Happy Father's Day!

A special Father's Day blog entry today!

in honour of today being Dad's special day, here's a selection of photographs of Dad in no particular order ... 

With Son Martin 1962/3

Doing Dad things

Bonfire Night

With Martin at Brands Hatch, 1986?

Being President of Charnwood Chamber of Trade

Carving the Xmas turkey L-R Julia, Caroline, Mum & Dad

Cowboy Dad

Left: Ruth and Julia playing Ice Cream Vans!  Right: Martin, Julia, Ruth

Meeting Diana Dors - A definite highlight!!

Being Grandad - top left: with  Ben; top rightBen, Kimberely and Chloe; bottom left: giving Anna-Ruth a ride in the barrow; bottom right: teaching Amy pitch and putt.

With 5 of his sisters and brothers (late 1980s?) Left - Right: Lenny, Rita, Dad, Renee, Sid, Mary

Easter Bonnet 2011

Father of the Bride, 2009: Dad, Caroline, Charles, Mum

At a family wedding in 1974: Left to right: Uncle Sid, Martin, Julia, Mum, Ruth, Dad, Reg

Dad in holiday mode Left: 1980's Dad - Right 1990's Dad

loving the beach 21st Century Dad / Grandad (Anna-Ruth and Amy in the background)

Reading the Echo

Always the clown!

With Granddaughter Anna-Ruth, 1993

From Left: Introducing Anna-Ruth to chocolate; giving Anna-Ruth a bottle; relaxing with Amy.

Youngest daughter Caroline with Dad Mid 1980s

Christmas Day around 1980: Dad, Mum, Caroline, Martin, Julia

And finally:

Today!  I presented Dad with a printed version of the blog so far in his very own personally designed book bag using his old business logo!

National Service part 2

We had to polish up our uniforms ready for a special parade on the Sunday when families were invited to come.  The parade went through with the band and flags were flying for the guests. We then had time to show the guests around.

At Glen Parva Barracks (I'm far right on the back row)

Over the following days and weeks we carried on with work and training as normal and occasionally we’d got chance to go home for a while.  We carried on much the same until December.  We were told that when we came back from leave we’d be going to Cyprus but we were not allowed to tell anyone. 

We arrived back at the barracks on December 12^th to get our kit bags ready.  On the following morning we had to march through the village to catch the train and people were waving as we went past. It was a long journey involving several trains and we finally arrived at the docks at about 3 o’clock and had lunch on the station before walking up onto the Devonshire ship. We went below and found our hammocks and after we’d had food the ship was ready to leave about 10 o’clock. There were many other soldiers on board, some from the Air Force as well as soldiers from Wales and Scotland.

Postcard of the Devonshire

At night there was about forty of us struggling to get into our hammocks.  Several soldiers were told to go on deck to keep a look out and when they came back down at about 6am some of them started to be sick.  I just thought they must be weaklings because I felt fine but as soon as I jumped down from the hammock I felt a bit queasy. I got ready and made my way to get breakfast.  I went through one door, had my plate filled with food, suddenly started to feel sick and walked straight out the other door, threw my food in the bin and ran up to the deck. When I got there, there were hundreds of others spewing over the side!

All through the day you could see big strong men being held up looking as green as grass. Later things got better but there was still a lot of heaving going on!

The next day things were better as the sea had calmed down and we had a lot of jobs to do – mainly cleaning.  We were happy to call in at Gibraltar and see the monkeys jumping around the rocks. Even before we’d docked, the local men were jumping onto the ship asking us for money and anything else. Then, when we disembarked, we were greeted by men opening their overcoats and offering to sell us all kinds of things like watches and bangles etc. I didn’t buy anything from them but I did go into a shop and bought Diane a musical compact.  I wasn’t sure that it would reach her but she did get it in time for Christmas.

After this the ship then set sail again for Kyrenia, north Cyprus.  The ship couldn’t get close to the island so several large boats took us in. When we saw the mountains and trees we all thought the Cypriots were hiding and watching us and when we were piled into the lorries lots of the soldiers had their rifles at the ready. We had quite a journey to Famagusta on the south of the island.

When we arrived the Sergeant got us all into line and warned us to be careful as one of our soldiers had shot himself – luckily, it was only his toe but be careful! We were told that the corporal would allocate our tents for the next fortnight while we underwent further training.

