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1964

Horace Bachelor ..P.O. Box …(More about Horace in 1974)

 

K.E.Y.N.S.H.A.M …. Radio Luxembourg, 208 on the dial. My first investment was like a Tesco Special. A Blue plastic cased "Sobell" transistor radio. My Loves, Radio being one, Music the other, a sort of buy 1, get 1 free. (I was into free!, and my lifes love.) We spent many starry nights in the parks of Bath huddled around this radio. Eric Burden on the budget, the majority costing of 6/8d records was now solved!. My new found extended family at Ryland Huntley consisted of George Embelton (manager), Len Morris (chief engineer), Tom Sawyer, Phillip Head, Tony Wait (engineers),Mrs Mercer (accounts),another George ?(rentals), Margaret Rousell (office & sales) and Dot (another Dot) the Cleaner. (22 year old Margaret had the edge & bumps as far as I was concerned)

 

In the service of this upmarket establishment I was introduced to the wealthy patrons who desired (amongst other things) their radiogram legs to be tailored for tops to fit flush with window sills (yes, really!).

 

Famous name Radio and Television Equipment. Blaupunkt, Dynatron, Bush & Murphy polished wooden cabinets cosseted in the van with their red padded covers. We even had a French Polisher in Batheaston who fixed the odd dent caused by yours truly. My "first investment" was by now looking a bit "naff" and "low tech".

 

Hacker made a fine record player with Garrard LAB80 Deck, 10ix6in. full range speaker, 2 x ECL86`s output stage. .plenty of "ooomph!". Many weeks wages were spent building a "proper" speaker cabinet with "sound to light" feature. (6.3v rear bike light) I took over the front room with this broadcasting station ..Oh, didn`t I mention that I wired up the headphone jack on the radio to the amp in the record player?. Sorry about that.. another senior moment.

 

The push bike I had lovingly built was destroyed by a tree stump found in the "Dell" (Victoria Park) whilst following my friend?, (who knew it was there!). No sex that week then .. . Being a 16 year old of independent means, and owning a leather looking jacket, I became a "Mocker". (Another combination make do and mend role.) . Two wheelers in the 60`s were either "Mods" or "Rockers", I became both!, a "leather" jacketed Lambretta rider, no furry collared "parka" jacket for me!. This spray over L plated transport was thrashed around Bath and its environs for a few months until my Father died of a heart attack. This event marked a mew chapter in my life, a change of job, I was now required to become provider of the family purse. School haunts again, St. James Hall .. St. James Parade was where Wessex Electrical Wholesale was sited. Mr. Brown gave me an application form to fill in, and I was routed into the Electrical Department sales office.

 

" How many?, are you sure you want "warm white" tubes in your fittings?", my sales techniques were being honed, I was the one who would have to unpack 25 florescent light fittings and swap over the "daylight" tubes. Ivor was a lovely chap, he worked in the Radio Department, so many valves, a vista of valves and tapes!. I was introduced to Scotch, BASF and EMI, a means to store music. Bingo!, record player 0..Tape recorder 1, it was logical really, tape attracted me straight away. I was loath to see the "Hacker" go but progress we must. (Swapped out for drum set.) . A club book purchase provided me with an "Elizabethan" brand 4 track tape recorder of dubious quality. I do wish that I was still at Huntleys and staff discounts. By now I had discovered how to de-tune a radio I.F. to improve bandwidth, and how to improve "Q" factors in R.F. amp stages to obtain more signal at 208 medium wave. My own overgrown "Ipod" then, (circa 1964), told you I was technically advanced for my age didn`t I?

 

The winter of 1964 was upon me, "She loves you" was soon to become "She loves you not".

 

I was to be left with my music, to ponder about what it all really meant. I just didn`t know it at this time. My thoughts were of speed (not the drug) and the fast & loose girls that came with it. A Motor Bike for my seventeenth birthday would be something for next year perhaps.

 

                                                     

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The Third Job

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Girls are Us !

 

Wessex Mholesale Electrical at St. James Parade Bath. It was to be visited when my prescence at Ryland Huntley was no longer required.  I had an enlightening conversation with my boss, George Embleton, that both my performance nad my general appearence were no longer in keeping with my station as "Improver" in the up-market establishment at 15, Old Bond Street, Bath.

 

More like that my evolving character could be more readily acceptable to a rather different class of customer.  Those that could be found in the South of hte City , St. James Parade for instance.. "My friend Mr. Brown is looking for help at Wessex Wholesalers ,I'll let him know you'll be calling" , says George as a farewell to me dressed in my best jeans, leather jacket , greasy hair..

 

A far cry from the 15 year old smart suited , short haired clean cut youth he had interviewed in 1963.

 

I didn't mind , a change vwas needed anyway , and I was keen to sample the good life where money ruled , (Not that I'd had much of it up to now !). I'll stick with Wessex for a bit until my 17th Birthday and then join my future brother in law Colin Butler at Ernest Irelands.

 

Head down for a bit then, try not to wreck too much stuff , try and fiddle a bit here and there, explore the old building.  Lots of different fascinating departments.. Radio , (brill) , lighting , (nice legs), Electriical was for me , phone lines and sack trucks were my tool kit..A Scooter now to get to work and back , slightly drier than before .. but not fast enough yet !!

  Lambretta 150 LD
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