Bill's family business was an Ironmongers, in Hastings. I knew his sister, and also met his Dad a few times, because I was a regular visitor to his shop near The Memorial.
He used to sell everything from a single brass screw to a lawnmower. I used to buy all my Meccano from there when I was much younger, because he had a board up on the wall, which displayed all the parts you could buy! And he stocked them too!
Bill also had a shop in our village, Hawkhurst. I saw him there occasionally, and it was run with the utmost efficiency by Peter and Sheila, who managed the business for Bill. I spent a fortune there over the years!
Bill sadly died of cancer a few years ago, but I can still see him belting his pipe into huge wreaths of smoke, and laughing all the time! We had a chance to meet up in a very expensive bar in London a few years ago (Sorry chaps, it was a bit pricey, and not what we really wanted, I know), and Bill was there, and he had been to see his Doctor.
The next half-hour was spent listening to how the various tests were made, with lots of long needles being inserted everywhere, and how it damn well hurt etc., but, to tell you the truth, I'd like to listen to all that again now, as he was really a great character.
3 comments:
Bill and I were close friends for a while at Hydneye, and we shared a love of locks and keys. He showed me how to pick a simple Cheney lock (you just move the little metal lever under the front cover), and gave me lots of different types of key, presumably liberated from his Dad's shop in Hastings. I still have them, but my burglary career never took off.
He was proud of his locksmith experience Anon.
In the shop in Hawkhurst, Peter Newbold, who was the manager, was also a dab hand at everything security as well!
Did you ever go round the back of the Hastings shop? It hadn't been altered for years, and was still a rabbit warren of shelves and cupboards!
I'm pleased to see that one of the houses they have developed out of the old shop in Hawkhurst, is called Mozley Cottage, so there will be a bit of history enshrined there.
I once had to referee a match when Bill was playing on NFS (Remember Near Field South?), and Bill came up all seriously and explained that he would only tolerate my being in charge, for as long as the game went on!
Exit deflated Mike A...
Patrick Evans, the favourite master, lent me his whistle for the game, and he was a thirty a day man as well...
Sorry Mike, that was me, forgetting how to leave my name!
Simon
Post a Comment