Sunday 7th July, 1963

On By Sue JenkinsIn 1963 lettersLeave a comment

Alec to his parents:

[part only: the first page seems to have disappeared.]

…the permutations of those who remain are endless.

June has been painting the little room over the last week, and has made quite a good job of it. so far no one has been ‘stuck’ in there yet.

This business about St Swithin’s Day is the wrong way around surely. I thought the forecast should be based on the rain that falls on that day.

I agree that Weston is more interesting than Clevedon in wet weather, but it depends on the type of person involved. For mechanical amusements, Weston has it, but for those who only want to sit in the dry and stare out to sea they can do that anywhere along the coast.

I am sure you are right about your plant being agapa etc. You had one just inside the porch on the floor. We shall be very pleased to give you a cutting as soon as there is something to cut, but at present it seems to be a single plant with one stem and one set of leaves.

Your work on the garden going apace, particularly the pond. We shall see some layout changes all right this time.

We had another taste of strawberries yesterday – now 1/4d [£1.70 in 2023 money] per pound. Susan likes to have strawberries, but leaves plenty uneaten on her plate. We gave her two large ones yesterday but she had pieces out of both only. Carol will not touch them at all. All the more for us.

The Longleat do was a bit disappointing I gather. With rain all day they had the luck against them from the start.

I will leave June to comment on the possible visit on August Bank Holiday weekend. Note however that that weekend should be suitable.

Fine doings then about the sale of the land. Poor Cornish is so anxious not to be done down over his property that he is already driving the vendors into two groups. It would seem that all one has to do is to wait for the moment and in due course he and/or Heel will be bound to make some sort of approach with their idea of the proposition. As you and Pearson are of one mind over the matter they will have to satisfy you both or there can be no deal. I would say you can well afford to leave the pantomime display to them. By now however you may have more definite news. I take the point of the ground rent and agree your present situation is by far the most favourable.

I have heard that Sid Manning has been appointed Work Study Officer at Plymouth on a salary in the same scale as mine. I also heard that Greig of the Passenger Train Office died on Friday morning. He had been retired for seven years.

Doug next door has bought himself a new camera, a Japanese job. He is cussing the weather as he wanted to get out and take some trial photographs. We may now go to number 17 this afternoon; the weather was just too bad to go yesterday.

Susan is waiting to tell you all about the wedding* so I shall have to give up the typewriter to her in a minute. Not much radio news this week. Did have a contact in Mountain Ash in the week, but have been on with locals most of the time.

Well there it is again for one week. Hope you are both well and look forward to seeing you soon. Love from us all.

Tuesday 2nd July, 1963

On By Sue JenkinsIn 1963 lettersLeave a comment

Leonard to the family:

Dear Alec June Susan and Carol

Thank you very much for all your letters received usual post this morning. Glad to hear the cash arrived safely and that some of it has been put to a good use. Sorry to hear about Carol’s sore throat and cough – hope she will soon be all right again. Expect she wants her holiday like the rest of you but that won’t be long now and we note you will probably be travelling on Thursday the 15th prox.

Rain did you say? This weekend has been the limit – torrential storms at frequent intervals. Yesterday and again today has been the same although we did have a nice afternoon yesterday. Outdoor work has had to be suspended and there is not much that can be done indoors at the present time except the ordinary routine watering in the greenhouse. One thing it has not been necessary to use the hosepipe for a fortnight and this in itself saves several hours per week.

Susan in difficulties then with her typewriter and we note last week’s effort was finished on yours. Should like to see her at it. Where does Carol come into all this. Does she have a go?

Have not attempted any wine-making this season so far but shall soon have to think about the cherries. At the moment the red and white currants also the black are ripening rapidly and now the raspberries are turning colour. The birds are having a fine old time with them in spite of the temporary nets we have thrown over the bushes. If the land salel comes off we shall have to reduce the number of bushes and find a new place for the loganberry. The strawberries are over for this year. The broad beans are turning in fast and last Friday I took 12 lbs down to Elford. I went into the shop early Saturday evening and saw he had them on display behind counter so asked how they were going. He said not very well and that quite a lot of people preferred the tinned broad beans to the fresh ones. Too tired to shell them I suppose. Anyhow he said he would let me know when another lot is required.

So you do not think much of Leyton Shops set up then. Looks as if the manager knows how to look after Number One. Cook’s departure has come too early for you really but when the next man goes – if not too quickly – it might be your turn to drop in. Shall be interested to know what is eventually decided re: the vacancy caused by Cook’s promotion.

June has soon found something to do then now that Carol is at school. Noted the back bedroom has had something like a facelift.

Yes there are quite a lot of people in Clevedon on holiday at the moment but they are not having very good weather. According to a local ‘prophet’ the rain storms will continue until St Swithin’s Day now. This place is a proper dump for holidaymakers in rainy weather – far better at Weston where they can amuse themselves on the Pier.

From the description you have given it would appear the plant you have about to flower is the agapanthus. We had a large one standing just inside the porch outside the back kitchen. Unfortunately the bad winter put paid to it so if yours survives we must have a cutting one day please. Noted the Christmas and other cacti are making good growth. This rain that does them well.

Yes the bed mum bought from Gamages is a folding one and it actually arrived yesterday afternoon. Should think it would fit into car all right. Must remember to bring it up next time. Noted you will be bringing down foam rubber overlay of your camp bed for use whilst you are here with us.

Surprised you knew what a puffer is and know somebody who actually uses one. I had never heard of such a thing before Don wrote us or rather told us when they were last here a fortnight ago. We are hoping to pay them a return lightning visit on Wednesday 31st July and of course we shall go down when you are here as per previous invitation. Again we hope the weather will be kind to us this year.

Have had several more days reconstructing the pond and it is beginning to take shape now. Have used quite a lot of cement and am nearing the stage when can try and place the paving slabs in position. Have asked Bushell next door to give me a hand then as the slabs are too heavy to handle alone. As you may guess I have had to put a surround of concrete about two feet away from the pond edge to support the outside edge of the slabs. I suppose they could have rested on the grass but Mr Palmer said they might sink a little and spoil the effect so have taken the trouble to try and do the job properly. The rain water is still holding and after I have finished the concreting shall completely empty, clean out and refill. Then we shall see what kind of a job we have made with the resealing.

Glad you had a taste of strawberries on Saturday. What about Susan and Carol? Have they got a taste for them yet?

