Page 9 - It's a Rum Life Book One "In the Beginning 1947 to 1960"

CHAPTER 1

1947 FIRST REFLECTIONS
After reading various entertaining biographies from famous
folk, I had thought that my early life was thoroughly
uninteresting and life as a teenager was largely dark memories I
would rather forget.
On reflection I thought again and came up with these
recollections.
My first was being three years old and a journey to London. I
eventually worked out years later that this had been the
honeymoon for my mother and father.
From that day until the time I married Ruth in my 21st year,
my mother never bothered to explain that the name on my birth
certificate was not the name that folk knew me by!
“Was this how other folk lived?” I thought.

And so my life continued in this strange half truth for years
and years.
………………………………………………………………………………………
I was born in September 1944 in Harrogate the well know spa
town in Yorkshire. The family seemed to have various houses
located about the most pleasant northern part of the town.
In fact, Mother’s side of the family was really well heeled, as
they say. We lived in 36 Dragon View, there was plenty of grass
everywhere around the town and still is. Grandmother was never
far away living in a neighbouring road, (Dragon Avenue).
From the very beginning she was my closest relative and
friend. Her particular passion for fire engines was a fond memory
of my early days, the fire station being only a few yards down the
road. On the days when I was in her care we frequently made
rapid journeys to watch the engines leave after the siren
sounded.

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