The loan that Britain finally paid back was 6yrs late repayments were for 50 yearly
installments but because of the fluctuating exchange rates there were certain years it
wasn't paid 1956/57/64/65/68 and1976 In 1946 Britains National Debt was 250%
of GDP today's comparison is 36.8%
The money was welcome as it was needed to rebuild Britains bombed out cities after
the war
There were certain times we were able to take time off school to help farmers who
were struggling to harvest their crops due to bad weather,I never needed asking twice
it was a chance to earn some extra cash and miss school lessons.
There were two full-time workers on the local farm and they had worked there for
many years,during my time working with them they taught me a lot of skills and I was
pretty well versed in most duties,the farm was a mixed farm so I covered anything
connected to the cereal/arable/dairy before I left school.at 15 yrs
When I first left school I didn't work in agriculture straight away,one of my paper round
clients offered me a job working in his Business in Warrington he had a wholesale
groceries/bakery provision business that covered a wide area of Lancashire and North
Wales,one of my jobs was to assist the delivery driver,at other times would work in the
warehouse prepairing orders.
This was to change after Ed got married he had met a Welsh Girl on one of his biking trips
to North Wales,I remember the excitement at the time of her 1st visit to us it was my job
to meet her off the bus and walk with her back to the house.Eryl was a student at Bangor
Normal teaching college in Bangor at the time.the visit must have been a success as it
wasn't to long after that plans were going ahead for the wedding
I remember going to Manchester with mother to buy a double breasted suit from Kendle
and Milne it was the top shop in Manchester then.
It was at the wedding that I met Eryl's uncle John he was looking to replace a student
on a farm he managed near St Asaph,apparentely the student they had was unable to
carry on due to an accident he had.I was offered the chance to replce him and I accepted.
I remember Reg took me to the farm soon after
The farm was a new build in 1948 and was very modern set up it was a showpeice in the
area and was popular among the young farmers clubs that used to hold stock judging
competitons their
It was while I was working their I went to Manchester and bought a new motor bike
I was still only 15 and not able to insure it or ride it on the roads for another month so
arranged for it to be delivered by rail to the local railway station,I remember going to
collect it with the horse box and taking it back to the farm.
I remember we could ride up and down the long concrete road leading to the farm
off the main road,I remember uncle John and auntie Bess went out one night and the
temtation to take it out onto the road was to great I asked Parry if he wanted to come
and he jumped on the back off we go right to the top of Rhuallt Hill quite a steep hill
on the St Asaph to Hollywell Road, back down again and as we are approaching the
farm entrance spotted this bicycle on the opposite side of the road so took evasive
action and went off the road and down the embankment and forward untill we were
opposite the entrance to the farm drive and then came up again.Policemen were still
riding push bikes then.hence the need for off road riding.
Parry's reaction to all this was to swear never to ride with me again,I thought he was
pretty quite on the back
When I could ride into St Asaph I remember my status with the local youth had risen
somewhat there was only 1 other motor bike there and that was an old one.so to see
this new machine arrive sparked a lot of interest
I used to use it to travel back home to Stretton it would only take about an hour
I kept the bike for 2yrs and then let Ed have it to travel to the RAF camp close to
home,In the time I had the bike I never came off or had an accident and I know I
used to push it to the limit all the time
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