Part 5

 

Summary of Part 5

In this instalment, Alderman Bob Carden reflects on the lasting power of good deeds and shares a collection of personal memories. He recalls how a late-night hospital trip to help a neighbour later brought unexpected assistance, and details his chilly winter exploits as a sidecar passenger in various motorcycling trials. Bob also recounts his apprentice days in the CVA Horne Section, which included a hair-raising, near-miss encounter with the famous comedian Max Miller, before concluding with a memory of a cycling mishap near Shoreham where a passing stranger's kindness saved the day.

A Good Deed

June 12 2026

The lady in the employment agency had lived a couple of hundred yards along the road from me in Heathfield Drive. I can remember that some years ago her husband had an accident. He was bleeding pretty badly, so I went with him to the RSCH [Royal Sussex County Hospital], where we spent half the night getting him patched up.

I am a firm believer that always doing good things comes back to you, as did this one.

— Hon. Alderman Bob Carden

June 14 2026

My Interest in Motorcycling

When I was eighteen, my dad passed on his BSA 250 to me, and I used to drive around Sussex, but never too far. I had got friendly with a couple of chaps on the night shift in the heavy machine shop. Frank Cant lived in Valley Road, and Bob Badman, who then lived in Hove, were both International sidecar owners and often needed a passenger. I spent a lot of time with Frank in his workshop on Valley Road. He was at that time renovating his outfit.

These little light sidecars were not easy to drive without weight in the chair. I became a regular passenger for Bob Badman. I rode in a number of trials with Bob over the years, including the Land's End, Exeter, and one on the Ridgeway.

Winter Trials in the Open Chair

These events were usually in the winter, so you can guess that riding in an open sidecar with no heating was pretty dismal. Especially driving over the West Country moors in the depth of night; this didn't go on only until young ladies started to come into my life.

The Day That I Nearly Got Max Miller

June 14 2026

My final placement as an apprentice was as an auto setter on the Auto Tryout the Horne Section, situated in C Block at Portland Road.

I suppose I was a bit of a tea boy really. My main job at first was to make the cams that operated the autos. I had three sizes of cam to make for the varying size machines that were made. The No. 8 auto cams were the easiest, being much smaller.

This department was a loss leader as far as the management were concerned, and we were continually being moved from factory to factory. The senior members of this little department were continually on the move, moving on to better jobs or getting promoted. We were moved again to the No. 5 factory at Eaton Road by the County Cricket Ground.

Open Day at Eaton Road

They had an open day soon after we arrived there, which meant we were asked to tool up a machine at as little cost as possible. We decided on "put and take" tops as giveaways. As usual, the material we wanted to make these was at Portland Road, so it was off to pick it up, all going smoothly until I came back.

I was coming back quite peacefully along Blatchington Road. Max Miller came to the crossing outside of Woolworths as I approached, going east to west. Luck was with me again. I stopped what must have been just inches away.

A Cycling Mishap

June 14 2026

It was about 1956, not long after I started work as an apprentice. Myself and a couple of workmates decided to go on an evening bike ride. The route we had chosen was to go to Shoreham. Off we went on our racing bikes, starting at Portslade. We went along the A27 and through the Toll Bridge, turning right at the airport. Our intention was to turn right back on the Steyning Road to Shoreham.

While we were cycling along the darkest stretch, one of the other two decided to overtake on the inside. In so doing, he collided with my front wheel, taking half the spokes out.

There I was, faced with a long walk home, when a young cyclist passing stopped and asked, "What's the trouble?" We told him, and he just took the saddle off his bicycle, turned it upside down, and took a wadge of spokes from the down tube of his bike. In about half an hour, I was up and running again.

His passing words were that his father had a bike shop in Shoreham. My passing words are that if you see someone in trouble, always try and help.