Page 75 - It's a Rum Life Book One "In the Beginning 1947 to 1960"
P. 75

LOADING
               One of the main selling points of the “Dauphine” was their
            economy; quite capable of 50 mpg, I could make my £1 weekly
            fuel allocation from my £5 per week wages, last the whole week.
               (In 1964 “Jet” petrol was 5 gallons for £1)
               Time was marching on and we had to decide how to
            transport the team to Frieston, about 5 miles out of town.
               First of all the kit, boots and duffle bags went into the boot
            at the front!
               Then we began layering the boys in the back seat, some on
            the floor, some sprawled with others on top. We had a blanket,
            (a carry- over from driving older, colder cars) and this came in
            useful later to cover our load as we passed a row of Police
            houses down Eastwood Road.
               They were not all in yet though and there was Ruth and
            myself, the driver. I think we had two in the front with us and
            there must have been 9 or 10 in the rear.
               They were in and out so much trying to find the most
            comfortable formula; cubs coming in all shapes and sizes, it is
            difficult to remember exactly how many we carried.
               I vividly remember though, having to send some “supporter”
            cubs home, as at one stage we closed the doors to see how we
            could manage only to find the wheels would not go round!
               The suspension was nice and soft; so soft that the whole car
            body squashed down onto the wheels at the rear. I think we had
            to take two or three boys out before we could actually set off.


               AN UNLOADING SPECTACLE
               Needless to say the team lost this match as well. Well
            muddied but happy at actually being able to go and play, the
            boys were content. The return journey was uneventful until we
            parked the car in front of the Midland Bank and White Hart
            Hotel on the town bridge. Most of the boys lived in the western


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