The Andrews / Hebblethwaite family tree

Next came NATIONAL SERVICE, in July 1947. Because I had been in the A.T.C I was accepted into the R.A.F.  With a small case and clutching my travel warrant in my hand with my first day's pay (four shillings or 20p) in my pocket I left Nottingham via the Midland railway station to go to Padgate, which was the RAF's intake station. We were issued with our uniforms, had our photos taken and received our pay books and ID cards. After 10 days our intake was transferred to West Kirby in the Wirral for basic training (square bashing).   We were met off the train by the RAF station band. As we marched about three miles mainly uphill and just before coming to the camp the band struck up "You'd be far better off in a home".  It was here I met Tony Driver from Kettering, who later broke a bone in his foot on a squadron run.

 

No one was allowed out of camp for ten days until we had learnt to look like airmen; and off we went to New Brighton and Hoylake, both holiday resorts. We all had to take an aptitude test and apply for a trade. I applied for Pay Accounts, or Equipment Accounts or Clerk Special Duties. I actually got Equipment Accounts and was sent to RAF Credenhill, Hereford for trade training. But not before we were given seven days leave, this was the first leave we received and Nottingham looked really good.  After passing the trade test I was promoted to a trained AC2 and I received six shillings (30 p) per day, later becoming automatically AC1 this was increased to 6s. 6d (32 ½ p). I missed being an LAC by 2%.

 

I was posted to RAF Pershore and starting to work in Equipment Accounts. The first weekend I was there I thought I would try my luck at hitch hiking; I started out with 1s. 6d (7 ½ p) in my pocket which was still there when I got home, I had to catch a tram out of Birmingham and the conductress wouldn't take my money. The war hadn't been over very long and people gave servicemen lifts and I hitch hiked home most weekends straining the rations at Spalding Road. Whilst at home on one these weekends I went with brother Tony to a dance at the Co-op Hall in Netherfield and there met Dorothy Ford, and I went with her for well over a year. I saw her most weekends and we went dancing, she was 21 and a Roman Catholic. I went to Scarborough with her and her family for a summer leave, sharing a bedroom with her younger brother.

 

The whole of RAF Pershore was transferred to RAF Mansion on the Isle of Thanet we all had a shaking up as the discipline was much stricter. We got away from camp some weekends hitch hiking, or catching the Thanet Belle (a Pullman train) to London and staying at Mother's flat; Dorothy, who worked as a telegrapher on the railway at Nottingham Victoria station (no longer there) could get some free rail travel would come down too. When I couldn't afford to leave the area I would wash dishes at a cafe in Margate for two shillings (l0p) an hour and as much fish and chips as you could eat. One day I worked 13 ½  hours and had had three good meals. The girls in the cafe would pack me up with loads of cakes not sold at closing time, I was very popular when I got back to the billet.

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If I only worked seven or eight hours I would go to Dreamland dancing to the sounds of big bands. One weekend we were given a 72 hour pass and Tony Driver invited me to stay at his home in Kettering. We started hitching just outside the camp we got a short lift to Broadstairs and then an ambulance stopped and gave us a lift through London to St Albans another lift to Luton and then another to right outside Tony's door, that was a weekend to remember.

 

A big incident at Manston was in 1948 during a Battle of Britain display a Mosquito flew over flying control in a roll and didn't make it out of the roll. What we, who watched in horror, didn't know at the time was that the plane had crashed on a line of cars full of people coming to the display - 13 civilians were killed as well as the two man crew. About a week after this tragedy two airmen were returning to camp on bikes when reaching the same spot on the approach road they were struck by a taxi and thrown yards into a field, that meant there were four Military Funerals in less than a fortnight.

 

Demob time was approaching and someone tried to arrange a bus to go to a dance at a nearby WAAF station, RAF Hawkinge, he didn't get enough men for a coach so eleven of us went in one taxi, a large Austin 6. There were twelve of us on the way back plus the driver. Around this time Dorothy and I split up and so when I was demobbed at RAF Kirkham, near Blackpool, I was without a girlfriend when I came home.

 

In November 1947 Edna and Albert had a son, my first (and only) cousin; they named him ###### Eyley Atkinson. Eyley was an old family name from the Smith side.

 

After a short demob leave I returned to Boots and was put in the Traffic Dept, on the claims section - what a boring job. At St. Matthias Church I helped with the boy's club and sort of inherited the football club when John Rees, the Vicar's youngest son, went back into the RAF. I knew, and know even now, nothing about football but on occasion had to act as referee!!!! It was while acting as the club's delegate at League meetings I met Eric Turner who was the league secretary, I later became the league treasurer. Eric and his wife baked and decorated wedding cakes and other large cakes.

 

In November 1949 my father and Elsie had a son and they called him Christopher Glenn. So now I had two brothers, a stepsister and a half-brother. Derek was going out with a girl called Liz Inger and one Saturday night when Derek and I went to Carlton Drill Hall dance her friend came, Angela Bingham. Angela and I dated for about eight months.

 

1950 came it was my 21st birthday and Eric made and decorated a marvellous cake, Grandma supplied the ingredients as food rationing was still in force. The party was held at Boot's Institute near Trent Bridge, Tony Driver and another friend from the RAF, John Eaton, came from Kettering. Derek brought Liz and Angela, and loads of school and church friends. Brother Tony and his girlfriend, Grace, came down from Scotland, he was a Leading Writer in the Royal Navy, a week later as he couldn't get leave for the day.

 

Later in the year I helped at the Church Camp, somewhere in Yorkshire. We had three bell tents for the boys and girls I had a tent to myself as did the Vicar and his wife. The Vicar and I travelled in his car and we set up camp, Mrs Rees came on the train with the children, going home she went back with Fr Rees and I went by train in charge of all the kids, quite a responsibility.

