Ian Reid was getting interested in selling and possibly manufacturing bikes. He indicated an interest in opening an high street bike shop. I wondered if there could be any interest in doubling up and also have a fruit and flower shop, to try and get Lucy involved in something.
A double store was being let on the high street in Rushden. It was ideal, in that it had two separate front doors and a connecting door. We did the deal and opened up "Modern Cycles" and "Lucy's Fruit and Flower Shop"
I under estimated the difficulty in Lucy integrating with the public. She had a big problem speaking and some people where not comfortable with this, along with other disabilities. Courageous girl that she was, unfortunately after awhile we saw less of her in the shop.
I beefed up my Wisbech Auction runs and Ian brought in a selection of bikes and equipment. Our home grown tomatoes where a big hit at the store, as they had been at the market. When Ian had some slack time he helped out on the market. He must have seen something in it, as it became his occupation for the next 40 years plus.
We hired help to work the shops. During busy times we would also attend, but during the week, much of the time, it was quiet. If a serious prospect came into the bike shop, or if they where overwhelmed Ian was just minutes away.
During this time, my cycling aspirations where evaporating. To excel in any sport, requires dedication. My time was being spread too thin.
A young man started spending time around the bike shop, Ian Sharpe. He was keen on learning about cycling and started doing odd jobs for pocket change. He showed a desire to get into cycle racing.
Perhaps it was time for me to hang up my wheels and become a mentor.
Back at the nursery, the glass coverage had gone through considerable growth. Vast areas of commercial greenhouses where disappearing in the Lee Valley, as London growth exploded.
Auctions where held and buyers dismantled the greenhouses, re erecting them further afield. The typical 100ft by 30ft greenhouse sold at auction for £30.00. I brought 3 of them, giving me 9,000 sq.ft. more coverage.
You can see the ends of the first two, we erected on site, in the photo showing Mrs.Eden in the previous post.
The dismantling process was a site to behold. We took each pane of glass out, one at a time, loaded them carefully into the van, and did many trips back to Warmington. Then all the timber cross braces are removed.
Now the spectacular part, we tie a rope on the end of the ridge and literally pull the house down. It collapses like a deck of cards. Surprisingly they come down with very little damage. Don Cook sent a dump truck down each time to haul the timber back.
We then have to remove all nails and glazing pins and hard putty, rub them down and paint then. Great Winter work in the packing shed. No wonder Ken Butler decided to take a job in a factory at Thrapston. But he had been a great help and I really missed him, but I could not compete with factory wages.
Don Cook started several businesses. I introduced him to a mutual friend of Anne and myself Maurice Cumberworth. Maurice was involved in cycling administration, particularly using his organizational skill to create the Milk Race (Tour of Britain, which Ian Reid rode several times). He also ran an insurance business.
Before you know it a new insurance company appeared on the Peterborough scene " Marlow,Gardener, Cook,Cumberworth" It is still thriving today, with some name changes.
He also started a Haulage Company, and on occasion when short a driver I would jump in and fill the spot. I did several trips to Liverpool Docks with loads of grain. The only problem with that delivery was the waiting. You could spend 6 hours waiting in line at the dock, to get unloaded.
Ian Sharpe was keen to step into the position, so I met with his parents to discuss all the ramifications of him leaving school, which he was determined to do. We all hit it off real good and decided to give it a go.
Now my Wisbech auction runs became a lot easier. Ian lived in Rushden, minutes from the shops. so it worked well for him to accompany me and help load up all the produce, than back to the shops. We would stack all the boxes etc in the store then head out for a late steak dinner. After I would come back and set up the window display and stock the shelves.
Some nights I would not complete the display till well after midnight. Rightly or wrongly I felt I was exercising my artistic talents, but it did appear to influence traffic flow the next morning.
It was the furthest thing on my mind, but here's this cute little guy looking so pleased to see me, guess what?
