Cliff’s Bio - Cliff Meets Babs!

The time was late August early September when at the end of the day the sun is still quite warm, but low on the horizon. I think that Keith Johnson and I had been playing billiards in the “Club” and were now contemplating what to do and where to go etc etc. We were sitting on the “old folks forms” which were situated at the bottom of Sutton Lane, opposite the Cheshire Cheese pub, on Lewin Street and talking about nothing in particular. When on the other side of Lewin Street was a quite stunning image of a female, walking in the direction of the Cheshire Cheese, having just got off a bus (I was later told) and going up the street towards (I was later told) a birthday party for Cathleen Platt. I had lived in Middlewich for most of my life and had not seen this person before so I turned towards Keith and said “Who is that walking up the street over there”.

Picture of "Babs" aged 16 at the back of Lewin Street.

Keith said he did not know her name, but had seen her out with her mate before, and he knew her mate’s name and where she lived.

Picture is "Babs" age 17, 6 Cross Lane.

  Her “mate” as it turned out during this discussion was one called Josephine Wakefield, who lived in Cross Lane, Cledford. We were yet to find out who this “other person” was and how we could arrange, if at all possible, to have a “date” with her.

  The “date” was dully arranged and we met, the four of us, somewhere between Cledford and Middlewich, on or about the 17^th September 1956.

The “stunning female image” I had seen that late sunny August day was none other than Miss Barbara Elaine Evans, of 6 Cross Lane, Middlewich, Cheshire, who was still 14 years old, her 15^th birthday yet to come on the 3^rd October 1956.

I was by that time 15 years old, my birthday having been in January of that year.

Picture near "Blue Bridge" at 18 years old and posing in Wales.

We have now been together since that time. On that particular night we just walked down the main road to where Cashes Garage is still and went down Brooks Lane until we met up again with Keith and Josie in the town, somewhere.

Picture of Barbara with the "in-laws" (although not married yet!), Phyllis and Cliff.

After that first time we met on as many occasions as we could, that not being too many as Barbara had a very strict “home life” and was not at all free to do as she pleased. The main night we met was on Sunday as this was the night that she normally went to the main church in the town centre for evensong. This continued for some short time until we were eventually “found out”, that is to say that the parents of Barbara were informed, some-how that she had been “seeing a boy” from Middlewich. Having got over that problem we now began to see each other on a fairly regular basis. I was able to go to her house in Cross Lane, and Barbara coming down to 68 Lewin Street, mainly on a Saturday night to look after my younger sisters and the “Dolan” family whilst Mum and Dad were at the “Club”. We would also go on many walks, when we could and to the local “pictures” on a Friday night, having stocked up with “chocolate brazil” nuts from “Waltons” sweet shop on Wheelock Street. (Now the Wine bar). Saturday nights became to be special nights. This was the time when we were still dancing, in the main, to the large bands. “Baileys Band” was normally on at the Middlewich Town Hall and we would also have the USA airmen from Cranage Camp in attendance. This was where we both became very proficient at dancing to the “big band sound” and the new dancing of “ROCK and ROLL”.

We would get to the dance hall at around 8 o’clock and dance until they threw us out at between 12 and 1.00am. No drinking, no drugs, just good old fashioned dancing,  and having a good time with your mates. (This is where we used to meet with Maurice Higginson and his girl friend until his early death, as mentioned earlier). We also would meet and dance at the next town hall in Sandbach with them and others. He was such a nice person. We would also go to the latest “new venue” in the area to dance. This was the “Morg” or Northwich Memorial hall. There, as in all of the other dancing venues it was to LIVE bands, local small bands and also quite large bands, eg Accea Bilc. 

So there it is, this is what Barbara and I got up to in our earlier years together, and we did have some fun.

  We also went to visit relatives in HULL for short holidays (Barbara’s sister who’s husband was in the Air force in Germany) Christine, and we also went to visit Uncle Albert in Merstham in Surrey. It is whilst staying there that we had a visit to London and Brighton and there are photos to prove it.

One other of the major parts of our earlier years together was Barbara’s involvement with the “STARLIGHTS” concert party. This is also where we met and had good times with our recent “New Find” friends, Alice and Bob Garner.

We would go out on some Wednesdays \ Fridays \ Saturdays with the concert party and Barbara and Alice would perform their singing and dance routines with other members of the team. These concerts were for charity and they were only paid expenses. The expenses were then saved by the co-ordinators of the group to be spent once per year on a day out. Eg Formby and then Liverpool for a meal and concert (Lonnie Donegan at the Odeon theatre) was one of the turns we saw. These times live very well in both of our memories as we had such a good time. Bob and I were the “prop movers” at most of the shows, however it was the sandwiches which we had to move more than often. Good times. This we both did until we were finally married in 1962 and it was at this time that the concert party decided to finish for other reasons.

