Letter to Bill , Lynne and Liam - Tuesday 19th April 1977

 Dear Lynne, Liam and Bill,   Here Iam having a post Easter/Spring holiday with Tony Eve and family. I've been making dolls house furnitures, piano, snazzy kitchen sink unit and un-draineretc. and printing miniature wallpaper. Generally playing and messing about with Jo's toys and making a terrible mess. Have managed to fit in quick pints and games of darts and walked to the local tip the other Sunday afternoon. Found a blackboard and abacus attached - a strange pink light fitting and several old Victorian magazines. ........It was Tony's first day back teaching yesterday and I accompanied him on his journey for a nostalgic day in Manchester.  It was really weird seeing the art college again and all the studios we used to work in. All Saints has cheanged quite drastically, lots of new buildings and new shops.  Johnny Roadhouse is still there but he has only half a shop. So is the Grosvenor Cinema and Billiard Den.   I had a drink with Barry White and a few others in the "Sally"  at lunch time, which is just the same only different bar staff and clientele of Irishmen,  Barry has a show at the Peterloo Gallery but seems a bit pissed off.   He said he hadn't heard from Vic Mills for ages. ...... It was like being in a time warp really and bit hard to take sober. I got quite drunk and on an empty stomach too!..... In the evening we went to Stockport with Joe Wilson  and Nick somebody for a game of pool in the pub next door to the brooery........Then on to another horrible modern pub with Ken ( a lecturer ) who looked and sounded like Danny La Rue.... I got very drunk and sulked most of the evening as I was left out of the darts tournament. Awful thick northerners kept asking me what football matches I had been to in London and what crap beer us Southerners have to put up with!..... Anyway, the very kind fellow called Nick drove us (Ton and I)  all the way back to Alsager afterwards, about 30 miles out of his way!.....O dear, what a headache the next day!.....Nvermind. I have stayed an extra day to make up for it (and recover) playing the 78's I bought at Mazell's ( still there miraculously!)  "What did the poor little moths live on when Adam and Eve were here? "  "Tip Toe Through The Tulips" "The Laughing Policeman" and also an LP by Sir Douglas Quintete.  Played at ticket offices, beach huts, Noah;s Arks and wafflers nosserouses etc..... Have to sign on late today..... Dirty trumpets!..... Stupid |Red Clay!.....A couple of Jo's expletives.......STEPNEY........ Monday 25th.  Well,  here I am back in the old mud hut.Busy planting seeds in marge pots to put in my new propogatory window shelves.  Toms , courgettes, herbs etc....

To Dave Segrave - 23rd Sept. 1969

To Dave Segrave and Dick Woods - 28th Feb. 1968

The typed bit of tin foil is hard to read so here's what it says - " Dear Dave, Thanks for your letter. You seem to be having a tough time at the moment, too bad, I hope it gets better for you. Wish I could say it was better here.We are still carrying on with projects although we have been alloted working spaces. BIG DEAL! I shall probably see you around Easter. Cheribye til then. Hajduk Split" ( nickname I was given by Trevor Councell after I wrote the name of a Yugoslavian football team on my life drawing!)

Dear Mike - 28th July 1969

Dorothy was looking through one of your art books yesterday and came across the enclosed £5 note; you may have left it there and know about it but I thought you could have left it there some time ago and forgotten about it, anyway right or wrong you have it now. Your watch is OK again but I am wearing it until mine is repaired. I'll send it on if you need it. Did you get your spec's O.K. ? Dick (?) came after I sent it, hope your bag of "jumble" was intact. Barbaba is at Butlins Bognor this week, you'll be getting your cheeky postcard soon. I hope she and her friend aren't too occupied in fighting off the "wolves" although she knows what life is all about by now. Weather has been grand this last week but cloudy today. Don't work too hard. Love from Mum and the twin fighters. Dad/

Dear Michael - 15th August 1969

As usual not knowing what to do with the enclosed cheque I have forwarded it to you; it's rumoured you're coming home again soon but I thought you might be getting in the red.. I have just come back from Uncles, been down there jawing and fishing, he's still waiting on a move, houses empty all around him, weeds knee high along all the back gardens. Ref your watch, I dropped it just after I told you it was O.K. so now it's "up the creek" again until I go back to work again on the 19th ( been off since the 4th ) mine is still with the repairier, soon be able to tell the time by the sun when I go fishing. Didn't go away this year as I am still paying off moped etc. and couldn't afford it. All send their love from home. Barbara has been home from work for three days, tummy trouble; can't get over her holiday I reckon. Pleased to know you are getting out a bit and it's not all work, but kite flying "uuugh". Will close now. All the best from Dad /

Diary Extracts - 20th and 21st,Dec.1973

Fandango on wailing wall keeps me constantly twixt sleep 'n' slurch so doesn't help mornings dismal awakenings. Did I say I'd go home today? Well perhaps I was a bit hastey. Still got 200f to keep my pocket happy 'til Feb. at least. Thinking of going to pictures in Albi, five cinemas! 101 Dalmations on this week, also Lawrence of Arabi- yuch! Got a runny nose!? A man in an ear flap hat came to the door this morning as I was making tea but I couldn't understand him, nor he me! "I had a red door but a had it painted black". Just wired up the extension speaker from the record player in Lynne's room, bored a hole in the floor to put the wire thru'. Sounds alright, Yoko's "Cat Man" is on now. Bill's gome wood cuttin' on his own - leaving me to get on with my water colouring. Bill and Lynne have gone to Albi ( I think - that direction anyway) on a secret mission. Bill has met some new people today, a sculptor, a woodman whose given us a pile of his wood for nothing and an English couple who have some land near Cordes somewhere................. Bill is getting it off his chest about record players - seems I've had it for far too long and played it too loud. Naughty me. "Eeeraaaaagh !" goes Yoko " Ooooowgh!" Went to saw mill on River Cerou today to collect off cuts given by the little baggy eyed man today. Its beautiful around there, nestling in a wooded valley among many hills with towers and secret dwelling places. I got a parcel in bed this morning that cheered me up no end - a packet of custard and a Mrs. Peaks Christmas Pud! From Dick and Cheryl. - cost £1.40 to post!! Madness!! Got two loads of wood, one stacked outside gate - fine spindles and sawed other at Marcs - drank some potent wine - we may buy some off Marc! Perhaps a turkey! It rained.

Dear Mike - 21nd March 1970

Have sent your specs off today, you should receive them about Tuesday, let me know if you get them O.K. I signed the form when it came back as that was the order according to the queer fellow at the ops. Have you heard anything that effects your next move college wise, or is it "try somewhere else", hope you get fixed up as I know how you must feel. All at home are well and full of the usual arguements. Dee starts working for the Governemnt after Easter. She will be at the H.M. Sationary Office near the Town Centre training to be a duplicator operator. The job sounds alright, hope she likes it. How's the veg & veg dinners progressing? Hope you are able to satisfy your long frame on such meals. I guess it is the cash mainly that puts you on such a diet, as you always liked meat in the past. How was your journey home or should I say back to Manchester? Dee had a long trip last Friday, she went on a day coach trip to Longleat near Bath with her class, ten or eleven hours travelling she said it would have been O.K. but it rained a lot of the time and the views en route were spoilt. Will close now Mike but will write again soon. Love from all. Dad/