We were only 2 days in and it was Christmas Day. We were surprised to see the soldiers running around in fancy clothes and a captain in the army was running about in a jeep and three others were running about having fun dodging in and out with the soldiers. Later we had a special Christmas dinner.

I only spent a few days in the tent because they came along asking for Soldier Peter Sharpe and I was told to pack my bags and report to the Bandmaster.

National Service Part 1

Meeting Bud Fisher and learning to play the cornet proved to be very advantageous when it came to being called up for National Service aged 21.  As I was approaching the call up age I spotted an advertisement, made an application and received the following correspondance:

So, the time came when I had to report to the army barracks. Diane and her mother came with me on the bus to Leicester and left me as I got on the next bus. As I got on there were 6 men all going to the same Glen Parva barracks and my time with the Royal Leicestershire Regimet began.

In the afternoon we were shown the sleeping quarters where there were thirty beds per room. Next we had to collect our bedding and then went off to the uniform area where they just threw a bundle of uniform at each of us hoping they’d fit! We all had a good laugh but that didn’t last long when the corporal soon got us into line and took us back to the building and told us we had to clean our belts, boots and leggings (similar to gaiters). He said he would be back later and everything must be as clean and shiny as his brass belt. He came back about 8 o’clock and said we’d not done too badly. He told us the canteen was next door and we could go and help ourselves until 9 o’clock but must then come back as soon as possible to settle down as the bugle plays at 6am to get us up. He said he wanted us up and out as quickly as possible as we had to clear the grounds of any litter and rubbish before we could wash ourselves and go for breakfast at 8am.

We were told that we weren’t allowed to leave the barracks for 14 days. One of the first things we had to do was learn how to March. Most of us were able to do it but around 6 or 7 lads just couldn’t get their legs in rhythm!

Starting National Service

I remember piling into a couple of lorries for days out to other parts of the barracks. We went to do target practice on a range about 100 yards long with targets at the end which were about 8 foot square. There were 6 men behind a screen and it was their job to pull the targets down to see where the bullets had hit. The smallest ring was 6", then 14, then 28, then 42 etc. When we started the bullets were flying everywhere with a lot of them missing the targets completely and bouncing off the ironwork and heading straight back to where we were in the trench!  Halfway through we stopped shooting so that they could pull the targets down and tally up the scores then they’d display a big board showing the poll.

Other days were spent:

• sliding down ropes
• doing a fun run through the hills and rocks
• going on parade and to church
• doing a 6 mile run around the area

Around day 9 we had an easy day because we were going to be called for a night time exercise at  9 o’clock:

It was very quiet when we started out and then fireworks started filling the air. I was creeping around in the dark and I fell over a cow that was lying down in a field. As the night went on we had to crawl through mud and water.  After about a mile we could hear the ‘enemy’ crackling in the bush. It was getting closer – it was a good job they weren’t firing real bullets! We were still in the pitch black and there were bodies lying around everywhere – the supposedly dead ones were lying down with a little sticker on them. The exercise finished at about 5 in the morning. We were filthy and couldn’t wait to get in the shower which wasn’t very hot. We managed to eat a meal and were then allowed to sleep in until 12 o’clock the next day.

Writing to Diane

School Trip to Liverpool

Amongst Dad's school reports, examples of his school work and certificates was a fabulous guide book of a School trip to Liverpool. 

Below is the itinerary for the trip:

The guide book included a sketched map of the train journey (pictured below) and then a fabulous description of the journey which I typed up for ease of reading:

'From Loughborough we travel along the soar Valley through Hathern (Brick and Tile Works) to Kegworth and over the Trent. Turning North West here, we follow the Derwent Valley to Derby (Locomotive, China and Rolls-Royce Works). From Derby, after twice crossing the river Derwent near Duffield (Ruined Castle) we pass through the Chevin Tunnel to Belper (Cotton Mills).

Notice the wide view of the Derwent Valley. Next comes Ambergate, a triangular junction, with a wire works and the wooded Shining Cliff.  Notice here that the railway, road and canal run parallel through the valley. Several Tunnels bring us to Whatstandwell (Timber yards) and Cromford. Now we enter the deep derwent Valley at Matlock Bath (Limestone Heights of Abraham), tunnel under High Tor and on to Matlock (Tarmac Works), and to Darley Dale (Bakelite Works) with Stanton Moor to the left.

