Stafford 1940

A Memory of Stafford.

My family moved back to Stafford in 1940. Dad would go off on his bike to English Electric most mornings and did Home Guard some nights, it was quite a sight him on his bike, two rifles over his shoulder and he was 17 stone, big man ! He even found time to captain the English Electric cricket team and be landlord of the Royal Oak !

I would take my little brother to school on the Midland Red. Later I played rugby for Stafford thirds until I was called up for National Service.

Did go back in 1980, spent a lot of time in the library next to the Odeon, William Moss came to Stafford around 1855 was a builder, coal merchant, had a wharf next the Brine Baths and later a railway builder ( including Queensville Curve ). Percy Moss was an Alderman but died in 1918 so Granny moved to Doxey with her four children including my Dad.

There was a big turnout for dad's funeral at Castle Church in 1955, he had been captain of Stafford Cricket Club, landlord at the Royal Oak and the Staffordshire Gentlemen sent a wreath in their colours and in the shape of a cricket bat.

Mum later was landlord of the Greyhound, Yarlet. Died in Stafford in mid 1970