In another year it was a group of Durham miners who left me in no doubt about the injustices borne by the miners, the conditions, the dangers and treatment by the bosses. They quoted the Pope’s Encyclical “Rerum Novarum” on the dignity of labour. All these discussions had a deep effect on me.

Another invite was from Catholic family met at the Night club. They invited me to a Musical Concert at the Royal Albert Hall and seemed to be keen on encouraging my friendship with their very attractive young daughter, but it was not to be. 

I was also very involved locally with The Knights of St Columba and was a sort of events secretary organizing whist drives, garden fetes, the bar of the church hall and dances.  In 1954 I organized a dinner dance for the Knights. The Bishop of Portsmouth gave the address; Fr. Moran was our local priest; The Grand knight of Yeovil Council was a Mr. Wood a friend; the band leader was my boss at the SEB; The Toast Master was yours truly, and yours truly’s guest and dancing partner was Sister Joan Manning.  -- Need I say more!

There followed a courtship involving long waits at Yeovil Hospital for Sister Manning to come off urgent duties, Lovely walks locally around a romantic spot called Nine Springs, tennis squash and importantly a taking part in The Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes. This was a most moving experience spiritually; a exhilarating climb up a local mountain; and a wonderful holiday enjoyed at Hotel de la Grotte where an engagement was announced between Sister Manning and the author of Jack’s jots over dinner with friends from Bruton, who had had polio. We also developed a liking for Green Chartreuse which had a remarkably good effect on one’s digestion and sleep.

4 April 56 Married Joan Manning at Yeovil.

Some of the tennis written above was after getting married but at this stage it is my intention to seamlessly dovetail Jacks jotts, --the single chap with-- the married man, (in much less detail and much less name dropping,)  à>>>>>>   as that is a different story,  -- in fact 4 very different stories  -- in fact one male and three female stories.

It should also be said here that Jack & Joan are very proud and blessed with 4 children who have grown and developed in all respects as very motivated and well intentioned, good people. (Almost certainly without the number of misdemeanours contained in Jacks jots!)

A brief synopsis business career:

1. 1956 Showroom Sales Yeovil SEB. Resigned to get promotion

2. SEB Showroom Manager job in Southbourne  - Resigned to get job with Burco.

3. Burco sales service engineer. Resigned from Burco as the New Sales Manager from Hoover said that all reps would have to “cold canvas” end users as was done in Hoover. This I refused.

4. Flatley – sales rep.  After 3 successful months I asked for a car. He sacked me, but after a long letter telling him why he shouldn’t, and I had decided to stay with Flatley,  He rang me and told me to get on plane  and he would meet me at Ringway airport in his Rolls Royce and I could stay at his house in Poynton where he had 8 acres lakes and ponies. We went to the pub were he played Dominoes with the locals and then he outlined a new job with car which was to travel the South Of England and open Flatley shops and/ or persuade retailers to devote part of their shop to Flatley products. This I did for about a year. He then started to over trade and was attacked commercially by Hoover. The end was in sight so I resigned before it happened. 

5. Philips. Interviewed in London for a sales job with Philips. The regional sales manager said he would like to think it over and he would write. I said you might want to think it over but I have decided I want to work for Philips and I’m not going back home. So he phoned The General Sales Manager at 5 pm and he sent for me over to Head Office. After hearing my pitch he offered me the job of Sales Rep for Kent/Sussex and that meant a move resulting in buying the Ardagh’s house in Uckfield and staying with them for a few months.

6. From  Philips National Sales Manager white goods, a re-organisation would have made me Assistant General Sales Manager  all Domestic appliances. So I resigned and got a Job with The Rank Organisation as Bush Sales Manager Radio and TV.
Eventually I changed to International Marketing Manager. Another reorganization would have made me European Sales Manager with a crash course in languages, so still following the dictum “Burn your Boats behind you.” so -- I resigned, and started my own business. My resignations were catching up rapidly with My Misdemeanours!