 

I had a cake made for Christopher's first birthday by Eric and took it along to show my father who was manager of a furniture shop on St Anne's Well Road.  Father had met Maurice Coupe (the owner of the shop) after he was repatriated and had to join the Pay Corps. I met MHC at this time and asked him if he needed a clerk.

 

Whilst working in the Traffic Dept I met Edwin Amos who had organized a holiday in Switzerland the previous year and was getting up another for 1951, so I signed up. A letter arrived by hand for me at Spalding Road.  It was from Maurice Coupe offering me a job as accounts manager for Equitable Finance Ltd and to run a second hand furniture shop across the way from the main shop. I took the job and worked there for seven years.

 

Early in the new year (1951) again I went with Derek to the Carlton Drill Hall and there I met Betty Hebblethwaite and as they say 'the rest is history'. Betty lived with her parents and sister, ###### at Burton Joyce, a village about six miles east of Nottingham; quite a long walk home when one missed the last bus. Her brother was a policeman with the Nottingham City Police and had to live in digs within the city boundary. 

 

We did a lot of our courting up a bridle path called Willow Wong, it’s now a road leading to some very nice houses. Betty was the secretary of the area manager of Dean & Dawson, a Mr. Gibson, on Parliament Street in Nottingham, she was also a Sunday School teacher at the Methodist Chapel in Burton Joyce and played the piano for the hymns.

 

In May/June a party of about 26 young folk left the Midland Station with tickets booked to the top of the mountain Jungfrau Joch in Switzerland; we called ourselves The 19-25 Club. It was a very long train journey taking about two days and the trains in Switzerland had wooden seats. Our accommodation was in a pension or guest house with very comfortable beds and continental quilts on top of eiderdowns, quite a way up the side of a mountain which we walked up later in the holiday.

 

At that time everyone was restricted to taking abroad £10 sterling by governmental regulations and the club also restricted us to £20 in francs. So with the train fare to Switzerland and the accommodation only costing about £20 the whole ten day holiday cost in the region of £50 to £55. During this holiday I met John Dalby and his girlfriend Irene who later became his wife. We also went on a day trip to Lake Como in Italy travelling through the Brenner Tunnel. I bought a few presents back especially fishnet nylons for Betty which were unobtainable in the UK at that time.

 

Back down to earth and at work I spent my time learning the furniture trade and chasing people who were not paying their HP accounts regularly even suing them in the County Court. Betty and I later went on holiday with Edna, Albert and ###### at the YMCA at Skegness. Betty was on the ground floor and I was above her on the first floor. Betty and I got engaged after Christmas that year

 

During that year Tony & Grace were married in Dundee, I travelled up on Thursday night changing trains at Grantham where met a shipmate of Tony's. I was best man at the wedding and mother came up from London. The photographer took everyone's photo as they arrived at the Kirk, and after the ceremony the wedding party all went to the photographer's studio to have formal pictures taken. The reception was held in a posh hotel and after the meal every body went to the ballroom where there was a three piece band for dancing. After that we all saw the bride and groom off on their honeymoon at the railway station. We all had quite a time going to four dances in two nights, and on Sunday as genuine travellers getting a drink at a pub. In Scotland at that time the pubs shut on Sundays but the fish & chip shops were open unlike in England where the opposite was the norm.

 

I applied for a post with Harris Furnishers who wanted a manager for their new Bulwell branch they were about to open. The attraction was that there was a flat available. My application was successful, however MHC made me an offer I couldn't refuse which was to make me a partner in a drapery business called M.H. Coupe & Co. So I stayed in the shop on St Anne's Well Road, for a number of years. Maurice Coupe and I came up on the Spring double, the Lincoln and the Grand National, Early Mist and Sailing Light were the two horses. I won £72 for an outlay of 15 shillings (75p), we all had champagne in the shop that day. MHC won £216.

 

Betty and I were married on the 4th of July, 1953, ###### was Bridesmaid and brother Tony my Best Man. Derek brought his latest girl friend, ####### whom he later married. Betty's brother was absent as he had emigrated to Canada to join the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (the Mounties). The wedding was celebrated at St. Matthias Church and the reception held at Crowshaws restaurant on Chapel Bar in Nottingham. As I was a Parochial Church Councillor at the time I was not charged for the wedding only for the organist, Mr. Mason. After going back to Spalding Road to change we set off to Torquay for our honeymoon but not until our cases were sabotaged with confetti. Quite a lot people came to see us off and dance round us on the station platform. We had to change trains at Derby and as we had a compartment to ourselves we tried to get rid of most of the confetti, not 100% successful. We broke our journey in Bristol staying at a good hotel for B&B and the local church clock chimed every hour. We carried on to Torquay on the Sunday morning to stay at the Southlands Hotel. The weather was great and the hotel food very good especially as food rationing was still partly in force. We went to Paignton and Babbacombe and at night went dancing to Ivy Benson's All Girls Band. On our return we set up home in the front room at 18 Spalding Road and in the bedroom I was born in.

 

Before the wedding mother noticed that Grace was pregnant Tony had told me earlier. ##### was born on St. Andrews day in the Autumn of 1953, I was her Godfather by proxy as the Baptism was held at the Kirk they were married at.

 

Early next year we bought a house at 54 Sedgley Avenue just off Sneinton Dale and only three doors below Edna and Albert who lived at No. 60. Our first house cost only £950 the mortgage repayments less than £5 per month which was a struggle some months. We furnished the dining room, one bedroom and the back kitchen. In 1954 on 5th May ten months and one day after we were married along came #### #### Andrews, incidentally on Grandma Dudley's birthday, so we had to furnish the second bedroom. The third bedroom had been made into a bathroom, a large room with an old disgraceful bath in one corner. I had a new bath put in also a toilet and washbasin, thus doing away with the outside loo.