Pictures of Babs and Cliff at Ron and Joan's house for a Xmas party and  a social meeting at the Crabtree's house for the "Starlight's". 

During this time, as I have said I started to work as an apprentice for J & J Stubbs in Winsford Cheshire. Whilst at this small company I started to go to college. This was in order to get some academic qualifications to back up my qualifications from school. Ie NONE. This is when I started to want to do better than just to work “on the tools” so to say. I then started to go on day release for one day, and in the first year FOUR nights per week. Three of these were at Hartford Technical College and one at Middlewich Night school. Therefore, I was to “bike” to work and back each day to Winsford, get cleaned up at home, have my “burnt Fryup” and “bike” all the way and back to Hertford tech, go to bed, start all over again. I would NOT have been able to do this without the support of Barbara and in the end it did pay off with an HNC in Electronic and Electrical Engineering. This I actually finished AFTER I had been married for some 2\3 years. I left J&J Stubbs some time in 1957 and then obtained a position with Westinghouse Brake and Signal Co Ltd. This was working on the “Electrification” of the Crewe to Manchester and Crewe to Liverpool railway, as a junior technical assistant trainee. A position which allowed me to continue to study at Hartford tech and obtain much £££££ for overtime for marriage and a house and then family. With this position I had a very brief spell ( 6 months) working in London at the company HQ in York Way, Kings Cross. I lived at that time with my uncle Albert and family in Merstham, Surrey. I then found out the cost of housing and what the London staff were being paid and told the “boss man” to lick em and stick em as I was going back to me Barbara, with or without a job. He was however keen to keep the lid on the facts I had unearthed and got me a job back on the Liverpool to Crewe job where I continued to earn much ££££ for the wedding and house. When this “job” had been completed with Westinghouse at Crewe and Liverpool I was informed that I would have to consider a move down south again. I again said NO and obtained a position with STC, still working in the North and getting day release. YES. I stayed with this company until after I was married, working locally, until I had the necessary qualifications to get a position with English Electric Computer Systems at Kidsgrove, Staffs.

  I started to work for them in 1964 and stayed with them until 1980.

I had said earlier that I did not do very much work at school as at the time I did not feel as though this was very interesting, and that I would find out later that this “lost” time at school would have to be made up somehow. I found out whilst working at J&J Stubbs that ALL of the other apprentices were taking night school courses that were applicable to a life “working on the tools”. This did not appeal to me at all and for the first time in my short life decided that to get on in life I would need to put more into it, particularly as Barbara was showing me the way by getting 7 “O” levels at the Grammar school. Finishing school as “top girl” and 3^rd highest in the year. Barbara was then 16 and started to go to work at F Coupe and Sons Ltd, on St Annes way in Middlewich. Her school teachers were rather “put out” that she had elected to go to work rather that to university, but must admit that I was not at all interested in her going anyhow as we had decided which way we were going. [This was the time also, as we had just started to see each other as much as we could, that we started to have our lunch together at Ma Astles (this was just opposite J&J Stubbs on the High Street).]

I then decided that I would take the ONC \ HNC course at college as this would by much more beneficial to our futures. However, as I had NO qualifications at all I could not get onto that course unless I had passed some other preliminary examinations. (Students from Grammar Schools were able to go straight onto the ONC \ HNC course from school.) That is why therefore that in my first year at college (part time day release and night school) I went 4 times per week at night school, 1 day release. However, this was to some good as I was able to put 2 years into 1 and provided I passed all of the exams at the end, next term I was eligible to start on the ONC \ HNC course. With full support from Barbara, who at this time was now working at F Coupe and Sons and running the “despatch dept”.

This course of action was to pay off, as I passed all of my exams, with very good results, in some of the subjects, not all, and was now able to sign onto the higher technical courses at the now “new” Hartford Technical college, in Hertford Cheshire. I was now on the 1^st year of the ONC technical course (3 year course) to get my ONC, provided I passed the exams each year.

