First of all, I would like to say on behalf of Garth, myself and all the family, thank you for all your cards and letters of sympathy. The collection at St Andrew's Church for Prostrate cancer, and Gladstone House amounted to £240. Thank you again.
Dad's parent, .a policeman and a nurse at. Kirkby Stephen, moved South in the-early 1900's to Bexlyheath, Kent just South of the Thames in East London.
Dad was born there on 11th February 1914, followed by 2 sisters, Jennie and Belle. Dad went to school there until the age of 13, before leaving and going to work in the local slaughter house - the start of his butchering career.
From what we learn, he was not exactly teachers pet. His Mum bought him a piano when he was 7 but ,he "fell out" with his music teacher. He did however persevere with his music and by the beginning of WW2 he was leading his own 10 piece band playing accordion called "Tommy Steadman and the rhythmic rascals". Dad always said with a wry smile that the highlight of his long musical career was when his exasperated music teacher joined Dad's band playing saxophone.
For some reason though even having been born in the South he always wanted to come North. His parents used. to "Post him" on his own in the guards van at Kings Cross Station giving instructions to the guard to throw him out at Darlington. Auntie Poly who lived, at Darlington would, put him on the train to Kirkby Stephen. He stayed with Grandma or other relatives and on one occasion made it to his Uncle Tom's farm Clayiands at Ravenstonedale. The very same farm he bought 35 years later.
While still living down South rumours were rife that WW2 was about to erupt and so Dad, along many others went to join up. The queue he joined was for the Navy but, at the last moment they'd got enough for now so, he moved on to the RAF. Just as well as he said he could feel sea sick on Windermere Ferry. Training was everywhere but. Chipping Norton in Oxfordshire stands out as this is where he met Mum who had joined the WRAF's.
They were married at West Wickham in Kent June 10th 1944. Heading North for the Honeymoon in the middle of a bombing raid they spent the first night in a train that was shunted a short distance out of the London station as the station was being bombed.
Mum was his inspiration, backup and love of his life and never left his side for the next 60 years. They never stopped holding hands and thinking of each other. He missed Mum so much when she passed away two years ago.
Part of Dad's career in the RAF was as
tail gunner in the Lancaster Bomber. On returning from one mission, the crew were told to smarten up before leaving the plane. Just a well as they were presented to the King, the Queen and daughters. Dad gave the young teenage Elizabeth (now our Queen ) a bunk up into the Lancaster for a look round.
He was also involved in the development of the dam busting bouncing bomb. Returning from a drop with a practice bomb made out of wood that had ripped the bottom of the plane out the crew were presented to Winston Churchill, Barnes Wallace and Antony Eden.
With the RAF, Dad was moved out to the South West of Russia ,Now Kazakstan then over a period of time back to the French coast via Persia (now Iran) Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Jordan, the Nile at Cairo and across into Sudan .He took a camera with him and we have an amazing collection of pilot photographs of the local people and places of that time.
Dad's parents were now retired and had moved hack North to a farm cottage
at Lythside, Ravenstonedale. They were joined by Dads two sisters and
sister in law, all with very young children each and Mum expecting Garth.
Raven Frankland took Mum into Helm Chase where Garth arrived.
Letters were written to each other and often arrived in bundles.
Dad's Mum and Dad bought Wagon house at Brough and moved there with Mum and Garth.
Dad was quite poorly after the war and was in Carlisle hospital with Meningitis. Mum used to hitch a lift with Frank Alison's wagon drivers to visit him.
1947 saw Mum and Dad buy a house at Soulby with 2 acres. The front room was converted into a corner shop with Mum re-selling goods bought at Kirkby Stephen and looking after Dad and Garth. People used to bring pianos to the house and Dad used to repair them when he felt up to it.
1948 Saw another move to a 20 acre small holding at Newby. Just a few weeks before Dad died, I took him back to look around and we spoke to the present owners.
1950 saw another move to a larger farm at Ireby. 24 acres and 14 cows. Dad scythed the meadows, the roadsides and the churchyard for hay. I arrived on the scene. The hard work seemed to make for a loving contented life. Amenities were fairly basic. Water was brought up in buckets from the beck, left to settle and then used. A tin bath in front of the fire and all washing in the pot sink out back.
1955 saw Claylands farm at. Ravenstonedale come up for sale after Uncle Tom the tenant collapsed and died. at an early age.
Uncle Dick. (a butcher; wanted to buy it and so did Dad. A few eyebrows must
nave been raised when Dad outbid him at the sale. Amenities were better here. Still no bathroom , kitchen, lighting, lino. television, phone, etc. but, now no need to go to the. beck for water. Mum could use the brown sink with the brass tap stuck in the hole in the wall outside the back door.
Garth and I were very fortunate to be brought up where there were no locked doors and everybody was made welcome. True there were no carpets on the floor and no money to buy extras but the fire was always on and a bit of home baking in the pantry.
Dad still pursued his music and played for dances weddings funerals or anything. Out to make a few bob.
Along with Bob Cooper and Bill Vanstone they formed The Silver Stars. Two accordions and drums. Square bashing. Proper dancing as Dad called it not just wiggling your bums about.
Typically the night out would be like the village hall at Mucker .No electric. Everybody brought a tilly lamp.As the dancing went on into the early hours the people gradually went home until it got too dark to play so they all went home.
Dad would return home and start to Milk. Mum would tell him off because there was always a cow with a difficult calving when he was not there.
As they played the dance tunes they often used the song 'My grandfathers clock' as a link while one of them got the next sheet of music up. Well one day Dad and Mum were invited to a wedding as guests. On arriving an usher said "your a bit late Tom. Half the guests are in." Of course Dad was supposed to be playing the organ, not just being a guest. With not much music to hand Dad managed the Hymns but had a mental blank when it came to the Wedding March. The bride and groom left the church happily married to the sounds of Dad playing "My Grandfathers Clock".
The Silver Stars played the opening night of the Sedbergh People's Hall and they played there quite regularly. This year will be the 50th anniversary of that opening night. I think there is going to be a bit of a celebratory bash later in the year.                                                             Select to Continue