 

In 1957 Betty's sister ###### married Brian Christopher Unwin, a corporeal in the RAF, in the Roman Catholic Cathedral on Derby Road, Nottingham. While Betty was doing her duty as Matron of Honour I was looking after Gail at the back of the Cathedral and taking her outside when she wanted her mother and started to cry.

 

At work I had created a system of accounts using an electrical accounting machine, which MHC had acquired, by using knowledge learnt from my years at Boots. The firm took over a shop in Netherfield and I was appointed manager. Two people replaced me at the St Anne's Well Road shop, Alice Turner on the accounts and John Newcombe as a salesman. For the journey from Sneinton Dale to Netherfield I bought a Cyclemaster a sort of motorised bicycle that kept breaking down and was hard to pedal without the motor working.

 

Derek married ########, I was again Best Man, and they rented a house No. 64 Sedgley Avenue, so there we were us at 54, Edna and Albert at 60 and Derek and ######## at 64. In March 1957 ##### ###### Andrews was born and I dreamed of having a train set for him (me really) to play with. Grandma & Grandpa celebrated their Golden Wedding at Mapperly Tea Gardens and I was to propose the toast before about 60 friends and relations.

 

Whilst working at Netherfield I had a 15 year old as an assistant, when on his 16th birthday he surprised me by saying he wanted the day off to get married, his girlfriend was pregnant. He left later and joined the Army in the Household Cavalry. After he left the Army he became involved with a married woman whose Polish husband murdered him.

 

In 1958 my father, who was manager at Coupes, was ill and when he recovered it was decided he would take over the Netherfield branch under his own name and call it Jack Andrews Ltd. And so I returned to the main shop on St Anne's Well Road.  M.H. Coupe and Co was discontinued and the partners were paid out; which meant I could now afford to furnish the front room as a lounge.  After a few months I became discontented and felt I was getting nowhere and I obtained a position in the furniture dept at Griffin & Spaldings (part of the Debenham Group), selling top quality furniture and bedding.

 

In 1959 ####### ####### Andrews arrived on the 5th of September (making his date of birth 5 9 59). He was born at home with my mother assisting the midwife, I was sent out to go and see my brother Derek and keep out of the way.

 

I became First Sales at Griffin & Spaldings and when I asked for a rise I was told I was the highest paid salesman in the Debenham Group, and I should apply for an under buyer's post. I saw advertised a manager's post in the Cabinet Maker at Hereford, where I had done my trade training in the RAF. The company was called Foyles of Cheltenham part of Blundells of Luton. I went by train to Cheltenham to be interviewed, I was told that the existing manager was not now leaving but there was the assistant manager's position open. After discussion with Betty I opted for assistant manager especially as there was a company flat available.

 

We sold the house on Sedgley Avenue for £1250.   I moved to Hereford staying in digs till we sold the house. I saw at once the company flat was unsuitable and negotiated for a new semi­-detached house on a new estate in Leominster. We moved into the flat awaiting the completion of the building of the house at The Meadows, Leominster. This brand new house cost £1130 at basic price but we had extras built in such as a double drainer sink, a gas poker for the all night coal fire, more electric sockets, half tiled bathroom and coloured floor tiles instead of the standard black; this made our house cost £1225. We thought it quite a bargain, we decided against a garage as that would have made the price another £250.

 

As it was a new estate all the neighbours helped each other if someone had a load of bricks or rockery stone delivered, there would immediately be a number of blokes come and help shift them. Our adjoining neighbour, Ken, was a bricklayer and built many of the walls and garages on the Meadows. Even before we moved in Betty's mother and father purchased a bungalow a few doors below us, so we had babysitters very near. We attended the Minster, the children went to Sunday School and Betty joined the young wives group. There was a bridge club in the town that we joined along with Betty's father. Very happy days, but Betty's mother didn't like it as she was cut from her sister, Auntie Grace and her niece Dorothy and her family in Nottingham.

 

About the middle of 1962 Peter and Mildred in Birmingham had a son and we were all invited to the Baptism. Grandma & Grandpa, Edna, Albert & ###### and my mother, now living at Spalding Road, all from Nottingham and us from Hereford. Grandpa was quite ill and couldn't attend and my mother stayed behind to look after him.

 

Our opposite neighbour, Len, also worked in Hereford as a solicitor's clerk and gave me a lift to work and back in his old motor car which often broke down. Late in 1962 Len had some legal business in Nottingham and if I could get time off would take me with him, so I arranged it. On the Sunday night before the Monday trip we had a phone message that Grandpa had passed away. I arranged that Betty would phone the shop and tell them I would be away till after the funeral so I rode with Len and he dropped me off outside Griffin & Spalding's. As I was outside I went into the furniture dept. and the buyer Mr. Ashcroft offered me my old desk as there was a vacancy, I said I would let him know. I then made my way to 18 Spalding Road to see and comfort my Grandma.

 

The next day I went to St Anne's Well Road to see if there was anyone on the staff who I knew. Well Maurice Coupe (MHC) took me out for a drink and after talking for a while he said "are you asking me for a job" I said "no" and he immediately offered the manager's position to me. I couldn't make a decision there and then as I had to talk it over with Betty.

 

After we had talked it over and decided to go back to Nottingham, Betty's mother was thrilled so was Edna and Grandma. I duly gave my notice in to the manager at Foyles and later in the week the Sales Director, Mr. Spencer, from Cheltenham came to see me and offered me the post of furniture & carpet buyer at Raynors of Ross, a sort of miniature Griffins; I turned it down. We put the house up for sale and I went to live back in my old room at Spalding Road, whilst looking for a house, Betty staying in Leominster for the time being. I had strict instructions not buy a house in Arnold or district. It was like a coming home returning, to M.H. Coupe Ltd on St Anne's Well Road after an absence of about four and a half years, I had four salesmen working for me.

