Having Control

When things were as they should be.

Off to Barclays Bank In Attleborough, the nearest bank to our home in Old Buckenham, Norfolk. My father had always been a "Barclays Bank" customer, nothing to do with his middle name "Berkeley".

So I was forced to open my first bank account there as otherwise the monthly £20 cheque would not be credited by him to my account.

£20 was not generous but typical for my father, fair. I could afford enough petrol for the car (gallon was about 30p, I think)  and afford a daily half pint and plate of chips at the pub close to college.

I don't think I still have the stubs from my chequebooks but remember well, cashing cheques for £1.00 or in extreme cases £5.00.

I was to change my account to Midland Bank shortly afterwards on the suggestion of girlfriend Annabel, and haven't ever changed it even when it moved from the Midlands to Hong Kong & Shanghai.

And the reason for the morning bank visit to get the cash or rather traveller's cheques:  A holiday with Annabel to Greece in two days.

That afternoon I must have met up with Annie, and she possibly questioned if £25.00 was sufficient for a week's holiday. No all-inclusive rates back then. So off to Thomas Cook in Norwich and splashed out another £5.00.

I suspect Annie actually paid for more of the holiday expenses than I did, but do vaguely remember we were relatively careful with the cash and probably made rolls at breakfast and smuggled them out for our beach lunches as we were on half-board. We would look on enviously at the people sitting at the beach bar at lunchtime eating their grilled meat platters! She did allow me to splash out on water-skiing at least once.