To Ron Goodliffe A Trumpington Ploughman 1946 1958

A Memory of Trumpington.

My late father worked for the Pemberton Estate as a tractor driver from 1946 to around 1958.
I offer below, in his memory, an extract from the tribute I composed for his funeral in March 2005.

But, there was another love in your life,
by the name of Allis-Chalmers.
And you spent many hours alone in her company
as she ploughed each field with furrows.

As a child I’d sometimes join you on her ample bench type seat.
The constant roar of the engine and the screaming of the gulls
made conversation difficult
and I often fell asleep.

So you’d put your strong arm round me,
to stop me falling and getting crushed,
and we’d plough ‘till after sunset
then bike home through the dusk.

This is how we bonded...
a father and his son...
In silence...on a tractor...
the three of us as one.

Many hours I spent in your company
through all seasons on the farm.
The other workers called me Young Ron,
to which I proudly warmed.

You were such a gentle man,
moderate of voice and slow of hand.
You gained respect through love, not fear,
and sowed seeds of common decency in the minds of your two sons.

If you knew Ron Goodliffe, or indeed me - his son Brian - please get in touch via email: briangoodliffe@hotmail.com

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