40s and 50s Memories
53
Roger Hughes as a stunt man in a film staring
Sir Cliff Richards - 'The Young Ones' 1961
After a year I left once again, and embarked
on five years drifting from one dead-end job
to another. Firstly, as a clerk at Billingsgate
Fish Market, The Judo I was doing at this time
in 1961 led me to three days employment in
the film "The Young Ones" as a stunt man, at
Elstree Studios, which starred Sir Cliff Richard
and Robert Morley, a very agreeable man with
whom I had a pleasant conversation.
The work I did after this included driving a fork-
lift truck in a CO-OP factory (no licence was
needed then), and collecting small amounts of
money from poor districts on foot, or by bicycle
in Cardiff in the harsh winter of 1963. There
was snow on the ground for about three months
that year, and I remember a strange incident
that occurred, nothing like it having happened
before or since. I was about to cross the road
when a little girl aged about seven put out her
hand for me to hold, to cross the road. Had I
met an angel?
Then I moved to Bournemouth where I worked
in a dairy, then a sausage factory at Poole
and finally a warehouse. Here I sustained an
injury to my back and neck area which made
it impossible for me to stand for any length of
time. Doctors and specialists were unable to
find anything wrong with me, then or since.
Nonetheless I have symptoms to this day.
I was unable to find clerical work in the
Bournemouth area and so I headed for London.
After a year at the Victoria Coach Station I
joined the London Electricity Board as a Clerical
Officer for about nine years. I then took up with
several others working at the LEB to open a
small travel agency . This lasted a few years
but unfortunately failed to make enough money. I then joined the Greater London Council until
Mrs. Thatcher did me the favour of closing
it down. By this time I was coming up to 50
years of age, so when I was offered voluntary
redundancy I accepted it and shortly after
moved back to Cardiff.
In 1998 I was a founder member of UKIP Wales
and was on the Wales Committee until 2008.
I was Treasurer for three years, and UKIP
candidate in three General Elections and other
elections.
Although I only lived in London for work reasons
I was fortunate that in the summer I could
watch cricket at Lord's, and at the Oval, and
occasionally at Hove. My other main hobby has
been reading.
B. KENNARD-SIMPSON
Bishop Fox 1946
After leaving King's in 1946, Bruce Kennard-
Simpson writes:
I went to work in Hatton Garden with watch
importers and I learned a great deal from
them. It was a fascinating business. I did not
stay more than a few years with them but
was approached by another very prestigious
company. In due course, I became involved in
running this company. Our five-man team there
ran a streamlined operation with much success
and happiness.
When a serious car accident made me leave
long distance travel my wife and I decided to
start an hotel in a Queen Anne mansion. We
were very successful, running it together, but
then, I lost my wife and I sold up and retired.
Since my days at King's, I have always had a
desire to become a writer. I have written five
books which have been enjoyed by people but
not by publishers. In one of these books there
is a school similar to King's, and a mixture of
myself and some other characters drawn from
memory. It runs to 130,000 words and I am
proud of it! However, after frustrating 20 years
of trying I have accepted that not only will it not
be published but neither will it be read! I have