 

I duly went house hunting looking at property on Bakers Fields and Sherwood, a semi on Bedale Road, just missed it. Edna, living then with her family Albert & ###### on Rydale Road, Sherwood, spotted an advert for a house in Kingswell Road - and where was that - yes ARNOLD. This was very suitable detached three bedrooms, two reception, hall, bathroom, separate toilet and large garage, so I negotiated for it knocking the price down to £2750. Unfortunately the completion took a long time and I stayed at Spalding Road and travelled back to Leominster every fortnight going there by train and returning on a bus "go anywhere in a day" for ten shillings - (50p) ticket. 1962 winter was a fierce one and the snow didn't clear till well into March.

 

We had a successful December's trading and managing to satisfy our customers with the delivery times etc. At last the house sale was completed and Betty, the children and I moved into 36, Kingswell Road, Arnold, in March 1963. MHC said he liked his managers to be on the phone and told me to apply for one and the firm would pay. Around this time Alf, one of my salesmen, who had charge of the van and took it home with him each night, gave his notice in and MHC said what can we do with the van I jumped in and said I had a garage. He immediately told me to sign up with British School of Motoring and send the bill to the firm. I failed the test first time but passed the next, I felt like a complete citizen. The second Sunday after passing I took us all to Skegness fixing fireside chairs in the back of the van, quite a tiring trip considering I had only been on very short journeys up till then. The following year I bought a car, my first, to go on holiday to Butlins at Clacton-on Sea; the car turned out to be a real "banger", but the holiday was great!

 

During that year Peter & Mildred had another boy, #####, and Betty and I were asked to be Godparents. Edna seemed under the weather and when we got home she became quite ill and Grandma went to look after her and ###### as Albert was working away for Boots. The doctor was sent for who sent her to hospital, she died later that week with leukaemia on Friday 13th August 1965, aged 50, a very painful time for all of us. It was earlier that year that Albert and Edna had celebrated their silver wedding.

 

The children were growing up #### was at Arnold High School and the boys at Kingswell Junior School and Betty decided she would look for a part time job. The first job was at Lewis & Grundy on Victoria Street in Nottingham. The pay was abysmal so she went to an agency, Brook Street Bureau, who sent her all over Nottingham. A job was advertised for a part time typist at the Home Brewery in Daybrook, it was really for a secretary for the MD at Killingley’s the wine and spirit section of the brewery. She was successful in her application and was there for about 26 years. The manager at Killingley’s, Bill Jamson, introduced us to flat green bowling, which almost took over our lives later on especially when we went indoor bowling.

 

#### was taking German as her language study and had a German girl, ########, for a pen friend. After they were corresponding for a time we invited ######## to come to Arnold for a visit. She landed at Heathrow and #### and I went to meet her she stood out from the crowd as she was in national dress. Betty and I took some holiday so that we could show her around. And when we took her and our kids to Skegness she was overjoyed she had never seen the sea before and wanted to know if she could go again to the seaside, so we took her to Cleethorpes, later in the holiday she was taken to the Blue John caves at Castleton. ######## enjoyed her stay with us and cried when it was time for her to return home to Germany. A little later Grandma was ill and I used to go round every day and my Mother was also ill and was in hospital so I was sleeping at Spalding Road but going home for my meals.

 

It was about this time that MHC wanted me to take over a new venture at a shop on Derby Road to sell discount three piece suites and beds, the business to be called "LAZYBONES". I thought it over for a few minutes then said O.K. if I could have a financial interest in the business, and this was agreed. During the preparation of the shop my Grandma who was quite ill and was in Newstead Hospital died and I along with Albert was an executor of her small estate, quite a task!! After things were sorted out I ran Lazybones very successfully for over a year when MHC decided to sell the business on St. Anne's Well Road to Jack Marriott. Jack was a car dealer and major shareholder in Equitable Finance Ltd. He wasn't familiar with retail selling so wanted me to run the shop. So now I was a company director of both Lazybones and M.H. Coupe Ltd. with three shops, and a company car, and a staff of five or six.

 

It was while we were taking over the businesses that #### went to visit ######## in Germany for about three weeks and going with her family on holiday to the Black Forest. She came home quite sun tanned but alas her German hadn't improved. #### had a Saturday job at Boots shop in Sherwood, ##### also wanted a Saturday job and I was able to give him one at the St. Anne's shop and put him on the wage book.

 

Betty and I were getting involved with bowling she was treasurer of the Home Brewery Ladies Bowls section and I played for the Men's Club. We also joined the Nottingham Indoor B.C. before it ever existed and later when it was built we became founder members. It was here that my bowls became more serious.

 

The next year ###### and Chris (who were in married quarters) invited us to visit them in Germany. We went on the ferry from Harwich to the Hook of Holland and drove through the Netherlands into Germany. ###### and Chris and family were supposed to meet us at the border, they weren't there!! So we carried on until we saw them coming towards us and we all joined up, and they led us to their house in the RAF camp. That was quite a holiday, driving on the wrong side of the road, but we managed it.

 

Back at home big things were about to happen in the St. Anne's district, it was to be demolished and all new housing and a small parade of shops built. My two shops and another 198 were to go and be replaced with only 6 units. I had to apply for the only double unit and found myself competing against Burtons Furnishers (owned by the Ideal Homes Group); this was the first time I met Richard Brown and Barry Moss. I always wonder if my successful application had any thing to do with the fact that the man leading the planning procedure was David Mason, son of the organist at St. Matthias. So we had a brand new double unit with a loading dock at the rear and fitted out as a furniture and carpet showroom. As the new shop was not big enough to give office space to Equitable Finance Ltd. and Anchor Finance Ltd we had to find additional premises, and on High Street, Arnold we discovered a vacant double unit which had been recently been occupied by Furnisher Harris. We opened these premises as Dudley Andrews the High Street Furnisher and created office space for the finance companies. We traded successfully for a few years when we heard that Maurice Coupe was about to dispose of his shop in Sherwood on Mansfield Road but he wanted more than we thought it was worth. However there was a fairly new shop at 577 Mansfield Road with a lease for sale so we negotiated and opened it as a branch of Dudley Andrews. We had lost Lazybones Ltd on Derby Road to redevelopment and of course the one on St Anne's Well Road along with the second hand shop on Alfred Street Central, we now had 3 shops Robin Hood Chase, High Street Arnold and Mansfield Road Sherwood. This latter shop was not profitable and we sold on the lease and got out.

