Pass

My father came from a Norfolk farming family. He was born in 1913 at Fir House, Hellesdon, Norwich and the family were involved in farms around Norwich but also on the coast at Bacton where later the big North Sea gas terminal was built.

During the 1930's most of the world was going through various financial and political crisis, amongst the worst hit farmers. My grandfather told my father there was no future in farming and he had to learn a different profession. He studied to be a chartered surveyor and here in the Blip the letter telling him he had passed the exam.

I assumed he completed the forms as shortly after this he was to volunteer for the army and was sent off to India, not returning until 1946.

My father and I never discussed this but I am pretty sure that he was very disappointed about not being "allowed" to be a farmer. It was certainly something he loved. He was to have the luck that after the war and officially employed as a chartered surveyor, he actually spent much of his time involved in running farms, albeit in tropical lands.