How nice for them to be allowed to speak into the microphone of your radio set – must be on their best behaviour. Carol a bit shy? Must be funny for her to speak like that – different to a telephone. So Mr Gray was impressed. Have you gained another recruit?

When I first read your letter I thought you were on the way to Longleat but re-reading it I see you were in touch with some of the mobile radio sets as they journeyed down. They must have had a most disappointing day.

Noted you went over to Ealing on Saturday and saw Mrs Baker. Hope you found her in good health in spite of the upset of the house again with the decorators etc. What an awful business getting rid of the woodworm. In point of fact it is my belief that this pest can never be fully eradicated but can be kept in check by taking the necessary action. Note it might be possible for Mrs Baker to make Clevedon with Peter for a long weekend. Would it be before you come down? The August Bank Holiday weekend is the only free one for us before your holiday and Mum says that would be all right. Expect she will comment further in her letter enclosed with this.

There is very little to tell you this week of the land except that it is all over Clevedon as a result of the paragraph in paper. I went to see Jack Bishop last Tuesday and have since ascertained (not from those directly concerned) that both Heel and Cornish duly turned up for their appointments. Pearson (the other person affected) sent word over by his wife that he would like to see me some time during the evening to have a chat. This is the first time I have been in contact with him. Mrs Pearson said her husband did not know what to make of Heel and Cornish and wanted the benefit of my years of residence here on the matter concerned. I suggested he picked me up after choir practice Thursday night and that we go out and have a drink but not at Salthouse where other interested people might be on hand. We went to the Regent (had not been in there for years) and had quite a good talk on the whole project. We were of the same mind and I was able to give him a lot of useful tips to include in his conditions of sale which he had to take to his solicitor. I have not spoken to Cornish since last writing to you and only passed the time of day with Heel. Strange to say when Mom and I went out Monday morning about 9:45 a.m Heel and Cornish were having a natter outside Heel’s Gate. Anyhow as far as I can ascertain the sale is still on but apart from the visit to Jack Bishop I have heard no more.

Jack did tell me he handled the sale of the house to me from the builder 35 years ago and had at that time been working for the solicitor two years. He actually had a copy of the transfer turned up while I was with him. He also remembered the name of our Westbury solicitors – Pinniger and Finch. I do not know what the next move is but anticipate it will be a call from Jack Bishop to say that the would-be purchasers either agree or disagree with the conditions of sale I laid down. This applies to each of the other three of course and it may necessitate meeting these people again to sort one or two things out. It’s quite a change to be on the selling side as compared with the buying side. Had we bought the place on a ground rent (which the builder offered at the time) we should not have been in a position to sell now. Somebody else would have reaped the advantage.

Both Cornish and Heel feel there are they are in a commanding position because they have to surrender land for the road to be made but there is also the point that if Pearson and myself were not agreeable to sell our portions then it would not be worthwhile for the would-be purchasers to go on with their scheme. In which case nothing at all would come of the project. It’s a case of diamond cuts diamond.

There is also a bigger scheme afoot for developing Mrs Marshall’s ground across the river but at the moment this is very much in the air. If four houses are built on the half acre we proposed to sell it will mean each occupant will have one eighth of an acre each which is the equivalent to what numbers 9, 10, 11, and 12 Tennyson Avenue now have. The proposed four new houses would not have their one-eighth acre in depth but in width and I am rather surprised they cannot get one or even two more in on our plot. Anyhow that is one of the conditions I have laid down, if more than four houses are erected then more money will have to be forthcoming. We have not yet seen a plan with the new houses marked thereon but our position has been safeguarded.

All our love to you both and lots of kisses for the girls. Won’t belong now before we see you all down here. Mum and Dad.

P.S. Thursday – railway news received this morning Alec, many thanks. Dad. 

Sunday 30th June, 1963

On By Sue JenkinsIn 1963 lettersLeave a comment

Alec to his parents:

Dear Mum and Dad

Thank you very much for weekly letter also for the card, cash and letters for my birthday. Very much appreciated and very acceptable. You will be pleased to know that I have bought a shirt with part of the money. I am sorry to have to say that the letter typed by Susan last week had to be typed on my machine. Although she said she was typing with hers, she only got as far as the first two lines when the thing packed up and she had to finish off with this one. The machine of hers is only a toy and the ribbon is just one strip held in place with the couple of split pins. The ribbon has worn and of course the letters do not come out very clearly. I shall have to get another from the office.

I agree about the mixed bag of weather. We have had considerable rain here over the last week. The only good thing that can be said for it is that it is much better than watering the lawns and plants, but one does not mind doing that so much if the weather is worth it. Sorry to hear that you’ve got trapped away from your car in downpour in Hill Road. You were in no hurry to get anywhere though so doubt if you were at all put out.

Yes that fellow down at the bottom of the garden does get a bit near with his bonfires. Some time ago he burned down all the yellow roses that were growing on the end wire, but as they were rooted his side and were in fact his own roses could not very well complain. However the plant is making very good progress and is well above the wire now.

Went to Retford as planned last week and just stayed over on Wednesday night. Have more or less finished what I set out to do there so doubt if there will be any more trips. Leyton Shops is a tinpot affair. I thought that these shops would be quite a substantial factory type place, but in actual fact it is a typical railway dump. Only a couple of long sheds there in which much the same work goes on as at Retford. The thing that  comes most to notice is the spotless condition of the Manager’s office and the quite filthy pile up of scrap and rubbish in and around all the out buildings. It looks as if some of the articles have been gathering rust since the 1920s.

Cook’s departure is due for the 15th July and meanwhile he is on annual leave. All sorts of speculation of course, but doubt if any combination of events will benefit us.

You caught on about the trip to West Wycombe, and note your comment about Horsenden Hill. We did have a station fixed up on Horsenden Hill back last summer and not too bad results there.

Sorry your new friend in Cartref does not want parish magazine – what about getting him to join the choir? Have not read the article in the Mercury about the proposed sale of land, but will reserve that pleasure for later today. Glad we are not alone with children tearing up the garden. I must say that Susan and Carol are a lot better than formerly on that game. Once upon a time they would tear the petals off flowers etc. but that phase has passed.

I am sorry to say that Carol has not been at all well over the last few days. She has had a sore throat with quite a cough at nights. Granddad’s wine has been in evidence again, but do not know if it is losing its potency or not. You might let me know how the wine-making is going your end.