Next comes Rowsley (Peacock Inn for anglers); look out for River Wye joining the Derwent. Another tunnel takes us under Haddon Hall and soon we come to Bakewell (Tarts) Notice the limestone walls of the Peak District taking the place of hedges. Lovely views at Hassop and Great Longstone, then another tunnel, Monsal Dale, in the Wye Valley is on your left as we leave this tunnel. Still another tunnel, then a lovely deep cutting in the Wye Valley appears on our right. Next look down on the left at Miller's Dale to see the Wye as a rushing mountain stream.

More tunnels, especially Dove Holes Tunnel, in which the railway is at its highest point in our journey, then we rush downhill to Chapel en le Frith (Ferodo brake linings). At Chinley we leave the Peak scenery and the journey becomes less interesting. Look for the Diesel Oil Engine Works and Brick Works.

After another tunnel, we reach Hazlegrove, cross the old L.N.E.R. line at Cheadle Heath. Now look out for the Manchester Ship Canal. The railway hereabouts was built with great difficulty over Chat Moss, marshy ground, and had to be packed underneath with brushwood to get a firm foundation.

We may see our first big ships in the Herculaneum Dock, then our last tunnel and we arrive at Liverpool.'

The guide book also includes some facts about Liverpool; a plan of Liverpool Cathedral; a description of the Mersey Tunnel, how it was made and what to look out for; and information about The Ferry from New Brighton pier. (Am happy to scan more pages of the booklet if anyone is interested to see more - just let me know!)

The boys also had to adhere to some 'instructions' about behaviour and were advised to stay in their own 'compartment' unless they had permission to leave. One of their instructions reads:

'Keep calm - seats are reserved for you and fussiness will spoil the pleasure of others.'

All in all, this sounds like a fabulous trip with much of its enjoyment being in the travel as much as anything else - I bet they loved all those tunnels.  It sounds like a world away from most of today's school trips where destinations are reached after a journey made along a characterless motorway with all the pupils plugged into their iPods to pass the time!!

More from Dad next time - National Service coming up!

© Ruth Coward 2012

Accolades

Dad's response to the last post which looked at his school reports was, 'I wasn't that bad! It was the teachers ... although I did get the cane a few times!'

So, to redress any imbalance, here are some of Dad's certificates of achievement!

April 1947: for Excellence in Reporting a Lecture on the Hygiene of Food & Drink

July 1947: Steady Progress

July 1948: Grade 1 Swimming

1950: for half hour's flying

© Ruth Coward 2012 

The Class Clown!

Addition by Ruth:

Finding Dad's school reports tucked away was quite a revelation!  Here are three reports from Cobden Street Junior Boys' School and some entries from Limehurst Secondary Modern Boys' School report book which give insights into Dad's character and sense of fun. 

Report from midummer 1945 when Dad would've been 8/9 years old. 

Above the form teacher writes: "Does good work nearly every time. Conduct, at times, is 'silly'."

The headmaster adds in red at the bottom: "Has improved in his work but his behaviour is not always good."

Report from July 1946 9/10 years old

Nothing much out of the ordinary to report on the one above except 2 late marks - tut tut!

Report from Xmas 1946 10 years old

The headmaster adds to the bottom of the report above: "Progress only fair. Peter does not work all the time - he will slack & play if he is not watched. I hope he will resolve to put his back into it as time is short."  Presumably referrring the the fact that Dad would soon be moving to Limehurst school.

 

The first entry in the Limehurst report book, Xmas 1947, shows mainly B & C grades and similar comments for each subject - except P.T. and Games where the teacher writes "Good but inclined to be silly".

Each page of the report shows steady progress and an increase in grades and you can see by the last page (pictured below), dated Summer 1951, that Dad was gaining mainly A grades.

However, the path was not always smooth as some choice entries, particularly for P.T. and Games, show. Here are some snippets:

Easter 1948: (PT & Games) "Still the class clown."

Summer 1948: (PT & Games) "No improvement." (Geography) "Lazy and indifferent." - although on this report he was noted as showing 'special aptitude' for mathematics.