Nice Note:-

Whilst in the first year of this course I was approached (in the college corridor) by the Head of the College. He asked if I would like to transfer to Manchester (Salford) University, as this college had just been re-registered as a University. He said (and I was quite ready to believe him at the time, but on reflection he was just trying to make up numbers !!!) he was quite impressed with what I had been able to achieve from “zero” qualifications on leaving school to now being on the 1^st year of the ONC course after just 1 year, with reasonable results in my exams and current course work. However, I had a good job, or so it seemed at the time, was getting plenty of ££££ for our future and was quite happy with where I was at the time and turned down his offer on the spot. He did say that if I changed my mind then get back to him etc etc, however I did not and have never had any regrets about this. (I would have probably failed quite miserably anyhow). It was bad enough, at the time, trying to keep up with the pupils from Grammar School in my 1^st year of the ONC course. I did not feel at all suitable to compete with the “higher qualified” Grammar School and privately educated students that would be at “Uni”. This is probably the reason I turned his offer down. It was nice to be asked, from where I had been, just a short time ago leaving Middlewich with a “non points”. College was then part of my (and Barbara’s) life for the next 5\6 years. I was still going to College when we were married for perhaps 2 \3 years, part time of coarse.

I did pass every year, except one. This was my first attempt at the ONC exam. However, I took it the following year and passed AOK. Two more years and I had finally got the “all important” (to get any decent job anyhow) HNC in Electronic and Electrical Engineering, with a Credit and Distinction pass.

Whilst doing my college work I had many friends, most of which I cannot remember, by name. The “College End of Year” photo is the only record I have of this time, but many memories. My best “friend” at college was John Thompson, from Sandiway, Northwich Cheshire. He did not complete his final HNC year studies but left to go to sea as a junior engineer. He said the course was getting him down and anyhow “the sea was in his and family’s blood”. We did see him from time to time, at our new home in Hayhurst Avenue, Middlewich, and he did bring back Garry a very large “Teddy Bear” from one of his trips to Mombasa. Where is he now, I wonder. He is also one of Garry’s God Parents.

I did NOT bike to college all of these years as I passed my driving test when I was 17 and from then on I was lucky enough to have some form of 4 wheel transport. Not that I bought any of it.

Granddad Buckley (Mums Dad) had an old ex Co-op funeral car that he was not in a position to drive, don’t know why. This will do for starters. I was quite popular at college with this and used to drive my mates to college in it, when I could get it going. I had to take the battery down to Cash’s Garage each time I used it to get it charged up again and put it back on. Not an easy task as the battery box was under the car, not nice when it is cold and raining! Next, I got Dad to buy the next ex car from the co-op, still 17 years old. This was more “up class” being a good condition “Humber Hawk”. I was still by that time some 4feet XXX and could just about see over the dashboard. Good fun with the police in town as I would go through quite fast, in low gear, they could not see me too well. However, they were quite suprised when being stopped they found out I had not only a licence to drive the car but was fully insured as well !!! Yeah.

The car can be seen on the college photo, in the background. It was RED and very comfortable, ask Barbara. We used it quite often to go out with the “Starlights” on our charity shows. We also went into Wales with this car, pictures to prove this, and a number of times, also to the Lake District (no motorways then) it took a long time. We also went to Blackpool in this car and when in the Tower did the “dance” in the OLD Tower Ballroom. It was destroyed by fire some time afterwards but has now been restored to its former glory.

  Now working for Westinghouse Brake and Signal Co Ltd, in Sandbach, and with a licence, I was able to have their transport (well it needed looking after in the evenings and weekends, didn’t it ???). This was a Morris mini Bus. Thirteen seats, WOW. Barbara and I put this to good use, and the only problem was that I had to run the “men” around in it during the week at work. Well isn’t that difficult.

  One time, coming back from “Shopping” and the pictures one Saturday afternoon we were taking a short cut from Wheelock through to Ellworth, the back lane.

Mrs XXXXX, well some Lady XXXX (that’s for real) came out of a side road, from the left (it is still there). I fortunately saw what she was doing and went over to the other side of the road (not much traffic in those days) to get out of her way. However, she still did not see us and hit Barbara’s side of the bus, just behind the door panel. This resulted in the whole side of Barbara’s side being “removed” from the bus. The other car had most of the front also “removed”. Another 6 inches or so nearer to the front of our bus would have removed both Barbara and myself for ever !!!. We were not going slow, but not too fast either, but the Morris mini Bus would have been completely destroyed. It was nearly a right off anyhow. I went to the police to complain about her driving. We heard no more !!!

However, it was repaired and I went on to drive it many times after that.

  The time, working for Westinghouse, was put to good use, and enabled Barbara and me both to save enough to get engaged at eighteen years old. I also was able to buy Barbara an eighteen-carat, gold watch for her eighteenth birthday.

She wore this “for ever”, long after we were married. However, it appears to have been lost in the perhaps “house transfers” during our time together. We decided to get married when I was twenty-one.

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