While I was at Retford June gave the little back bedroom a face-lift. She has painted the ceiling and also the windowsills. In addition she has found some paper and put it on the inside of the cupboard.

I am afraid anyone having an early holiday in this country this year have had a bad time of it. Can only hope that when we get ours the weather has improved a bit. It is a funny thing though, that if a summer once starts bad it seems to go on all through and at no time does whether really pick up and become decent.

I am sorry I gave you wrong information about exotic plant. It is not that plant at all which is about to flower. It is the one which has ordinary plant-like leaves in pears either side. The leaves are like grass and about half an inch across. The stem comes out of the middle and rises about a yard or so and I believe it finishes up as a blue flower. I am not sure of the name but I have the impression it is Agrostemma and perhaps you can put me right*. Nothing else seems to be preparing to flower. The Christmas cactus and all the others are making a lot of growth, and as they are out of doors they are getting all the water they need. Wwe can arrange for cutting of the exotic plant and perhaps you will remind me when we are about to pay you our visit. I have booked off for holidays from Thursday 15th August so you can expect us on that date if convenient.

By the way June says she has the foam rubber overlay of our camp bed and as it folds up quite small she intends to bring it down, so please do not go buying a mattress or anything like that for your new bed. Incidentally perhaps you could bring the bed up with you when you visit us (for same purposes) if it is foldable and you can get it in car. That is something we can discuss another time of course.

Interested in Don’s puffer. Ken Pearson has one at Paddington and I believe it is a very useful thing to have for those who suffer with breathing trouble.

Glad the pond is showing signs of progress. It is the first major work on the pond in 25 years, as not much wrong with the previous layout or it would soon have been changed.

What a poor specimen Cornish is to be sure. Just your luck to have someone like him involved in the deal. Can only hope that he sees sense in the end. Cannot think why he should have to fall out with Heel. All he has to do is say he disagrees with some point in the proposals, but no point in coming to loggerheads over it. Note there is room for four houses on half of your land. They won’t get much each will they? I know where the boundary line runs, but cannot think how the houses will be laid out.

We had some strawberries for dinner yesterday and very nice too I believe they were 2/10d per pound**. Rotten luck about the Wincanton accident, do not want too many of them. Glad mum got a prize in the Rose Show – obviously you have some good  class blooms.

A couple of weeks ago I bought a second-hand transmitter which enables me to apply speech so have been active vocally. Susan loves it and likes to say hello to the people over the microphone, but Carol gets all coy and sticks her fingers in her mouth and backs away. Had Doug in last night (sorry, Friday) to see it working and he is quite interested. There is a rally at Longleat in Wiltshire for mobile stations (car and motorcycle combinations). I worked two of them on the way down. It is pouring with rain and has been like this all morning so not much joy for them I should say. I have the typewriter up in the loft and as I type the rain is absolutely beating on the roof to some effects.

Well the kids are clamouring to get up here – they were up earlier but were asked to find other occupations.

We went over to Ealing yesterday to see Grandma Baker, but nothing was said about visiting Clevedon – I cannot see it coming off somehow.

Well I will close now and thank you both again for good wishes, present etc., and hope you are keeping well your end. Love from us all once again. 

*Online sources suggest Agrostemma tends to be white, purple or pink.

**Equivalent of £3.60 in 2023 currency, whereas the present-day cost of strawberries on the Tesco website works out to roughly £3.17 per lb.

Thursday 27th June, 1963

On By Sue JenkinsIn 1963 letters, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Eva to the family:

Dear Alec June Susan and Carol

Many thanks for letter and all the news. We have not much more to tell you about the land and of course the place is rife with rumours about where the road is going to be. Mrs Clarke came over last night, if it goes through she will be walking all round instead of the back way.

The bungalow in St. Andrews Drive fetched £3500 after all they asked for £4,100 the rooms are small. And bought by Mrs Webb who is in the choir and lives in Old Church Road opposite Salthouse Fields in a semi-detached. Mrs Clarke is assessing the price of hers, if she wanted to sell last night it was in the region of £5,000. No harm in thinking.

We have a lot of redcurrants and this year the black ones are ready before the raspberries.  Never had it that way before. We did not have a terrible lot of strawberries more trouble than they’re worth really. 

Astons did not have it very nice it was cold and misty in Bournemouth.

I had the 3rd for the bowl of roses (Red Star) there were 13 entries if I had not picked them before breakfast the gale which came up would have finished them.

George Dimond married when he was 21 has been married 21 years.

Soon be August when you will be here can you give us the date now. I have sent to Gamages for a camp bed to save you bringing one.

Lots of love Mum and Dad

Tuesday 25th June, 1963

On By Sue JenkinsIn 1963 lettersLeave a comment

Leonard to the family:

Dear Alec June Susan and Carol

Once again many thanks for the weekly budget received on time this morning also thank you Susan for a lovely typewritten letter. You lucky girls to have a typewriter of your very own and it was ever so kind of Grandma to bring it back from Southend for you.

Yes it has been a mixed bag so far as whether it’s concerned this past week and this morning Mum and I were caught properly in Hill Road. Had to stand under a shop canopy for quite a while neither of us having our macs and the car parked in Bellevue Road not far away. The rain just emptied down and there was hardly a movement in the road for a quarter of an hour. Then again this afternoon for about 45 minutes it just rained and rained and immediately afterwards the sun was shining and steam rising from the concrete paths. Quite a strong wind too. Surprisingly the ground around the pond is still dry under the turf. One thing all this rain does is to save me time and trouble in watering the garden.

Sorry your buddleia is having a hot time of it from your neighbour. Sounds as if he was plenty near enough to the boundary line with his fire. Seems a bit risky to put a wooden fence there if he is going to continue such tricks – soon put paid to a dry fence.

The grass grows as quickly as the weeds and I had motor mower out again last Saturday morning and cut all lawns – good job I did for we have had the rainy weather since.

Noted Retford about the size of Clevedon although population about double. Also noted you have to pay another visit and in addition a trip to Leyton Shops. All new ground and the country must be very interesting especially at this time of year.

So you are losing Cook and the vacancy may not be filled which presumably means that Unwin and yourself will have to cover the work. Assume it is promotion for Cook.

Can understand your interest in the West Wycombe area now but it is some way out. What about Horsington Hill* [sic]? Or is this place too frequented by the public? To get to West Wycombe you have to pass through High Wycombe which is a very bad town to get through on the road, or at least I think so. Perhaps you have found an alternative route.

