Page 14 - It's a Rum Life Book One "In the Beginning 1947 to 1960"

right, Alf, my Grandfather William, Peggy, Grandmother Daisy
with Ruth, far right Madge the eldest. My father not born until
1918.)

Back to the story in sequence and Father had been very ill in
his early life with Ankylosing Spondylitis. Most of the 1940’s was
spent in orthopaedic hospitals up and down the country, but
Mother and father eventually seemed to get together
permanently about 1946 or 1947.
Together and with the aid of the Grandmother’s family
finances they tried various different ventures. 1948/9 saw them
working on developing a taxi business. This was after a corner
shop venture that I remember participating in from time to time.
The shop was located at the top end of Dragon Avenue, on
the left hand side going down the road and just after a small
turning in on the left. I particularly remember bagging up sugar
bought in bulk, into those blue cones Unfortunately most of
their business ventures over the years seemed doomed to
failure and the taxis were the second of these.
There were two rather nice motors though, a Ford V8 Pilot
and the second a big 6 cylinder Wolseley just as you see on the
period Police films except ours did not have the large bell on its
bumper! Perhaps my keenly developed interest in cars and
anything with engines began here?
There are two memorable incident from this interlude.
One, which relates a very unhappy incident involving the
Wolsley car, I have removed in respect for a distant relative who
has read this initial script and expressed a strong desire for it to
be removed. The second, still serious but with amusing “bits”,
involves the Ford “Pilot”.

THE FORD V8
Mother had been to a local farm for eggs. All her life she

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