A year of mammoth changes , new responsibilities and liabilities.
This year saw the major change in my life with the prospect of marriage , buing a new property instead of just living there free of charge by Malcolm. He was also keen to get on with his other projects in Bath. Arranging the finance that that involved with the Bank ,I wasn't officially earning enough money to obtain a mortgage to buy the Maggs Hill building from Malcolm.. I had been able to use some of my compensation as a deposit of £2,000 toward it , I had used quite a bit of my £4,700 on equipment , shop stock , spares and building materials for the new Studio , and my reserves were going down rapidly.
Malcolm James had used my deposit for Maggs Hill to buy a property at Sydney Wharf in Bathwick , Bath. This run down three story Georgian town house was being used for storage. It required an electric supply and connection to mains sewerage etc. It had great potential to become bed-sits for student accomodation as the University was at the top of Bathwick Hill. I was to become involved with htis project as my electrical skills were needed to design off-peak heating , meters for each flat , communial lighting etc. My first triple consumer unit supply project , a steep learning curve for me , but I was young and confident ..no problem !!
We , (carole and myself ) had opportunity to spend time toghether on holiday with Malcolm and Hilary in a guset house in Weymouth. A lovley Victorian mansion converted to rental apartments with family ( 2 double bed ) accomodation on the first floor..Large stairs and landing , private walled garden right by the military Harbour in Weymouth near Portland. Much opportunity was taken by both couples to test the beds , and the off-license was close by , so a good time was guaranteed !
One memorable night was spent with a bottle of wine and a bottle of gin , Malcoolm was dressed up by Hilary in her best Orange "Baby Doll" nightie and we were making rather a racket.. The guy in the flat below us was shouting to keep the noise down , next minute he's on the landing banging the door down.. We shot off into the bathroom and left the scantily clad ample proportioned Hilary to answer the door. Never know a bloke be so apologetic when confronted by a near naked Hilary !! Phew .. well done Hilary !
The week flew by , the beds were well worn out that week , (and the grass bank by the waterside,) We did try a "Skinny Dip" at midnight , it was lovely that afternoon in the sun , but absolutely freezing at Midnight.! So , we all trooped back indoors in our swimming costumes and quickly abandoned fanciful ideas about romantic midnight swims. (How naive were we ?).
There was a sense of urgency in October , by this time Carole was showing a lump where no lump was previously. Her mother was showing concern about the lump too. So , we decided to get married in Batheaston registry office in Westgate Buildings. Malcolm , Gordon White , Don and my Mother & Stepfather Nobbie came to the wedding , Carole's parents would not come as it was not a "White Wedding" , not looked upon favourably in 1971 to be pregnant on your wedding day !...They gave us some money toward setting up home together.
We went to the "Berni Inn" by the Railway Station for our reception with just a few friends. On the way home to Timsbury we called in at the "co-op" in Third Avenue to pick up our new furniture , we had nothing for the guests to sit on oterwise !! No phots of that day . Don took the pictures o.k. but they got loast at the developers...Shame..
That was the eventful start of a very long and happy marriage , not the best star perhaps but it made us all the more determined to get it right. Our Son was born on 3rd. December this year , amid water leaks and collapsong wardrobes. ( another story ! )
I suppose the sharing of my Wife with another human being was difficult for someone so inexperienced to come to terms with. To have to prioritise differently was a major hurdle to surmoubt. I think I did quite well , my Wife Carole coped admirably with her new found responsibilities.
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