Introduction

This book is about my life growing up in Bispham Village from 1938 to 1958 then getting married to Bridget Delia White on the 29th March 1958 age 20 years. We then moved to live in Carleton, Poulton-le-Fylde about two miles away.

In writing my memories of this period my aim and intention is to tell the facts, to tell true stories and not to exaggerate them. I will not reveal real names if stories could lead to embarrassment to a family or relative. None of my stories will be based on rumours and no confidential information will be written, "no telling tales out of school".

I started to write at the age of 82 years in November 2020 during the lockdown of the Covid-19 pandemic, finally completing these memoirs in February 2022. This project began with my thoughts of having had a very involved working life and I started to research all my employment over the years. From a young boy I seem to have collected every piece of paper, document and item that I was given during my lifetime, backing up my memory of events over many years.

On starting to write my memoirs of work I quickly realised my stories overlapped with other events and my children encouraged me to tell some of my other stories. So I decided to start at the early stage of my memories. Thus, whilst writing this I was reliving my life minute by minute. Consequently, I have put pen to paper with the outcome of some approximate 800 hand written sheets for this book detailing my memories and experiences.

One of the lessons I've learned from writing these memoirs is how much we all have in common, so many of us think certain things only happen to them and somehow they make us less of a person. Whilst writing down my memories and experiences it has given me a knew perspective, memoirs are about handing over my life to someone else and saying this is what I went through, this is who I am and maybe you can learn something from it. Honestly it's sharing what I think, what I feel and what I have gone through. If I can write this effectively then somebody may get the wisdom and benefit of my experiences.

I have very fond memories of growing up in Bispham Village which was very similar to Victorian times. Our Ivy Cottage in the village had cobbled stone walls and used to have a thatched roof, although this was a bit before my time. Some of Mill Cottages were over 300 years old. Pye's Farm had its shire horses, rotating crops, burying fodder for winter feed, ploughing and harrowing fields, leaving fields fallow, making butter and cheese and a very old-fashioned milking parlour. I remember our local blacksmith, Mr Henry Proctor who lived not five minutes from our house.

All in all, I consider myself to have been a very fortunate chap, experiences growing up stay with you all your life. By writing this book I hope to pass on some of these memories to my children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Memoirs: a collection of memories, stories and facts experienced in my life. My memoirs contribute to this recorded history and are a legacy to my family, friends and the world.

Some of my stories relate to the mischievous things I have done and I hope you will forgive me for them. Is the world ready for my stories?

I would love to hear from you and have a chat about my book and memories you may have. So please do not hesitate to contact me via the contact page on this website. Thankyou