It is the owner of the house who now lives in Cartref and my word he is making things fly. Most of the winter he was busy indoors and now he is tackling the garden. Mrs Cummings called on them just after they moved into ask if they would care for the Parish Magazine to be delivered. The reply was ‘no’ and Mrs Cummings was informed the man was an agnostic.

No relations to the Hewitts live next door to car traffic. As you know Roy’s father you used to live there and after his widow finally gave up housekeeping some people named Pearson (from London) bought it and still live there. They are of course in the group of four prepared to sell the surplus land. Incidentally you will see a very small paragraph in the ‘Mercury’ saying the plan to sell land behind Tennyson Avenue has been approved subject to certain road conditions being adjusted. More about this later.

Sorry your young gardeners have destroyed some of the plants. I think baby Ruth next door has already been up to these tricks and she cannot yet walk. I’m told that years ago when visiting my Grandfather Beacham I picked some of his pansies he was entering in a show and the fat was properly in the fire.**

Yes dentist made a good job of the repairs and although no charge made it is a fact I have paid quite a lot in the past for such services which I did not need.

Roy and Mrs Hewitt having returned from Germany are now going to Llandudno for a week where Roy’s sister lives. A card from the Astons at Bournemouth indicates the weather is rather cold and the sea misty so they cannot be having such a good time.

Noted the fuchsia is an outdoor specimen and should survive the winter but it is better to bring such plants indoors if you can find the room for them. Glad to hear the exotic plant – as we call it – is about to flower. It is a beautiful sight and the scent is rather sickly – it’s so strong – it will last just over 24 hours then die off. Of all the cuttings we took a few years ago yours is the only one alive today. If any likelihood of cuttings available we would like one please. We are not too badly off for slugs this year but I’m taking no chances and always put down Slug-it pellets when putting out any kind of plant. These last some time because the rain does not destroy their power. With all the hedges we have around the place we have our share of pests etc.

As mentioned in last letter Don and Joan came up last Thursday arriving 2 pm and departing about 4 pm. Brought up several dozen eggs and three gallons of cider. Don went into hospital a few weeks back for another chest examination and the doctor fitted him up with what he (Don) calls a puffer. This is a small container fitted out something like a syringe and just as he is getting up mornings he has to blow a few puffs into his mouth and he says it is surprising how much easier his breathing becomes. Hitherto it has been hard work to get his breath for a half hour or so when first arising mornings so perhaps he will feel better now.

Yes our grapes are sour Alec and I see them every day. Perhaps we will get more another year.

Have been working on the pond most days since last writing and they’re making some progress at last. The rain water is still in the pond which is a good sign but I’m just wondering what the extra weight of water will do when I fill up for the first time.

So far as the proposed sale of land is concerned quite frankly I do not know exactly where we stand at this moment. Cornish and Heel have had another round and Heel told me over the hedge he (Heel) would have no more to do with it and he would not be going to solicitor this week although appointment booked for today. I have not seen Cornish since last Saturday week when it was all agreed for each one of us to see the solicitor. Apparently Cornish still has a bee in his bonnet that he is being done down. He (Cornish) has booked to see solicitor tomorrow. I booked for this morning and duly went up. I asked if either or both of the other two had cancelled their appointments but the reply was no. So whether Heel went up this afternoon and whether Cornish will go up tomorrow I just do not know. It will be a great pity if it all falls through after all this time but I have a feeling we shall get through it somehow.

It’s rather strange but Jack Bishop (Solicitor’s office) dealt with the purchase of our house on behalf of Hill the builder in 1928 and this morning recalled the name of our Westbury, Wilts solicitors with whom he was in touch. I put all the cards on the table and told him of the trouble between the next two neighbours so that he could be on his guard if needs be. According to ‘Mercury’ plans have been submitted for the erection of 23 houses but as only four are agreed on our ground and four on Heels we cannot quite see how the other 15 are being accommodated. I left my copy of the plan with Jack Bishop this morning but if you can draw an imaginary line parallel to the back of  garage and greenhouse about three feet on the left side and straight across to Heels’ ground you have a good idea of the new boundary line. Cuts off some of the garden but not too much. The total amount of land involved is about half an acre.

Sorry you have had the girls home from school but hope they will soon be alright again. It won’t be long now before you are all on holiday with us. Any further news of Mrs Baker as to whether she can be tempted to come down?

Back to your letter again. The new road for the new houses – if plan goes through – will be immediately the other side of our new boundary line.

Noted you had a trip to Ealing on Saturday and a walk to the park on Sunday. No kite flying I suppose.

Yes we hope to have a good crop of fruit but just now the birds are playing havoc with the currants. Cannot cover all of them up as well as the strawberries but latter will soon be gone.

The two houses at bottom of Avenue have the roofs on and just as well having regard to the rain.

Have taken advantage of the soft ground to put out some purple sprouting plants and some late broccoli. Mum has put out quite a lot of flower plants but the wind has spoiled the look of a lot of the flowers already out.

Just seen a picture on T.V. of the fatal accident on the road near Wincanton – a collision between a lorry and a car. The two occupants of the latter killed outright.

Have you got used to the girls being away more mornings and afternoons June?

No more this time. All our love to you both are kisses for the girls.

Mum and Dad. 

*He means Horsenden Hill.

**And the common factor in all these cases? The lack of adult supervision. You simply cannot expect a young child to know by instinct which flowers may be picked and which may not!

Sunday 23rd June, 1963

On By Sue JenkinsIn 1963 lettersLeave a comment

Alec to his parents:

Dear Mum and Dad

Thanks for all your letters, duly received on Friday. Glad you liked the letter from Susan. She took great pains with it, and really made quite a good job of it considering. Grandma has returned from Southend and brought back a second-hand children’s typewriter. Both have had a go at it, and I said I would write the weekly letter on it but there seems to be some objection. 

Cannot remember much good about the weather this week. It certainly rained a good deal, and everything in the garden is looking very fresh. Growth continues to be good too, and the lawns although shaved last weekend (and I mean shaved) could now do with another go. I’m afraid they will have to wait until next weekend. The buddleia top is now above the wire and very thick with it, but Chummy at the bottom has had a fire on his side, and the top leaves are scorched and withered with the heat. If I get a wooden fence down there he will have to be more careful. 

