Page 25 - It's a Rum Life Book 3 "Ivy House Tales 1970 to 1984"

Those Jaguar engines were quite remarkable, far ahead of their time in design and
normally needed very little general attention. Despite its 14 years, that Blue Jag hardly
missed a beat during that journey, but on arrival at the family home it just had that uneasy
lumpy feel on tick over that told me I had overdone it!

The end result was a chipped exhaust valve caused by too high revs on the long straight
road through Deeping St Nicholas
I don’t know what I thought I could achieve by even getting their. There was just mother
and grandmother in the house so I think moral support was important.

Jane my sister only lived down the road as it were, in Peterborough and was soon on the
scene.
I had not been “speaking” to Mother for a year or two and unbeknown to her my Father
had recently been calling quite frequently at our home just north of Boston as his official
Post Office Telephone business had taken him into our vicinity.

He had an official driver and car provided at that time as his ill health prevented him driving
on official business.
Was it fate taking a hand that had enabled him to call and see us in those last few weeks?

By the very next morning I had decided I could not stay in the house with three women for
long and phoned Fred, my boss to tell him I would be resuming my work, but perhaps for a
few days it would not be quite so well organised.

The funeral took place at Peterborough Crematorium.
I knew he was well liked but was still staggered to find the building was filled to overflowing
by his work colleagues and friends.
My father also loved his cars and the Blue Jag, something he had never managed to own
himself, was my choice for attending the funeral as a token of that.

THE FOLLOWING YEARS
I had the engine repaired. A new set of valves in the cylinder head and it was as good as
new.
Next to the Firestone company car, a mark one escort 1100, the Jag was always our
chosen transport for private use and Ruth used it for all her personal commuting to and
from work
It was on one of these journeys that the Blue Jag met its match.

The location was the car park of Pilgrim Hospital at Boston where Ruth was working in the
operating theatres. She was leaving for home one day and just manoeuvring her way out
with the sun in her eyes when a huge four wheel, 16 ton dustcart found itself right in her
path.
Whether the Jag hit the dustcart or vice versa I never did quite work out but the eventual
result was that the 18 year old Jaguar eventually drove away and the dustcart was
immobilised!
The collision had been just behind the cab of the dustcart and the Jag had been so badly
dented its front wing was crushed up onto the front tyre. The wheel would not turn.
The collision dented the lorry diesel tank and also severed the fuel line, the dustcart was
then proclaimed un-movable!

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