 

I had joined Rotary sponsored by Stan Cupit. I really enjoyed my membership, I was appointed Rotaract Officer and managed to interest ##### and ####### along with #####, their cousin to join: ##### became Vice President and ####### Treasurer.

 

##### borrowed my car to take #####, his best friend, and two girls to Skegness about 10.30 that night ##### phoned to say they had become involved in an accident at Newark and the car was a mess. Apparently a three wheeler, a Robin Reliant, crashed into them travelling on the wrong side of the road, my car was a write off. The driver of the Reliant had been on a night out with two RAF mates and was over the limit subsequently the insurance paid us off very well.

 

Betty's mother became very ill with cancer and had to have a colostomy which was later reversed. It was while she was recuperating at Ruddington Hall from this latest operation that we had a visit from the police very early one morning to tell us that Betty's father had been found dead outside the bungalow by a man on his way to work. We along with ###### and Chris had to tell Betty's mother the sad news. It was only just then that Betty and I discovered that her parents had both been married before and Gwen had a son, #####, and Cyril had had ######, #### and ######.

 

We arranged the cremation at Wilford Hill and waited for Gwen to return to the bungalow. Shortly after this Peter and his wife Pearl came on a visit from Canada and took the whole family to the Saracen's Head at Southwell for a meal. Soon after Peter and Pearl had returned to Alberta that Gwen informed us that she had bad toes and that she had to have them amputated, she went into hospital for the operation. When we went to visit her we found she had her leg amputated above her knee so we decided she had better come to us and we would put one of her beds in the lounge for her. It was quite awkward as our bathroom and toilet was upstairs. We decided therefore to move and get a more suitable property, we chose Carmel Gardens thinking we could convert the pantry into a toilet and washroom. Before we could complete the sale Gwen sadly died, I think she just gave up. We then had to arrange the sale of her bungalow and dispose of the contents for the benefit of the heirs, all seven of them; we also had to manage two houses in Calverton collecting rents seeing to the repairs. Eventually the tenants moved on and we sold both houses and divided the proceeds between seven.

 

##### married ###### during this time at St. Mary's Arnold. ###### still jokes that ##### tried to kill her on their first date. We held the reception in the Church Hall with Betty doing the catering, which was difficult as there was a baker's strike on at the time, but we had loads of meat. ###### and ##### left the reception in the Dudley Andrews' furniture van to go to their house in Carrington. In the evening we had a party at Carmel Gardens for our bowling friends when we ate the leftovers from the reception.

 

The shop in Arnold had been open for about 8 years when I had a phone call from Richard Brown, wondering if I was interested in parting with the business. I had of course to talk it over with Jack Marriott, he thought we would be able to sell the businesses and come away with some capital. When the accountants, Sheltons, were consulted they informed us we were insolvent and should stop trading: we followed their advice and had a meeting with them and the management of Guy Turner (Wedgespring Ltd) i.e. Richard Brown, Barry Moss and Ralph Allen. The outcome was that we filed for voluntary liquidation of M.H. Coupe Ltd and Dudley Andrews Ltd. There was virtually no assets after the liquidators, the accountants and the solicitors and redundancy for the staff, including myself, were paid . It so happened that my redundancy matched the amount of capital I had invested. The shop on Robin Hood Chase reverted back to landlords, Nottingham City Council but the one on High Street was taken over, for a song, by Guy Turner. As it happened I had impressed the management of Guy Turners and they employed both ##### and I. So now I was the manager of a business and only had my income to worry about not staff to find salaries every week. Betty said the relief showed in my face, I stayed with Guy Turner till I retired at 65. When I had been with Guy Turner a number of years Betty was made redundant by Scottish & Newcastle who had taken over the Home Brewery and were in the process of closing it down and selling the site to Sainsburys. Betty had a really good redundancy package including a pension, which she would not have been entitled to with the Home Brewery. She decided to do voluntary work and chose The Imperial Cancer Fund shop on Front Street.

 

After I retired I was employed, part time for one and a half days at shops in Kirkby-in-Ashfield and Eastwood. When I retired the lease was up for renewal at 15/17 High Street and Barry Moss spent too much on alterations that it made Guy Turner go into liquidation, and so my part time employment ceased. At 65 I was much too young to do nothing so I did voluntary driving for the local Council in Arnold; and then ######, who was working with Betty in the Imperial Cancer Research Fund as volunteers, volunteered me for Treasurer and I did that for about 7 years. Betty worked at that shop for well over 12 years.

 

Whilst we were both retired we spread our wings a little, we went on bowling tours most years; and one year we took the whole family to Euro-Disney. When we went to book for Euro-Disney we were hoping to go on the Euro-Star but could not get anywhere as regards a firm price so Betty decided we would fly, even though she was afraid of flying. Every one had a good time, especially Stephen, because we stayed on site.

 

Later on we went to Austria with Skill's by coach staying over night in Germany both going and returning; the tour was called "The Sound of Music" tour. The following year we went to the Isle of Bute again by coach. Also during this time we had four weekend bowls tours, twice to Blackpool, Cliftonville and on the south coast, with Hillside.

 

Betty bought a knitting machine and was soon proficient and made all the family junipers and cardigans. Along with her friend Pauline she start attending Craft Shows and was quite successful. I went along to set up the stall of course.