Population of Retford about 20,000. I do not know where they all live, as to me the town is no larger than Clevedon. Spell of work back in H.Q. as you say, but shall have to go up to Retford occasionally and maybe this week. As matters stand I shall go up on Wednesday and return on Thursday. Cook, my immediate superior at Liverpool Street, has been appointed to a job in the Workshops Division at Derby and goes to take up this work on July 15th. I doubt if his job will be filled. 

The purpose of the exercise at West Wycombe – well the general idea is that if you can get up onto some high ground and erect a long enough aerial, you can work stations at a greater range than otherwise. As London and suburban gardens are notoriously short, and as London and its environs is low lying, the advantage will be apparent. The mere fact of putting the aerial up another twenty feet will very greatly extend the range of operation. 

Note the work going on in Cartref – it sounds like a new householder. By the way who lives in the next house – on the other side of Cornish? This person would be the fourth in on the big deal, but I seem to forget who lives there – could it be a relative of the Hewitt’s? 

Grandma Baker was brought back by Uncle Jim in his car after her stay had been extended for a few days.  I gather that they went out either in the afternoon or evening of each day while the morning was devoted to the job of getting the new house straight. She says she feels the benefit of the rest. 

Had a bit of a relapse with the gardens since writing last. A couple of amateur gardeners had to go at it during the week, and dug up the only chrysanthemum and put it in a box to die. They also trampled on the ground with the result that I have now only five of the tomato plants still in situ. 

Glad your dentist made a good job of it. You say all free, but remember that you have paid out for it over the  last few years, and it is not so cheap after all. 

Have seen strawberries about but so far no taste yet. 

So the cruise is over and your neighbours also back from holiday. Makes you feel your turn is due I expect. 

The fuchsia is an outdoor plant, but we are advised to bring it in for the winter. 

You seem to be suffering badly with slugs this year. I had the impression that slugs did not worry you overmuch your end. Here I have put down lots of pellets but still they come back for more. You just cannot eradicate them. The only thing you can do here is to give them a choice of diet and hope they prefer the pellets to the plants.

Your grapes must be sour. (We cannot reach them from here … )*

By the way our exotic plant has a flower bud and the stalk is now about one foot long. With luck it will come into flower and if so we will be the first of our cacti type plants ever to flower here. The others that survived are all doing quite well without showing any signs of flowering.

Position about the fruit noted and assume you are in for a bumper crop this year. What rates are you offering the fruit pickers? 

Have not heard from Geoff since his return from Clevedon, but we must get in touch for exchange visit. 

Interested to see improvements to pond. There have always been possibilities in the setting, but usual story of cash and time no doubt. 

Very interested to hear of the moves in the great plan.  By now you will have heard a lot more no doubt. It is a pity to lose access to the river but that was always a mixed blessing. Will the road run alongside the river, or will it pass near it to your hedge? I just cannot think at the moment how the layout will appear. You might like to give a small sketch next time.

Susan bashing away on her typewriter, but remains to be seen what emerges. 

You are wrong about the date of the move by the way. Your letter dated 18th June indicated that it would be 35 years by the following week. I recall that we moved on 20th June 1928. The amazing thing about it all is that you may be able to sell approximately one third of the land at a price in excess of that paid for the house and all the land in 1928. All points to the truth of the saying that property is the finest investment. 

We shall not be putting a bed on the car this time, and in fact I have finished with roof racks as I do not consider them a very good bet. 

Very bad news about George Dimond’s son. Had no idea he was so old. Time certainly flies.

The girls have not been too good and we have had them home from school for a few days. This virus whatever it is has left behind a couple of colds. They are still sniffy and snuffly but have been to school again. 

Yesterday we went over to Ealing to see Grandma, and this morning we had a walk down to the park after breakfast so that the girls could have a go on the swings. There is a lot of cloud about but the sun is doing its best to stay out. It is quite warm so nothing really to complain of. 

I may go down to Leyton shops on Tuesday for a look round.  The work there is similar to Retford. 

Well I think that exhausts the news for another week, so will close once again. Hope you are both keeping well. 

Love from us all. 

*Arf arf, humour…

Tuesday 18th June, 1963

On By Sue JenkinsIn 1963 lettersLeave a comment

Leonard to the family:

Dear Alec June Susan and Carol

Many thanks for another long and interesting letter received this morning including a nicely typed one from Susan. Thank you Susan and Carol.

It is such a terrible day that I have packed up work outdoors at 3:30 p.m., heavy storms and strong gale force wind from the north-west making things most unpleasant. The rain actually started about 5 p.m. last night and continued as heavy storms when daylight came.

Yes we had a card from Retford Alec, thank you, it seems a fairly large place but as we have said before it is all foreign to us. Glad to hear you can have a spell at headquarters again now and I expect June is pleased about this.

So somebody else realised that one works harder in retirement than when working for a living. It is a fact however but I suppose the real answer that it is a different kind of work. Glad to know that June’s Uncle and Aunt are making the best of the garden at their new home. I always think it is worse to clear up a garden after somebody else has let it go than to lay out a new garden from what was formally a field. A good example of the former is right opposite to us now in Cartref where the new occupier and owner is working like a [unacceptable racial slur] digging out trees and bamboos by the score. He is certainly making an impression there.

Noted the work at Retford a little strange to what you have been used to but I expect you will soon get the hang of it.

Some ‘Field Day’ at West Wycombe then – just as well you did not stop the night although I believe the weather was not too bad then. Whatever is the purpose of the exercise?

As mentioned last week in reply to June’s letter I would not like to be on the road with so much traffic about as when you went to Westcliff and back. Fancy so many cars having attention – perhaps the answer is that the owners never look inside the bonnet unless they have to. Obviously you had no trouble or you would have mentioned it. Sorry Carol was upset by the journey but I expect she will improve as Susan has. A lovely time for both girls having a ride on the train or by themselves.

Which reminds me, Don and Joan with some friends are gone to see the Bicton Model Railway* at Budleigh Salterton today – hope they have better weather than what we are having at the moment.

Had a brief letter from Don yesterday to say he is on a week’s leave and would like to pop up one day and to arrive about 2 p.m. and depart 4 p.m. Have agreed for Thursday.

Dentist made a good job of repairing dentures and it cost me nothing – National Health Service covered this.

Position noted regarding broad and runner beans at Ruislip. We shall pick the first meal of the former this weekend. The rain has improved the quantity and quality of the strawberries. With all your other seeds failing it is extraordinary that seeds you did not sow and that have been in the ground all through the very bad winter should come up thickly. Perhaps you will get some tomatoes from them later.

