The 40's And 50's.

A Memory of Outwood.

My Dad took on a job as Chaffuer to the Cordons, owners of Lofthouse Colliery in 1937, so I was one year old then. When war was declared my dad finished up as a fitter on the surface of the pit, he was also the ambulance driver and we lived in Deputy Row, proper name was Newstead Terrace, now gone a residential rest home is there now. I attended Outwood Ledger Lane school, Mr Murray was headmaster then, Mrs Westerman with her radar guided 5ft cane, Mr Smith his canes came from the Ash tree in the school grounds. It was always christened with the name upon whose backside the previous one was broken. I went to RGS (now gone in that form) until 1951 and started work as a clerk on the railway. Spent most of my time at Stanley handling the rhubarb traffic up to 50 tons a night in full season. Farmers were MacCauley, Humphrey, Wheatley, Teasdale, Jacques, Makin, Dalton just to name a few. 1954 I did my National Service with the RAF in the Suez Canal Zone during the troubles there. I came home in 1956. A year to the day that I left Egypt I set foot in New Zealand and here I stayed and did well for myself. I became a Chartered Accountant still with Railways and ended up as Asst Director Finance and Accounts in charge of EDP (IT).
Married twice, two children by my first marriage, both engineers. Retired in 1994 after 42 yrs service. Visited Outwood in 75, 81, 90 (my Parents died that year) 94 and in August this year. Caught up with old friends and to be honest I made the right move all those years ago. I live in a large house overlooking the Pacific Ocean, in a rural area noted for its Avocados, kiwifruit and Citrus fruit. My Outwood friends have spent time with us in NZ.
I enjoy catching up with old acquaintances.

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