Xmas 1948: (PT & Games) "Rather poor work."(Handicrafts - woodwork) "Very good worker but a 'gasbag'." - this report noted a 'special weakness' as being "too easily distracted."

Summer 1949: (PT & Games) "Work spoilt by silly behaviour."

Xmas 1949: (PT & Games) "Repetition of last year." (English) "Rather haphazard." Under 'special weakness' the teacher notes "He spoils his work by dissipating his energies in foolish antics."

Easter 1950: (PT & Games) "Steady improvement - silly behaviour."

Finally, below, the headmaster offers his final report  just before my Dad's 15th birthday: "Peter has good ability and has concentrated more this term. He should be more serious in his attitude towards his work for life is not all laughter. He is a boy of good average intelligence."

So, the theme of being easily distracted and lacking concentration recurs with regularity but what really shines through to me is Dad's love of fun and the idea of 'not taking life too seriously'. That's a philosophy I admire and Dad's humour is one of his most endearing qualities and one that I'm glad was not completely drummed out of him at school. Whenever any of us spend any amount of time with Dad we always end up having a good laugh and I'm sure all his family and friends would agree with that - he's a wicked 'wind up merchant' much to my mum's exasperation!  When I read the headmaster's final report to my sister, Julia, she said "no, life may not be all laughter but it certainly helps!"

© Ruth Coward 2012

Starting Work

On the day I started work I left home at 7:30 in the morning and reported to the boss at Yeates Buses on Derby Road.  He got someone to take me up to the stores which were open so you could see through some netting and look out over the whole floor where the buses were being made.  I was introduced to the foreman of the coach trimming workshop and he then started teaching me to do cutting and then just more or less left me to it. Within a few days I had made friends with my fellow workers. There were 10 of us making the seats and I soon got talking to Bud Fisher who was also the leader of the town band. Bud taught at a room by the pub on the corner of Granby Street. He invited me to come and have a go at playing the cornet and soon invited me to join the band.  I did well with him and played with the band until I joined the army.

Starting work at Yeates Buses. From L - R: Herbert (lived in Fennel St.), Bud Fisher (the band master), Norman Main, Stanley, Harold, ? , Fred, Me and the foreman.

Addition from Ruth:

Sadly Bud Fisher died earlier this year aged 92.  He kept in touch with Dad all through his life and would often pop to see Dad at the shop over the years.  I managed to find this obituary online:

"4BR has been informed of the death of Charles Frederick (Bud) Fisher MBE.

He died peacefully, aged 92, in hospital surrounded by his family on Thursday morning, 15th March, 2012.

Great figure

One of the truly great figures of the brass band movement, his influence and teaching of young players was an inspiration to generations of players and music lovers.

Lesley Bentley, Secretary of the Leicestershire Brass Band Association told 4BR: "Bud Fisher was an inspiration to all bandsmen, players and conductors that knew him.

Serving with the Royal Leicester Regiment, he was a contemporary and friend of the late Major Peter Parkes and began conducting the Loughborough Band in 1950.

Buds work with young players is legendary, spending almost every spare hour in the Bandroom, teaching hundreds of players. He not only trained musicians, but through his caring, disciplined approach, trained them for life.

Amongst those who benefited from Buds work are Martin Winter, Bryan Allen, Murray Greig and Richard Bissell, who along with many others joined the professional ranks. Few Bands in Leicestershire or indeed the Midlands do not have a Bud Fisher trained player in their ranks.

Loughborough Band owed all to Buds Youth policy with the Youth Band winning the Midlands Youth Championships on 6 consecutive occasions, and the National title.

Loughborough Band came from the 4th Section, under Bud, to the Championship Section taking 7th place at the Royal Albert Hall playing Blitz, when the Band was virtually the same as that competing in the Youth Section.

Many Bands in this area now have Youth Bands, thanks to the example of this extraordinary man.

When awarded the M.B.E. in 1980 he was quoted as saying, 'we were lucky because of the tremendous amount of talent available to us over the years'.

What he failed to say was that it was he himself who trained all this talent!

A true gentleman, we shall not see his like again."

Found at: http://www.4barsrest.com/news/detail.asp?id=14903 [01/06/12]

© Ruth Coward 2012