 

It was approaching young ###'s 18th birthday in August 2002 and as ##### and ###### were working in America #### said she would provide a party for him. It was quite a success, Betty being the life and soul of the party. On the Sunday following we had a bowls match at Rushcliffe and Betty had a very good game and was in great spirits. During the early hours of Monday Betty woke me up saying she didn't feel well so I rang the emergency doctor, the call being diverted to a call centre who immediately said they would send an ambulance, a paramedic arrived before the ambulance and attended to her. When the ambulance arrived Betty was quickly taken to the City Hospital and I went with her, I was put in a waiting room and given a cup of coffee. After about fifteen minutes a nurse came and said Betty's heart had stopped and they were attending to her very soon afterwards another nurse came in and shook her head. Betty had died and I was devastated.

 

#### had gone on holiday in the Scarborough area, ##### was in America working and ####### was at work at Grantham College. How they did it I do not know but the hospital contacted ####### and after about an hour he came and collected me. ####### really looked after me, accompanying me to the mortuary at the hospital, and then contacted ##### who made arrangements to fly home; #### immediately returned from the Scarborough area. #### and ####### went with me to the funeral directors, Lymn's, and we requested Rev. ### ###### of Arnold Methodist Church to conduct the service at Wilford Hill Crematorium the following Monday.  

 

It was on the Sunday before the funeral that I felt a great need to go to church, I went to St Mary's but it was closed then to St Paul's which also closed; but the Salvation Army was open and I went in to pray. I had nearly 200 cards and letters of sympathy to such an extent that after a few days I used to dread the postman coming, but they gave great comfort. ##### and ###### arrived from America where ##### was working, and ######, ##### and myself went to Asda to stock up for after the ceremony when we expected people to come back to Carmel Gardens.

 

When we, the family, arrived at Wilford Hill I was amazed at the number of cars parked on the approaches as the car parks were full. There were so many people in the Chapel that the doors at the back were opened and folk standing crammed together. Many bowlers were present from many clubs nearly all Hillside, lots from Gedling Indoor B.C, workers from the Cancer shop and friends from the knitting club and many others. Betty had held many honorary posts at Gedling IBC and was also known in County bowling circles. The Revd ### ###### gave such a wonderful address that I decided I would attend Arnold Methodist Church.

 

#### suggested that I went back with ##### to America and I said if ##### could arrange it I would. #### took me shopping for things I needed - socks, sun cream etc. ########## and ### were also going back with their parents, we all went to Manchester Airport in a mini-bus. After checking-in and boarding we flew to Dulles Airport Washington D.C. and Peter picked up his hire car and drove us all to the apartment which had three bedrooms and two bathrooms. Peter had to go to work but Jackie took the rest of us to the city where we 'did' all the museums. At the weekend Peter drove us to the  National Cemetery at Arlington. One weekend we went to the hills and on the way home saw a black bear with two cubs.

 

Returning home everything was very strange but I had to get on with it. I saw many friends at the bowls centre and I still coached the juniors on Sunday mornings, and I started attending Arnold Methodist Church (AMC). After a little time I took part in an Alpha Course and on completion was admitted as a member to the church. It was then that I volunteered to wash the cups and saucers on Saturday mornings and also make the tea. The worst time was on Sunday evenings when after church I went home to an empty house; during the week I could go out to museums etc. and I continued as treasurer at the Cancer shop.

 

In the post one day my Air Miles statement came and I saw I had enough miles to go to Paris. I asked ####### if he would like to come with me and he said yes. We flew from Birmingham after hours of delay, our plane was delayed in Spain. We did all the sights mainly from the top of a bus. It was in Paris that I pumped ####### and found he had a girlfriend and she lived in Lancaster. I took loads of photographs with my new digital camera, and then lost the photo card.

 

The following year I went again to America for a month at ##### and ######'s invitation #####'s job had moved to Harrisburg in Pennsylvania. We had a weekend in New York and also visited Philadelphia. ##### and I toured the battlefields of the American civil war, later we all went to where it all began. With a friend we went to the Amish part of the area and saw how they lived and some of their culture. It was while I was in Harrisburg that I said that I would like to see the Grand Canyon which was near Las Vegas. No sooner a word than a blow and I had been booked on a flight and with a hotel reservation as well. Las Vegas what a place all neon lights and razz-a-mat-taz and 24 hour gambling. My proud boast is that I didn't spend a cent on the tables or on the machines, I spent my cash on a helicopter flight over the Grand Canyon. What an awesome sight, the awful thing was I had nobody to share it with or say "look a that".  Never the less I did enjoy the visit and walking down the 'Strip'. I could not find a church only several Wedding Chapels just like amusement booths but I did find the Roman Catholic Cathedral, very modern but very beautiful.  The flight back to Harrisburg was an adventure - it was only a small plane and the turbulence was horrific it didn't help when some girls started screaming. A few days later I flew back to the U.K.

 

The Methodist Circuit invited a choir from Zambia and they were really very good in fact I became a 'groupie' listening to them at Woodborough, St. Cyprian's Carlton Hill, twice at AMC and finally at the Methodist Church in Carrington. It was while waiting for the concert to begin that ### ####### sat next to me along with her husband #### and ### asked me if I was a widower because she had a widow friend who wasn't coping very well with widowhood. I thought about this during the concert and I said to ### that she could give this lady my telephone number if she thought I could help her get over her loss. Someone was telling me to do this.

 

Come Monday morning I had a long conversation with a lady from Worksop and we arranged to meet at Rufford Park, fancy me on a blind date at 74, we duly met on the following Friday, 5th September 2003. When I arrived at Rufford Park the only people I saw were ##### and #### ######## from Gedling Indoor BC in the coffee bar to my embarrassment. Soon after I saw a lady who could have been my 'date' and she was.

