I came across your web site quite by accident whilst
surfing - it was an unexpected tour of the 'Potteries" from a entirely
different view point and obviously the entire region must have changed
since my time from the existence called 'life' in the 'Five or Six
Towns ' which was not quite as quite as rosy as it is now
pictured and to which I can say with certitude , [ having
been born [1929] raised in the Meir and lived there until 1946 when
I volunteered for army service prior to being conscripted ] which
accomplished two things...... [1] choice
of service branch instead of having to take pot-luck
[2] the unbelievable chance to escape the
boring and oppressive existence called 'life' in those 'drab industrial
towns' especially Longton where I worked for some 2 yrs and where the
sun was only a figment of one's imagination---- since it was rarely seen
due to the smoke and grime floating in the air.
Within 3 months of joining-up I found myself in
Palestine now known as Israel and in the midst of the conflict that was
in effect at that time ---as a young un it was intimidating to say the
least ---but as an experience it was infinitely better by far than the'
life' which I had known in the 'potts' --- at the very least one could
breath clean air , albeit at times with a touch of sand but -- - - - -
one could see -- and ''feel the sun ,
"A Whiff from the
Potteries"
I have never returned to that ''England' and when
I was demobbed traveled the world eventually ending up in Canada where
I have lived for the last 40 yrs. last year we took a trip to Cornwall
which is to all accounts is the last bastion of the England that I read
about in my youth and which invoked a feeling of well-being ---- almost
pride of having been born in the UK