One weekend we drove down to the Norfolk Broads and rented a little cabin cruiser. Kimbo was most apt at skipping around the boat with no fear of the water.
We convinced Ian's Mum and Dad and brother Neil to check it out, when they had a week's holiday due. We rented a larger boat and had a barrel of laughs, which was repeated a couple of times over the next few years.
We also all did a camping trip down into Europe, which was a lot of fun. One scary moment, I was driving on the autobahn in Germany at high speed, when the windscreen shattered. Fortunately I managed to make it across several lanes onto the shoulder without further mishap. But it changed our plans for the day.
They stayed for awhile at Warrenby, before moving to Setchells yard in Oundle, then out to Glapthorne.
Then construction was started on their bungalow in Aldwinckle, where Sally, sadly now widowed, still resides.
In the evenings he would often snuggle up against Dad's chair, as evidenced here.
At meal times he was Mum's dog, but as soon as I got up to leave, we where inseparable.
One day I picked up a load of gravel, in a pick up truck. When the loader dropped the gravel into the box, it scared Kimbo. After that he was upset whenever a stone or whatever would fly up under the truck.
Anne (now Anne Strangward) was a valuable help at this location. The amount of produce we where now handling, dictated acquiring a larger vehicle. So we brought a large second hand box van. Then Ian really took off, buying large lots of any item that was having trouble attracting bids, and selling at extremely low price on our stalls. It was a great way to attract customers, but a fine line to walk given the volatility of perishable produce.
One day I was driving down the hill near Barnwell with Ian Sharpe as we where playfully arguing about a cigarette. He reached over to grab it from me and I took my eye off the road. WHAM !!
Head on into a car coming from Oundle, where the road turns slightly left.
We where both taken to Kettering Hospital, fortunately Ian's injuries where superficial. But the material diagnosis was, that I had a broken neck.
I knew that Uncle Bernard (Mum's brother in law) was a Christian Scientist. I looked up to him and felt he always displayed a very pleasing demeanour. Kind of made you think "I want what he's on"
Mum and Dad came to the hospital and at my request got Uncle Bernard on the phone for me.
I asked him if he thought Christian Science could help me in this situation. His wise response was, he would give me the number of a Christian Science practitioner, in Peterborough. (Mrs.Johnson) He also indicated he would call his practitioner, to help him know the truth.
I spoke to Mrs.Johnson and immediately knew everything was fine. This wonderful lady prayed with me and helped me through this situation along with other challenges later.
Christian Science ever since has been a stabilizing force in my life. Wherever I travel The Bible and Christian Science text book go with me, being my most precious possessions. I start every day with my Christian Science Bible Lessons. Over the years I have been blessed with remarkable experiences. But like everyone else, I lack perfection, and have yet to reach the point where my faith can move mountains. One's experiences are relative to one's faith, which is relative to one's commitment. On occasion I have drifted from the fold, at my loss.
To people with great wealth, enjoy. But there is so much more.
I guess I have always had a somewhat unusual attitude towards money. Believe me, I recognize it's importance. There are so many things and experiences money can buy, but there are also priceless things and experiences, that no amount of money can buy.
Looking back over my years, there have been many times when I have had financial confrontations. They can stimulate one's creativity and elicit extraordinary activity.
This was one of those times.
Despite considerable growth, or maybe because of it, we began to experience a cash crunch. For several years we had been struggling with the clay conditions at the nursery. It is not without good reason the Fens are the heartlands of horticultural development, with their fine rich topsoil. We always managed to bring in a crop, but often not up to expectations, or a little too late to enjoy the highest prices.
Our retail endeavours where also falling short of projections (I'm still working on the excuse for that one)
So I started looking for ways to supplement our income.
We ventured into the Xmas wreath market arena. One of the properties we maintained at Awalton had two huge holly trees out back. These where trimmed for free, a few weeks before Xmas. We would shoot for 3,000 wreaths of various sizes, which I trucked down to the wholesale markets at Leicester and Coventry.