 

We walked around the lake in deep conversation, had coffee, walked some more, and then went for lunch at the Robin Hood at the Edwinstowe crossroads. When it came to paying ###### wanted to share the bill but I said she could pay next time. Later we walked through the village and talked and talked some more. We seemed very compatible and arranged to meet the next week when we visited Chatsworth House near Chesterfield. We continued to meet and ###### took me to Christchurch where she worshipped. I travelled most days to Worksop when we took ######'s dog, Sam, for a walk in Clumber Park; it took me about 45 minutes to drive to Dunstan Crescent in the daytime but only 35 minutes back home to Arnold at night. I felt like a teenager and it must have shown because ### #### asked me twice how I was and I had to tell her I had met someone, she immediately said "is she a Christian". It was then I told #### and ####### when we were at ####'s playing cards they were taken aback so I left early so they could talk it over. At home I phoned ##### in America who somehow didn't seem surprised. By this time ###### and I were an 'item' and we went together to the Harvest Supper at AMC and also to Hillside's Presentation Dinner at Ramsdale Golf Club at Calverton where she met many of my bowling friends. We also went to a Christchurch house group held at ##### and ######### ####'s house in Carlton-in-Lindrick.

 

Later that year I went with #### and ### to Blackpool to see the illuminations it was there I told them that ###### and I had decided to get married on the 28th of February 2004.

 

When we went to see Reverend ###### ##### about the wedding I said to him I felt the Lord had much to do with our meeting. Sheila and I picked the Hymns and songs for the ceremony and the order of service. We advised ###### that there would be several ministers present and could they take part, he agreed and it was arranged that Holy Communion would be offered at four points of the church and that ### ###### would read the lesson.

 

##### and #### from folk dancing were to do the catering, a finger buffet, and Beverly would make the cake. ##### and ######## organized the music, a string ensemble, ######### violin, ##### cello, ####### ####### viola and ###### ##### piano. ####### from folk dancing and house group arranged the tables; ###### ######### the flowers.

 

The big day duly arrived and there was about 250 in the congregation old friends, bowling friends, folk dancing friends and of course relatives, of these 200 stayed for the meal, ###### and I were served first but didn't get much to eat as we were circulating and talking to as many people we could get round. What a super day one I will always remember and hold dear.

 

Askrigg in Yorkshire was where, along with Sam, we went for our Honeymoon and that year we had many holidays. Askrigg was the village where the TV series "All Creatures Great and Small" was filmed, although it was called Darroby. We went to Scarborough for Easter People and later to The Isle of Purbeck in Dorset. Following this holiday we visited Seattle in the US of A, for three weeks, as ##### had moved there with his job. Finally in the year 2004 we went to the Trossachs for two weeks.

 

Betty Hebblethwaite

          

Betty is the daughter of Cyril Gleadow Hebblethwaite and Gwendolen Mary Cooke and was born on the 13th of May 1931 at 69 Church Drive, Carrington, Nottingham.  She died on 12th of August 2002 at the City Hospital, Nottingham, at the age of 71, and was cremated on the 19th of August 2002 at Wilford Hill Crematorium, Nottingham. 

                                 

Betty started the family tree and corresponded with Shelia Ann Webster, her 2nd Cousin.

 

Sheila visited Thomas & Mary Cooke at 4 Brookside Cottages, Lambley Lane, Burton Joyce, Nottingham and says:

"Visits to Brookside Cottage were a joy to me plus the pleasure of children near my age with whom I could play during the war years.  I remember Gwen (Gwendolen Mary Cooke) as a gentle motherly person, warm & gentle."

"Both Gwen and my mother Elizabeth Ellen Webster (nee Mason) retained the strong family bond which existed until 15th September, 1975 when Glead died aged 84 years (my mother having died 21st March, 1975).  I continued this family connection for the short period until Gwen died 15th May, 1976."

 

Gwen and Elizabeth Ellen were first cousins.

 

Betty had lessons in playing the piano as a child and became quite accomplished passing many tests.     

 

Betty trained as a shorthand typist and used Pitman shorthand. 

 

In 1951, early in the year, Betty met Dudley at the Carlton Drill Hall.  At that time she lived with her parents and sister ###### at Burton Joyce.  Her brother, Peter was a policeman with Nottingham City police and so had to live in within the city boundary.

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They did a lot of their courting up a bridle path called Willow Wong.  At that time Betty was the secretary to Mr Gibson, the area manager of Dean & Dawson, on Parliament Street in Nottingham.   She was also a Sunday School teacher at the Methodist Chapel in Burton Joyce and played the piano for the hymns.  As children, ####, ##### and ####### went to Sunday School at the Methodist church in Arnold.

 

Betty married Dudley John Andrews on 4th July 1953 in St Matthias Church, Nottingham. The wedding was at 11 a.m. with the reception afterwards was at Crowshaws', Angel Row, Nottingham. At that time it appears that she may not have been working as the wedding certificate does not give an occupation for her.

                     

However Dudley recalled that when their first child, ####, was born Betty stopped working and she did not return to work until about 1965, by this time their third child, Stephen, was at school.  In the meantime, between 1960 – 1963, the family had moved to Hereford and then onto Leominster in Herefordshire since Dudley had gained employment there.  Betty’s parents followed the family to Leominster.

           

Late 1962 and whilst still in Leominster Dudley’s grandfather passed away, Dudley had been raised by his maternal grandparents.  He returned to Nottingham to visit and comfort his grandmother.  Whilst in Nottingham Dudley was offered his old job back at Griffin & Spalding’s and was also offered a job by Maurice Coupe.  Having talked it through with Betty Dudley accepted a job within M.H. Coupe Ltd.  Putting the house up for sale in Leominster and Dudley living with his grandmother on Spalding Road, whilst Betty stayed in Leominster. 

