Reigate, Doods Road 1939 50

A Memory of Reigate.

My Granny and Grandad Weller, in their cramped semi, took me, my mum and dad, my brother and sister plus 2 billeted soldiers under their loving wing in 1940 and I can honestly say that was the most happy household you could ever wish for. We knew things were serious when they installed concrete mini pyramids in the street outside which apparently would stop tanks from advancing. And people flocked to Reigate caves to sleep the night, crazy on reflection, these are natural sand caves and I suspect one good wallop from a Doodle Bug that didn't get over the North Downs chalk cliffs would have caved the lot in, thank God it never happened. My father was an entertainer, a good one. Highly professional, Magic, Ventriloquism (he won the UK International Brotherhood of Ventriloquism Cup in the 1950s). He trained me up at the age of 7 to carry out a 15 minute performance on any stage magic using sleight of hand, I hated it but it meant that I did stand in front of 500 people in 1943 in Reigate Caves in full tail suit and patent leather shoes whilst Dorniers and Heinkels droned overhead. I could tell so much more, but I will not.