Roy and Mrs Hewitt are back from their cruise and have had a most enjoyable time. They did not however look very brown. The Bushells arrived home from Teignmouth today and they too have had a good time. The weather generally has been quite good but seems to be breaking a bit now.

Good luck with the fuchsia June. Is it one that will stay outdoors all the year round or one that must be taken inside for the winter? Mum has been busy putting out flower plants in various places in the garden and if only the slugs will leave them alone we should have a good display later on. Our runner beans are coming into flower and fast going up the sticks. The red and white currants are almost ready to pick and mum has already picked the gooseberries and bottled them apart from a couple of pounds which we enjoyed in a gooseberry tart. The trees in field are showing their fruit now and there is a lot coming on. I noticed one plum tree has developed Silver Leaf and must be destroyed. Silver Leaf is a killer of plum trees. I think this attack came over from Mr Drewett’s old place as there was a diseased tree there which nobody bothered with until Bushell had a go at them when they cut it down.

We have one bunch of grapes on the vine in the greenhouse and it has been eaten several times already. You know by whom.

Yes Elford certainly did his best to entertain his customers on Whit Monday.

Assume you have not heard from Geoff since their return. They all enjoyed themselves here. Wonder if Rebecca has started her exams yet.

Have been having a good go at the pond since last writing. Had emptied it to facilitate repairs of the crack and after filling in the concrete last Wednesday we had severe storms before the concrete had set and I was a bit anxious. However the rain gave the shallow portion a thin coating of water and although this gradually decreased I feel confident that if any leak still exists it is a minor one and one which can be put up with. Anyhow I have started to improve the surround and have bought 25 paving slabs 2 ft x 2 ft x 2 ins and these are now on hand here ready to be placed into position. I do not know how far I can go with this before your holiday but in any case I hope you will see an improvement at last.

The question regarding sale of land has now reached the stage where the four house owners have to consult their respective solicitors. I went up to see Jack Bishop yesterday only to find he had started a week’s leave so made an appointment for today week at 11 a.m. There was a time when we thought the whole project might be called off. Cornish and Heel had a violent set-to, the former calling the latter a “B. twister” to his face. Heel walked away and told Cornish that as far as he (Heel) was concerned he would have nothing more to do with the scheme. Cornish came over to me and complained that Heel was not giving up so much land for the road as he (Cornish) was. This is correct but the circumstances are such that the planners have so planned the road to give equal distances from both their houses to the proposed paths which obviously is the only method to adopt. Several hours after the row viz. at 10:45 p.m. the same night Cornish called next door and apologised to Heel and said he was upset at the time and asked Heel to forget the incident and that he (Cornish) would tell the people concerned he agreed to the measurements. Heel came over yesterday and told me the whole story. Poor Cornish is so afraid somebody is going to do him down**.

The question of cost of the land and the conditions of sale have now to be dealt with. Tentatively we have agreed to the price – each householder dealing with this item independently of the others because the circumstances in each case vary. For instance both Cornish and Heel would receive more because of the new road cutting through between their houses. In this case Cornish would have more than Heel because the former is called upon to give a width of 18 feet and the latter only 10 feet, moreover Cornish loses his greenhouse but the purchasers of the land will have to build him another at a place to be selected by Cornish. I have none of these worries and only lose access to the river and the fruit trees. The latter however have had their day but would have supplied us with fruit for the rest of our time here. I have an idea the plans go before the council at their meeting tonight and if the news gets into the Press then a lot of people are going to open their eyes.

So far as Mrs Marshall’s land is concerned we now know that development cannot be commenced until the proposed new sewer has been planned and laid-in as it will cut right across Mrs Marshall’s ground at near enough where building might take place. It is all very interesting and I hope I have not bored you with such detail. It is 35 years come next week we moved into this house and we have had the use of the acre of land for all that time so if we can get some money for half of it now it will be a good stroke of business. Frankly I never thought there would be any possibility of selling any portion of it because of its situation.

By the time you come down on holiday the matter should be settled to one way or the other. We are looking forward to your visit and the calendar shows it won’t be many weeks now. I know how you feel about the weather and the getting away from work for a while but we hope we do better than last year.

Whilst I think of it please do not overload the car this time by putting a bed on the roof carrier – makes me nervous.

Expect you remember George Dimond who was in choir years ago. His son aged 20 just out of his apprenticeship for an electrician was electrocuted at Shrewsbury last week whilst working on a job. The account of this tragedy is in the ‘Mercury’ to you with this letter.

By the way who is collecting caterpillars at number 84, Susan or Carol? What was the trouble with Susan? In her letter she said she had a virus and she would have to get better before going to the Brownies.

Well this is just about the lot for another week. All our love to you both and lots of kisses for the girls.

Mum and Dad.

P.S. the four householders had a 2½ hour meeting Tuesday night and continued on Wednesday evening trying to sort out the two offers to buy land.

P.P.S. Magazine received Wednesday – thank you Alec. 

*Not so much a ‘model railway’ as a narrow gauge!

**On the other hand, it sounds as if Mrs Cornish gave him a good talking-to and reminded him that if one of them pulled out they would all be screwed, and their lives would not be worth living under their neighbours’ disapproval.

Sunday 16th June, 1963

On By Sue JenkinsIn 1963 lettersLeave a comment

Alec to his parents:

Dear Mum and Dad

Well here we are again with our heads above water again. Thanks very much for your letters of two weeks, and hope you received card from Retford. Seemed to be all go for a while, but with luck I should be back to normal from this week.

Last weekend was very tiring as you guessed, and what with one thing and another was glad to get it over. Must say the weather at Southend could not have been better, but too many others got the same idea. June’s Uncle and Aunt have made a very nice job of an old house. It looks as if it were built some time in the 30s, but they have had extensive alterations made and it now looks a very fine job. The garden – a small one by comparison – was heavily overgrown with all kinds of cultivated stuff which had been allowed to go unchecked. However there are some well established fruit trees of respectable dimensions to form the basis of the good garden. Much work will be required to be done though, and your remarks about working harder since retired have been repeated.

The Retford job not all that big, but had to proceed slowly as on rather unfamiliar ground. The establishment being a workshop for repair and manufacture of Signals Department equipment. This ranges from point machines of many types, block instruments, switchboards, telephone etc. The men involved are (1) fitters (2) instrument makers and (3) carpenters.