But this of course was very much a seasonal trade, although I did also make funeral wreaths, at any time, to order.
During a quieter period I drove for Patricks Haulage in Stanwick. They had very generous schedules to the far North including Scotland. If you put the pedal to the metal you could trim a three day run, down to two, but not return to the yard until the E.T.A. Of course you could not do it today with truck monitoring and limitations on hours etc. In case you wondered, this was quite honest. I was paid to drive from point A to point B in X hours which I did. If I spent some of the time working at the nursery, that took nothing from the deal.
One day I was returning to the haulage yard in the middle on the night, with a full load of sacks of grain.
I was bombing down Irthlingborough Hill at about 70m.p.h. when the near side of the truck dropped into a pothole or dip. The right side of the truck reared up, lifting all the wheels way off the ground on that side. I thought for sure I was going to roll. But after an agonizing 100 yards or so of animated suspension, the wheels returned to their rightful position and I made the final mile or so to the yard.
When I got out of the truck I saw the whole load had shifted, leaning about 45 degrees to the left. That says something for my roping skills in securing the load, if not my driving.
But despite the time I could make up on these runs, it was quite disruptive to our operation. I needed to find night work, that would allow me to continue with normal activity during the day.
A small bakery in Weldon was looking for someone to help baking on nights. It was a Father and son operation, Scottish guys. Not people I would choose to spend more time than needed with, but the schedule worked.
I would grab a few hours sleep in the evening, then head to the bakery. We baked bread and meat pies (Scottish pies). I can,t really say I enjoyed the work and can relate to Dad wanting out of the bakery, but it served it's purpose for awhile.
The next gig was a lot more fun. I joined the staff of the Strathclyde Hotel in Corby as a "Night Porter" I
didn't really do a lot of portering. I think a better description would have been "short order chef and bar man" I was entrusted with a liquor locker containing £20.00 worth of liquor. When guests called for room service I responded from midnight till 8.00 a.m. They could order drinks, sandwiches, coffee or whatever I could offer from the fridge. I was responsible to keep the liquor topped up but everything else was open ended, as I was using leftovers.
I could eat whatever I wanted that was in the fridge and sometimes there where some tasty treats in there,as Ian also discovered from the doggie bags. The only demeaning task was cleaning the managers shoes, that where left outside his room every night. Fortunately, not too many guests availed themselves of this service, being the end of an era.
Notwithstanding my night hawk endeavours, it became obvious as we approached the end of the Sixties, our business objectives where not going to be realized.
I discussed with Don Cook the possibility it was perhaps time for me to return to Canada. He had been looking at shipping farm tractors out there, due to considerable price differential and asked if I would run the Canadian end. This was not something of interest to me, but I did agree to be a contact for him, so he had some business cards made up for me. (Few years later stayed with me in Toronto when out on a business trip)
The last couple of years before my return to Canada, Ian Sharpe and I took on several landscape projects. One interesting account was a maintenance contract at a nearly spastics school. They had several acres, which included a playing field, ornamental gardens and a walled in garden with greenhouses. I had brought a Webb's cyclinder mower, which gave a superior cut, which was also appreciated by several higher end residential clients.
I felt with the ensuing transition in my circumstances, this would be the right time to rectify my lack of hair. I chose Don Cook to gauge a reaction, and he was most kind and complimentary.
So I was all set to fly back to Canada. My last foray into nocturnal enterprises was with the
Peterborough Co Op Society. They kept their fleet of vehicles in a secure yard across from the Hotpoint factory. Many of the vehicles where milk floats, along with officials cars and funeral cars. I would drive each vehicle to the washing platform and return it squeeky clean, to it's parking spot. On my last night I enjoyed a few extra laps around the yard driving the hearse with the radio full blast playing "I,m going on a jet plane, don,t know when I'll be back again" by Peter,Paul and Mary. This gave me time to put a little extra polish on the Walnut interior.