday to help build a model railway layout to promote the new Hillman Imp which had just been launched. Dad bought a new Hillman Minx from Michael in 1965. For years, I bought a weekly Autocar car magazine and read it avidly, learning all the details about all the cars available in the UK at the time. My car passion stayed with me much of my life.
A timeline/picture gallery of many of the cars I have owned is here>
As a teenager, I developed an almost obsessive interested in cars which probably began in 1963, when a neighbour, Michael Melia, who worked as a sales executive at Norman Motors in Slough, took me under his wing and invited me to the Norman Motors showroom for a few weeks during a summer holiday to help build a model railway layout to promote the new Hillman Imp which had just been launched. Dad bought a new Hillman Minx from Michael in 1965. For years, I bought a weekly Autocar car magazine and read it avidly, learning all the details about all the cars available in the UK at the time. My car passion stayed with me much of my life.
A timeline/picture gallery of many of the cars I have owned is here>
I bought my first car in 1968 - this was the time of Mods and Rockers, when motor scooters were very popular transport for many teenagers (and a few of my friends), I was determined to buck the trend and own a car. My opportunity arose when one of my school friends was moving to Northern Ireland, and their 'old banger' family car was to be sold. I was desperately keen to learn to drive, and I think Dad preferred to help me to buy my own car than to see me on a motor scooter, or have me driving his newish Hillman!
So, I bought my friend's old family car - my first car. It was a 1957 Austin A35 Van which had rear side windows and a small fold-down rear seat (a popular 'conversion' at the time). It was registered 605 KMV. I paid £20 for it, and Dad generously stumped up the £40 or so for my first year’s insurance. It was a good education for me to have my own car on which to lavish my attention, and I took various bits off it, cleaned them and put them back - mostly still in working order.
Dad bravely and very patiently taught me to drive in it – I never had a professional driving lesson, and passed my test at the first attempt – driving my £20 van – in June 1968, twelve weeks after receiving my provisional licence on my 17th birthday.
The van leaked when it rained, had rust holes through the floors, a very tired engine and ineffective brakes, but most of the time, it started and ran OK... Petrol then cost 5/4d a gallon (27p in modern money – that’s just under 6p/litre). I used to buy two gallons a week, driving along to Loddon Bridge Motors every Saturday with ten shillings and eight pennies to buy my fuel.
So, I bought my friend's old family car - my first car. It was a 1957 Austin A35 Van which had rear side windows and a small fold-down rear seat (a popular 'conversion' at the time). It was registered 605 KMV. I paid £20 for it, and Dad generously stumped up the £40 or so for my first year’s insurance. It was a good education for me to have my own car on which to lavish my attention, and I took various bits off it, cleaned them and put them back - mostly still in working order.
Dad bravely and very patiently taught me to drive in it – I never had a professional driving lesson, and passed my test at the first attempt – driving my £20 van – in June 1968, twelve weeks after receiving my provisional licence on my 17th birthday.
The van leaked when it rained, had rust holes through the floors, a very tired engine and ineffective brakes, but most of the time, it started and ran OK... Petrol then cost 5/4d a gallon (27p in modern money – that’s just under 6p/litre). I used to buy two gallons a week, driving along to Loddon Bridge Motors every Saturday with ten shillings and eight pennies to buy my fuel.
Girls
As is normal for most teenagers, during my teenage years, I developed a healthy interest in the opposite sex. Attending an all-male school in the 1960’s, meant that girls were a bit of a mystery to me as a teenager. I had kept in touch with one local girl from primary school days - Barbara - and used to meet her at the Winnersh Youth Club, held weekly in the St Mary’s Church hall in Robin Hood Lane. I remember walking her to her home after the club, hand in hand, and with a peck on the cheek for ‘goodnight’. I was probably about 15 then.
As is normal for most teenagers, during my teenage years, I developed a healthy interest in the opposite sex. Attending an all-male school in the 1960’s, meant that girls were a bit of a mystery to me as a teenager. I had kept in touch with one local girl from primary school days - Barbara - and used to meet her at the Winnersh Youth Club, held weekly in the St Mary’s Church hall in Robin Hood Lane. I remember walking her to her home after the club, hand in hand, and with a peck on the cheek for ‘goodnight’. I was probably about 15 then.
Our relationship continued all winter and the following summer. By this time I was quite besotted with my 'pussycat'. I was so fond of her, I wanted for us to try to stay together through our Further Education, but Jennie was adamant that our relationship could not survive. So, in September 1969, when she went off to University in Brighton, and I went to College in Bedford, I reluctantly conceded, and we went our separate ways. I have been in touch with Jennie quite recently through the Friends Reunited website, and was very sorry to learn that in her 20s, Jennie developed health issues with consequent effect on the rest of her life.