I assume that the club referred to by June was in connection with radio activities as you say. We had a Field Day on the Saturday. Took some gear up to West Wycombe on some high ground and set up radio station. We managed to get up a long and high aerial by the process of sending a lad up trees. We got to the place at midday and by about two o’clock we were on the air. I left at 5 p.m. and took some of the younger lads back. Others remained there all night, and it was expected that many others would arrive for the Sunday. I have not seen or heard of anyone since then so do not know how they got on on the Sunday, or during the night. We only had about half a dozen contacts when I was there, all interesting, but none of any great distance. As you say not much time for it these days. I did make one call on the Sunday night after we got back – lasting about three minutes – and have since not done anything.

One of the interesting features about last Sunday’s jaunt was the sight of a number of cars by the roadside with bonnets up. They were not all old cars by any means.

I could not say with any degree of accuracy what speed we did on the homeward run. We left out about ten past six and arrived here somewhere in the region of half past eight. As journey is 60 miles the overall mph works out at about 24, but that seems too high to me. As most of the road is a 50 mph road however, you can see how speed was kept down. On reflection, I think that except for the side streets at this end and at Southend, none of the roads were less than 40 mph limits.

Did not realise that we stopped at Epping Forest. As far as I was concerned, it was part of the North Circular road that runs down to Woolwich Ferry. We should not have been on that stretch, but took a wrong turning a few hundred yards back. However we passed it again on the way back so must have detoured again.

Do not know what caused Carol’s trouble in the car. It could have been the breakfast – shall have to change the cook. Yes it is a good sign that Susan does not seem too upset on car trips now.

Gather that Sarah had a good time on Weston Pier. Southend Pier rather than longer, and has built-in railway with lines and points etc. all electrical course. The lights in the season are quite fabulous – on the Blackpool scale – but during the summer I do not think that they are switched on. The amusements other than these are rather like Weston. Off the pier there is a permanent fair* so we took the girls on one or two things. They had a ride on their own in a train. This thing winds its way over twisting and turning route back to the start. During the trip the cars, which are circular, revolve rapidly in the corners**. Hoped they will be okay on their own, and after looking a bit uncertain after the first bend, they were shrieking their heads off at the end, so all went well.

The fare for the Southend railway which included Pier toll was 1/- adults and 6d children.

I gather that all went well with neighbour’s children during the week before last. Most of the trouble it seems came from Carol who was a bit trying.

Yes it will not be long before we descend on you again. Your sleep for a while will be shattered so get as much as you can now, and build up your strength. The weather is nothing to worry about. Very nice to have it fine for holiday, but being off-duty and not tied to office is compensation enough even if it pours. And you managed to get a couple of tumblerfuls of sherry off Elford. Hope the offer still on when we arrive, or maybe it will be the turn of the Scotch by then.

Sorry about your teeth – perhaps change of cook also required your end?***

Very interesting to learn about their are two groups in the field interested in your property. This will help to speed things up if nothing else. Neither group can now afford too much delay or they will let the others in by default.

Have had no strawberries yet. Not many about this end. Note the work on the pond going well. Hope the storm did no damage. No sign of any of the seeds you sowed other than one chrysanth, one sunflower, and two antirrhinums which may or may not have been self-set anyway. We do have about 40 tomato plants which were self-set in that patch from those you brought up last year. I have planted the eight largest and hope they may come to something. Mowed all the lawns yesterday and put the garden to shape. Some of the foxgloves you gave us last year out and look very nice. Buddleia well above the fence and the syringa is in blossom. We have a flower on our agrostemma for the first time (shoot only as yet) and all the roses have lots of buds on them. We bought a fuchsia for June yesterday and she has planted it in the front garden. A bit of hedge cutting on Friday night and we are beginning to look a bit shipshape for a while. Uur broad beans are about one foot high now and the root runners are ready for climbing.

Funny about Charlie Rust. What had he done to deserve that, nor in fact have any of them done for it?****

We had a good thunderstorm at Retford on Thursday with loads of rain. They also had one here and June says that the square at the bottom was full of water up to the level of the concrete, and that all earth and plants were below the surface. I must admit that the soil breaks up well now. We are collecting caterpillars in large sweet jar, but they will die of starvation if they do not get fed soon.

Well bottom of page, so will close for now with love from us all once again. 

*This would no doubt have been the famous Kursaal.

**The only possibility I can find for this online is seen in the last picture at https://www.echo-news.co.uk/news/11884694.from-the-echo-archive-12-pictures-of-southends-kursaal-in-its-heyday/

***I don’t know about you, dear reader, but I’m finding all this casual sexism rather draining.

****’… and where’s mine?’ Sour grapes, methinks.

Wednesday 12th June 1963

On By Sue JenkinsIn 1963 letters, UncategorizedLeave a comment

[Continued from Tuesday 11th June, 1963]

Another nice day, not quite so hot but still plenty warm enough for working outdoors. Have made another attempt to seal up the pond today. This time have used cement Compo-Seal and sand together with some pieces of expanding metal given me by Mr Palmer. Wet sacks now lying on top of new cement to prevent it drying out too quickly. No gardening today except watering morning and evening to keep things alive. The Bushells (on holiday at Teignmouth) must be having a warm time of it. The Heels are away today so we have the place to ourselves. So far we have not seen the Hewitts since their trip abroad but we understand they are back safe and sound.

Have you heard that Charlie Rust at Bristol Temple Meads has been awarded the M.B.E. in the Birthday Honours list? Have no idea what is behind this but can guess that it is a bit of bait to keep him there until he is 65 years of age*. There is nobody now at divisional level who can tell him how to run the station – most of those people being Commercial Department.

The Astons go to Bournemouth tomorrow for their annual holiday – I’m taking them down to the station here for the 8 a.m. hence. Perhaps I could run a taxi service to Yatton when they close the station at Clevedon.

Don says that he recently saw an advert in Taunton weekly paper for a proofreader for a firm of book printers who apparently print technical works for various authors on all sorts of matters, the work to be done privately at home, and Don wrote and asked for particulars etc. and eventually got the job. It is a part-time effort but will bring in some grist to the mill. This is the kind of thing I would not mind doing in the evenings especially in the winter but have never seen such an advert around here.**

No more this time. All our love to you both and lots of kisses for the girls.

Mum and Dad.

Thursday Morning: a few thunderstorms during the night and a lot of rain dashed the first for many weeks. Dad. 

