My HomeTown 
Crossgrove Road was in a housing estate newly built and my first school was a Parish church one consisting of two rooms. Memories of my early days are few the most oustanding one being getting my father's strap across the backside for lying about a day missing school.
The 1926 General Strike which almost turned into Revolution had a profound effect on conditions for millions of people. Sharing rent with my mother's brother and family was no doubt the reason for our move in 1927 to a three storey house in Sefton Road, Walton. A large kitchen which lead out to a high walled garden had small bells on one wall which had been used to ring for servants by the previous tenants. There was no electricity but gas lamps and I had to use candles in my bedroom in the attic.
It was here I started violin lessons and reached a standard that I could play any piece of music. I stopped playing at age 12 and never touched Ia violin since much to my regret. I learnt later that it was pressure of homework was the reason I stopped. I suspect the sale also helped pay the College fees.
My father was a brilliant mathematician but lacked ambition so made slow progress is the workforce. Athletics, Politics and Unionism were his interests and the house was always full of clocks, barometers, suitcases etc. etc that he won at Athletic meetings which we attended in Lancashire and Cheshire.
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