 

It was up to Dudley to find a home in Nottingham and so in 1963 the family returned to Kingswell Road, Arnold.  But it was an area of Nottingham that Betty did not want to be, having been brought up in Carrington and also Burton Joyce.  Betty’s parents also returned to Nottingham and bought a bungalow at 6 Cranston Avenue in Arnold.  Betty’s mother was delighted to be back in Nottingham.

 

In 1965 with all the children at school Betty joined Lewis & Grundy in Victoria Street, Nottingham working again as a Secretary.  Unfortunately the pay was poor and so soon afterwards she resigned and signed up with the Brook Street Bureau and began temping.  The bureau sent her all over Nottingham and it wasn’t easy travelling to all these different places.  Since Betty never learned to drive she used buses to get to work.  This wasn’t ideal and so when she saw a part-time job advertised at the Home Brewery in Daybrook she applied.  It turned out to be for a secretary for the Managing Director at Killingley’s, the wine and spirits subsidiary which was located on the same site.  Being part-time, 9 until 1, it was ideal and it was in walking distance of home on Kingswell Road.  This meant she was earning and also would be at home when the children came back from school.  It was obviously a job she took to as she worked there for twenty-six years until she took early retirement, due mainly to the fact that the Brewery had been taken over and Killingley’s was being closed down.  Although she had never contributed to the Home Brewery pension fund, Scottish and Newcastle the new owners provided her with one.

 

Whilst at the Brewery her Manager, Bill Jamson, introduced Betty and Dudley to the sport of Bowls.  It was a sport that both took to, not only outdoors in summer but also indoors in winter.  Despite their love of bowls it was, or appeared to be, the biggest source of arguments within the house as we grew up.

 

The pair of them bowled for Home Brewery, and when the Brewery closed, although the club didn’t, they decided to join Hillside Bowls Club.  Their enthusiasm for the game led them to introduce it to #### and her husband ###, and their daughter ####.  Also to ##### and ###### and to their son ###.  Three generations of one family.  When Betty died the Hillside club named one of their trophies after her.

 

After taking retirement Betty started some voluntary work at Imperial Cancer, later becoming Cancer Research UK, on Front Street in Arnold.  She worked there two or three times a week.  At one point Dudley and her sister ###### also worked there.

 

Betty had always knitted as we grew up, making many a jumper and cardigan, but she took it to another league when she bought one or two electric knitting machines.  Many a Christmas and birthday gift it provided.  She became so adept at the knitting that she began selling them at craft fairs.

 

Always generous in 1992 (July / before 6 August) she paid for the immediate family to go Euro Disney, now known as Disneyland Paris and again a few years later.  I went on the second occasion, and although the weather wasn’t up to much we all had a great time.  I particularly remember going on the ‘It’s a Small World’ ride quite a few times.  She took enormous pleasure out of seeing her grandchildren enjoying themselves.  She treated them all equally but did have a soft spot for #### as she was the only girl of the five.

 

She took great pride in the achievements of all of them and was especially pleased when ####### got his first permanent job.  She was extremely proud of #######, #### and ########### in getting to university.

 

Christmas was a time for all the family and Betty always made sure that everyone enjoyed themselves, especially when playing cards.  The family game was ‘Chase the Ace’ and many a time she would ‘cheat’ to make sure that one of the grandkids had a chance of winning.  She was well known for keeping a card or two up her sleeve, or not passing a bad card on when she have done, even though we only played for pennies it was the win that mattered, and she made sure they all got a good chance of doing that.

 

Mum’s plaque on the Woodland Walk at Wilford Hill Crematorium, West Bridgford, Nottingham.

 

Since Dad’s death the plaque has been changed to include him.

       

Noted events in her life were:

*  Birth Registered: 29th May 1931, Nottingham Registration District.  Birth in the sub-district of Bulwell.

*  Living: 13th May 1931, 69 Church Drive, Carrington, Nottingham. 

*  Living: 1951, 83 Church Road, Burton Joyce, Nottingham. 

*  She worked as a Secretary in 1951 in Dean & Dawson, Parliament Street, Nottingham.

*  Living: 4th July 1953, 83 Church Road, Burton Joyce, Nottingham. 

*  Living: 1954-1960, 54 Sedgley Avenue, Sneinton Dale, Nottingham. 

*  Living: 12th March 1957, 54 Sedgley Avenue, Sneinton Dale, Nottingham. 

*  Living: 1960, 3A Union Street, Hereford. 

*  Living: 1960-1963, 71 Green Lane, Meadows, Leominster, Hereford. 

*  Living: 1963-1976, 36 Kingswell Road, Arnold, Nottingham. 

*  She worked as a Secretary about 1965 in Lewis & Grundy, Victoria Street, Nottingham.

*  She worked as a Temp about 1965 in Brook Street Bureau.

*  She worked as a Secretary in 1965-1996 in Killingley & Co, Home Brewery, Daybrook, Nottingham NG5 6BU.

*  Living: 1976-2002, 7 Carmel Gardens, Arnold, Nottingham. 

*  She enjoyed Bowling in Home Brewery PLC, Daybrook, Nottingham.

*  She enjoyed Bowling in Hillside Bowls Club, Ilkeston Road, Radford, Nottingham.

*  She enjoyed Machine Knitting in Home.

*  She enjoyed Cross stitch in Home.

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Betty married Dudley John Andrews on 4th July 1953 in St. Matthias’ Church, Nottingham. The wedding was at 11 a.m. with the reception afterwards was at Crowshaws', Angel Row, Nottingham.  Betty’s younger sister ###### was a bridesmaid.

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St. Matthias' Church on St. Matthias Road, St. Ann’s Nottingham, known as St. Matthias' Sneinton, was closed in 2003 and has since re-opened as St. Mary and St. George Coptic Orthodox Church having been bought in 2006 and on 22nd of March 2009 it held its first service.

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