Part 10

Problem Found Whilst Checking Father’s Family Line

September 21 2026

I had to this point only been sent to hospital on one occasion, and that was with a fractured leg. I always loved when I had a spare half an hour nipping down to Southwick Square. I would always head for the Hardware Shop by the entrance to the car park. The reason is that I am diabetic, and this little shop is the only place I know that sells a pretty good stock of sugar-free biscuits. It also sells many items that are useful to my needs, of course.

I went into the little store one day to stock up on supplies, and whilst standing at the counter, I just collapsed. The lady assistant asked me if I was ok; my answer was yes, must have caught my foot on something. I paid up and left, got in my car, and drove home.

When I got home, I told my daughter that I felt unwell, and she phoned the Doctor. The funny thing was she came up pretty quickly. She diagnosed me with Sepsis and Pneumonia, so I was hot-footed, blue light to the Royal Sussex County Level 8.

Crossing the Canal

September 25 2026

At one time, the majority of the houses in the North Street and adjacent areas were for the employees of our power stations. It was far easier for many of them to pop over across on the ferry than to go around either by the lock gates or round by Fat Boy Slim's house.

During my 24 years as a councillor, I spent several years as the Brighton and Hove Representative. I suppose that honour was bestowed being that I was a local Portslade person. I think that it was meeting once a month only; I suppose my dad went over on that same ferry before he went into the army as a reservist just before the war.

He too was a fitter's mate, but at the Power Station. His job was gone when he came back, so he went away and learnt to be a welder. After that he was redeployed to Brighton Corporation Transport. In those days, I understand his first job was rebuilding the Volks Railway.

I went to the Power Station for a job when I left school, but my dad made me show my report. That put an end to that.

What I forgot to mention was the stables behind our house in George Street. As I grew up, we played in the stable yard. They had been taken daily to the gas works to haul the coke and coal at the Gas Works. I don't think that they would have crossed on the ferry. Can just imagine Fat Boy Slim running out with his manure bucket for his tomatoes.

Memories as a Butcher's Lad

September 25 2026

I have just returned from the Village Dentists for my yearly check and memory revival. I have a couple of nice carers, and one of them has a car and kindly takes me down. When I go through the door, I go back to the days of Harold Venner.

As soon as I walk through the door, I see the cash desk in the corner of the shop and can still remember the IOU, paying back the ten shillings that was cheated out of by the Publican next door for the tray of meat pies that I brought him back from the pie shop in Southwick.

I did two rounds on a converted girl's bike, one on Tuesday after school and one on Saturday morning. Then, on Saturday afternoon I scrubbed the chopping block. In all, I earned about six shillings, of which the biggest amount went to my Mother to pay for my clothes, taking me on to another story.

Yes, I received 4 shillings for Saturday and eighteen pence for Tuesday evening, and a shilling extra for scrubbing the block. What I did keep quiet about was tips that averaged half a crown. That was all mine.

How Mum Bought my Clothes

September 25 2026

When I was about ten years old, and my brother was born, my mother suffered a severe stroke that left her crippled for the rest of her life. This put us in a somewhat different position to most families, where most of our clothes were purchased weekly from a man who called once a week for his money.

I think so much in the pound, so I never got to visit a smart outfitter and have my clothes tried on. The firm that we used was called Philips and Payne, and it was situated opposite St Peter's Church. That's what the money that I earned at the butchers was used for. I believe he was called a tally man.

Even worse was to come when I went to Brighton Secondary Technical School, and we had to go to a really posh shop in Western Road called Horton Stephens. I believe my father managed to get a grant towards that. That's the first time I got properly kitted out in my life.

I am not bothered now; at 88 I just make do with Cotton Traders. The only other time that I got really smart was when I met my lovely Merle, and we decided to get married. I will be moving on soon to when I was asked if I would become the Mayor of Brighton and had to posh myself up. To be honest, I was never scruffy; I just never went over the top.