*Charles Reginald RUST, Esq., Station Master, Bristol (Temple Meads), British Railways.  Source:  The London Gazette ; Publication date: 31 May 1963 ; Supplement: 43010; Page: 4811; retrieved 3 June 2023

**I didn’t know about any of this, but clearly editing and proof-reading runs in the family!

Tuesday 11th June, 1963

On By Sue JenkinsIn 1963 lettersLeave a comment

Leonard to the family:

Dear Alec, June, Susan and Carol

Many thanks for letter received the morning and we quite understand the position with Alec. You must all have had a very busy and tiring weekend for the weather was just terrific.

Glad to hear the letter reached you safely on Monday – am always a bit anxious when sending money, other than cheques and Postal Orders, by post because there have been many cases where the money has been taken and the letters delivered.

Noted Alec busy at Retford last week and again this. Turning out to be a big job getting in all the data required. Presumably the club you refer to is in connection with his radio activities. Not much time for that these days by the sound of it.

What a journey to Westcliff on Sunday! As you mentioned there were millions on the road. That area being very popular the roads would be terrible and like those we see on the TV occasionally. I would not like to drive a car under such conditions and would do everything possible to avoid such a journey but in your case it was the only day available. How many miles per hour did you do on the homeward run? Have never been to Epping Forest but have heard a lot about it one time and another. Query plenty of trees and consequently nice shade. Sorry Carol sick again in the car – perhaps it was the heat this time. Susan apparently all right now which is a good sign. They both had a grand time at Westcliff from what you say. Like Sarah on Weston Pier but the railway there is not 1¾ miles—hardly a quarter of a mile I would guess but they charge 3d per passenger for the ride.

Hard lines June having to wait a week for your birthday presents. In the meantime I expect Carol will find something for Mummy. Sounds too as if you have taken on a bit of baby watching having the neighbours’ children in all week. How did Susan and Carol take to that?*

As mentioned in last letter we had quite a nice time with Geoff and family over the Whitsun holiday and the place seemed empty after they had gone just as it does when you go back to Ruislip. Which by the way reminds us that it won’t be long now before you will all be down again. Too much to expect this weather to last but we do hope to have something more respectable than that experienced last year especially the day we went to Weston and to the Benns’ home.

We got Sara to post your letter last Thursday and she also called in at Elfords for an ice cream. Incidentally when Geoff, Stella, Rebecca and Sara called in there on the Whitsun Monday to get a few things including a bottle or two Alfred asked Geoff, Stella and myself to go through the shop to the back room where he drew nearly a tumblr full each of draft Bristol Cream Sherry from a barrel and gave us. Normally Stella apparently does not drink sherry and she just tasted hers and I had the rest including my own. Not at all bad. Alfred retails this at 17/6d per bottle (pint)** and it is certainly good value. When we next want a bottle of sherry I shall have to fill up at Elfords.

Had the misfortune yesterday morning at breakfast to break off two of the smaller teeth of the top plate of dentures which necessitated a visit to the dentist and I have to fetch them at 6:00 p.m. today. A bit awkward without them but as long as can get liquid nourishment, from a bottle preferably, everything is alright. Have no idea what caused the trouble as breakfast was not a ‘burnt offering’.

Had a letter yesterday morning from architect re: proposed sale of land. It said that application has been made to the Clevedon U.D.C. for planning permission to develop land at the rear of numbers 5, 6, 7 and 8 Tennyson Avenue. These are the numbers of the four houses concerned. Strange to say we saw Hoddell (Dawes and Hoddell Estate Agents) looking around the Avenue last Thursday afternoon and Cornish ascertained at he was looking to see if a road could be made to continue the Avenue through Cornish’s garden and across the river at the bottom of his ground. It transpires that at last Mrs Marshall is likely to sell her ground beyond the river right round to St Andrews Drive for building purposes. For years now she has been dead against selling any of her land but for some reason she may now part with some of it. Anyhow Cornish showed Hoddell around his garden and Hoddell asked if he would be prepared to sell any of the land so that development could be made on both sides of the river. Cornish told him yes but he (Hoddell) was not the first in the field. This made Hoddell look up and ask if anything had been signed yet and of course the reply was no. We are all now wondering which way the penny will drop because the Council will receive both applications and have a say in how the site must be developed. Maybe we shall be able to sell to the higher bidder. Extraordinary after 35 years in residence here these two ‘feelers’ should be made about the same time. One thing we are assured is that we shall be able to take all the fruit this year from the trees in the orchard part of our ground and the prospects as mentioned before are good. Incidentally June we picked our first strawberries on your birthday. Did your mouth water?

Have made another start on the pond and grouted out all the cement that was put in to repair job on the last occasion. Have now cut right through to the earth and Mr Palmer said he would come up tomorrow (Wednesday) to see what must be done now. Have got another cwt of cement and Compo-Seal towards the new work. Not much gardening because of the heat but have managed to put out some Brussels Sprout plants grown from seed and this afternoon Mum has been planting out the antirrhinums in the front garden. Our lettuces are over for the time being having bolted and gone to seed. Have some more planted out and this morning I sowed another lot and these should be available when you are here. Broad beans are five to six inches long already but must fill out more before can pick. Runner beans now going up the sticks fast. Tomatoes also growing well and most plants are showing fruit, some the size of golfballs already. Geoff was very interested in them.

Work still going on in the houses at the bottom of Avenue but tiles not yet on roof. They have had a wonderful dry spell for building.

How did you find your aunt and grandmother June at Westcliff? Expect your mum was glad to see them again and have the usual ‘natter’. When did Susan and Carol return to school? The boys and girls here went back this week I think. Clevedon was full up over the Whitsun with day trippers from Bristol and district – the front was crowded. We saw some of it this time because we walked along the front with Geoff and family and enjoyed the inevitable ice cream.

[Letter continues on Wednesday 12th June, 1963]

*I can’t think who this could have been as the Benns had moved to Weston-super-Mare and been replaced by the Robinsons, a young couple with no children. On the other side were the Grays, whose children were older and were more likely to have been asked to look after us! Opposite, though, were the Brades/Braids family, whose children were roughly our age and whose father, like Eric Benn, worked for the BBC. Otherwise I have no idea who June might have been looking after at this time.

**Adjusted for inflation and metric conversion, the current price of Harvey’s Bristol Cream works out at something like £6.50 per pint whereas 17/6d in 1963 would now be roughly £22.25. This can only be accounted for by far better and cheaper production methods in a vastly expanded market!