A young neighbour of mine has recently passed his Driving Test and when he told me how much it had cost him, or far more likely his parents, I thought he was joking. The cost of the theory test and then the practical had totalled the best part of £100. I wondered then how much cheaper it would be to sit the test for a motor-cycle. To my amazement the cost was over £100, with the obligatory Highway Code now priced at a hefty £3-95!
Dorothy Brawn
These astonishing revelations made me think about when I started driving back in the 1950s. The week after my 16th birthday I went to a dealer in Windmill Avenue in Kettering to collect my first vehicle, a Lambretta scooter. I had never driven before but after a few minutes verbal instruction, and then one or two runs along the short ‘service road’ the dealer felt confident enough to say that I was ready to drive – yes, drive home along the A6 back to Irthlingborough. The well remembered postman Les Odell, an experienced scooter rider, was going to ride in front of me giving instructions as required. “Start off in first gear,” he advised, “and when I wave two fingers at you change up into second!”
The headmaster at Wellingborough Grammar was well used to pupils arriving from the neighbouring towns and villages on bicycles but viewed scooters with a jaundiced eye. He did, however, allow them to be parked behind the bike-sheds – but sternly warned that riding across the playground was not an option, and anyone arriving on a motor-bike would need to park it on the road!
When the time came for a Driving Test one had to go to Kettering – “Drive down Northampton Road and just after the bus garage turn round, drive back up the hill and go half way up Bowling Green Road and turn round. Keep driving round that circuit until I tell you to stop.” What the examiner didn’t tell me was that he would suddenly run onto the road, clap his hands and shout STOP! – now, that really was an emergency stop.
So far so good then back into the office for the 3 or 4 questions which made up the theory part of the test. And that way my downfall – yes, I had given my copy of the Highway Code a cursory glance but had totally ignored the ‘stopping distances’ listed on the back inside cover, and the examiner placed great store on stopping distances. I bet if I’d paid £3-95 for that copy of the Highway Code I would have read it several times to make sure I was getting my money’s worth, but as I had only shelled out sixpence for it I hadn’t treated it with the respect it deserved!
And then followed the bitter blow – failure – making an application for a second test – working for a whole week as errand boy at Allen Road Co-op and converting my whole week’s wages of one pound into a Postal Order to pay for it!
Spring is in the air!
Time to get on with the Spring cleaning and get the chimneys swept. Remember going outside to see the brush come out the top of the chimney. Something the kids of today have never seen!!
Around the piano
Philip Watts
I recently watched a programme on BBC 4 showing the life and times of Mrs Mills, that cuddly lady who played sing along piano. At the time when she made her breakthrough on the Billy Cotton Band Show in 1964 I was a teenager who was more interested in electric guitars and motorbikes than wholesome family entertainment presented as Saturday night entertainment on the television.
I now understand that she was probably the best exponent of the vamping style of piano playing that, for many years, could be heard in our pubs and clubs up and down the land. Combining a strong base line and rhythmic chords with a catchy right hand popular melody; her quick fingers and infectious smile made her an instant hit. She was a virtual one-person orchestra.
The war-time sing song, just a few years before, was an occasion that the whole family looked forward to. Often an impromptu event around the old joanna raised spirits and made reality disappear for an hour or two.
The piano was once a common piece of furniture in the home for many years. Its end came about when space was needed for the radiogram and television. It then featured in piano smashing events up and down the country never to be played again.
However, I do remember my parents holding musical evenings in the 1950’s in our home at the top of Queen Street before the violent demise of our instrument. The hinged lid on the piano stool would be lifted and the wonderful world of well-used sheet music would make an appearance. Those present at our home-made entertainment would be Mr and Mrs Len Berwick from Lilley Terrace, my Uncle and Aunt from out of town, my parents Anne and David, my grandmother, my sister Margaret and yours truly. It was quite a room full. I do remember that the repertoire was more along the lines of ‘Green Sleeves’ than ‘Roll out the Barrel’ and included renditions from all the ladies present and my father who was a bass singer. Occasionally Len, who worked in the shoe trade, would bring his violin and play along. He was also my long suffering violin teacher and probably sat cringing during my efforts.
These were the days when folks used to make their own entertainment and the piano played an important part in this process. Piano playing in public houses is rare nowadays and an electronic keyboard is the weapon of choice in our clubs. It is portable and stays in tune but it doesn’t ring with the same poetry of its predecessor.
It was good to stand around the piano.
While we’re on the subject it would be an idea to compile a list of those in Irthlingborough who played the piano in our public houses and clubs. If you can remember the names of the entertainers and where they performed please send us an email or pass the information on to one of our members. Thank you, I look forward to your replies.
Philip Watts
Gotcha!
During my time as collector for the Mutuality club in Irthlingborough occasionally, on Saturday morning I would find myself in the Fitzwilliam Café, just past the station on the old bridge. The reason for going there must have been a customer, I can’t imagine that I would have gone all that way for a cup of tea!
Quite often there would be one or two other ”tally men” in there and as we all knew one another we would get talking about some of the customers we had. We all knew the ones we had to catch on Friday while the pay packets were still “warm” Generally there would be a milkman, perhaps a lorry driver or two—“Good food and clean beds and a good price” they would say. Who would dare say different whilst Vikki was standing at the counter. Occasionally there would be a stranger with a stock of good jokes. Someone said he was an insurance man but I think he was an undercover man for the Rushden Co-op.
Vicki would lean over the counter listening to the jokes and, sometimes bettering them, but on this particular day she had her, “Best don’t mess with me mate,” face on..
Slapping her hand on the bar she said “Who’ll give me half a crown for half a quid?” As there were no takers, Vicki kept up the pressure and in the end, knowing this wouldn’t end well for me- I dipped into my silver bag and said “Here y’ar then” and put 2/6 on the bar.
She snatched it up shouting “Muggins !Muggins!” at the top of her not inconsiderable voice and put one half of a torn £1 note down on the counter, technically half a quid. So there was me,–half a crown down plus mickey taking all round!
Terry Marshall
Battle of Waterloo
The Society is planning a special event on Sunday 9th June 2013 to celebrate 100 years since the filming of The Battle of Waterloo started in the town.
It will be from 2pm to 4pm, the venue to be announced later. Make a note in your diary.The brochure we have produced is selling well. See more details on the website to order.
Thank you
Dorothy Brawn