Middle Years

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I was born into a Conservative household, actually we were working class but had been duped into believing we were better than those who lived in council houses.  My dad was next to the boss, we actually lived in part of the boss's house, paying rent, just like council house tenants . My mother was a farmer's (tenant) daughter although she was also a mill girl, weaver, in Bamber Bridge .

I became 'superior', this was encouraged by the Grammar School.  We were told we were better than the secondary modern pupils.

Looking back as a prefect I was rather authoritarian but watching the 'workers' sprinting out of the works I suddenly realised I was no different from them.

My girlfriend became pregnant after our one and only coming together.  This to mea Sundya School Teacher was humiliating.

I met my first wife in hospital. I went in for a cartilage hospital, inside right knee - damaged playing rugby two years previous. She was the Ward Sister.

At the time I was one of those who professed and called themselves Christians.  I'd attended Sunday School from when I was very young at St. Saviour's Bamber Bridge, where my Mum and Dad were married and I was Christened.  In my mid-teens I became a Sunday School teacher at St. Johns, attended church at the Parish church, St. Andrews, and was trying to be a good Christian.

Norma was a Communist so there was an obvious clash of beliefs.

I had a Damascene moment and realised that communism was practical Christianity, note true communism not like the labels given to various governments around the world - "From each according to her/his ability and to each according to her/his need"

We were married on 28th January 1961. We lived with Norma's parents in Earl Street, Wigan.

Damian was born on 12th June 1961 at Leigh Hospital.  Alex was born on 30th August 1962 at home in Trafalgar Road Wigan.

I was admitted to the Young Communist League soon afterwards, I was ruled too young to join the Communist Party - I was 24 at the time!

I was given the job of Literature Secretary.  Norma's father said I was too young, the job should be done by a mature comrade but I was given it because the mature comrades wouldn't do it.

1962
This photo was taken for my election address for the local council elections. I suppose it’s the best portrait of me ever taken, I think the photographer was Elizabeth Wilding of Wigan . I was told the women in the local Tupperware factory voted for me on the strength of this, despite my politics!

I stood for Wigan Borough Council twice, first for Beech Hill Ward (I later realised I was a 'testing the water' candidate)

The candidate who should have stood for Beech Hill decided to do so after my result next year.   I was moved to I can't remember the ward name but it was south of Beech Hill.  

Around this time their was a tenants uprising and I was encouraged to get amongst them and 'lead' but I was an outsider and I didn't believe it was right for me t otry to usurp their movement.  With hindsight I can see that thye were right but I wasn' the right candidate at that time.

My parents voted Conservative. My Dad was a foreman mechanic with a road haulage firm and close to the owner.  My Mum was a tenant farmer's daughter and worked as a weaver in the New Mill at Bamber Bridge.  So having been brought up with Consevative parents believing the Conservatives were better people plus a Grammar School education I didn't belong anywhere,

My father-in-law said I should have contested Swinley Ward, the ward in which I lived.  It was the only Tory ward in the borough.  We were convinced that we could have got many of the anti-Tory votes but it wasn't to be.

As Literature Secretary I was persuaded to sell the Daily Worker on Saturday mornings. The daily Worker had an agreement with a local distributer.  I used to pick them up early on Saturday mornings and walk round the ward knocking on doors.  This helped me to become known and probably was the reason I did relatively well, the vote dropped considerably with the new 'local candidate'.

As Literature Secretary I used to cycle all round Greater Wigan selling the party literature, I can't believe how far I cycled now.

My first marriage broke up in 1967.  This completed my humbling and perhaps started my road to becoming a better person

I moved back to Leyland.

We were divorced on 7th January 1970.

Sue and I moved into a new bungalow on Croston Road, Farington Moss on 4th January 1970.

We were married in Preston Registry Office on the 12th June 1971. Susan had two children from her first marriage, they lived with us.

We're still together after 48 years, January 2018

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