THROWBACK THURSDAY?

Well, after all the wonderful comments, stars and hearts for yesterday’s blip - for which I am very grateful - and which is still at Number 2 on the Popular page this morning - it was back to the drawing board to see if I could find something for Throwback Thursday.  The only problem is that I don’t think this challenge is still running!  Arghhh

After searching for something, however, I decided that I would do my own Throwback Thursday and Mr. HCB was delighted when I came downstairs with this wooden cabinet - a pipe and tobacco cabinet given to his grandfather, Frederick Stone, by ASLEF - the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen - a British trade union representing train drivers, affiliated to the Labour Party,  which was founded in 1880, and of course in those days, they had to belong to the Union.

Fred, as he was known, was a train driver for many years.  He was born in 1874 in Chirton, a small village in Wiltshire.  He worked for the Railways and was obviously transferred to Swindon at some point in his working life.  Apparently, this photograph typifies his grandfather sitting in the deck chair in their garden, which he did for hours on end.  A very contented man!  

Mr. HCB says he used to tell him lots of stories about his train driving exploits - and often used to bring other train drivers home with him, without telling his wife - no mobile phones in those days - to stay overnight.

One story he didn’t tell was when he was in Newport, South Wales;  having taken his train down there, the following morning returning to his locomotive in the fog, he missed his footing and fell into the turntable, a device for turning a huge locomotive round.  Mr. HCB has always wondered if he was a little hungover from the night before!

The inscription on the top of the cabinet says “Presented to Frederick Stone, Swindon Branch ASLEF - June 1933.”  

Such wonderful memories of an excellent storyteller - Fred was retired for 30 years before he died in 1963 at the age of 90 and lived with his daughter, Joan - Mr. HCB’s mother and his father for the last 10 years of his life.   

“Nothing is ever really lost to us 
     as long as we remember it.” 
L.M. Montgomery

A HAPPY NEW YEAR to everyone - may you be truly blessed in 2016.