The Bequest
My Dad remembers a madcap quest for a Hunter watch...
"Around about 1938 word reached my father that Mary Jane nee Cheshire had died in Kidderminster. She lived alone... she was intestate... she was virtually penniless... but she had relatives in Shrewsbury who regarded the death of a family member as an opportunity to at least gain a few bob from the chattels that were left behind.
Sam Cheshire began to organise an epic journey to recover whatever spoils had become available in Kidderminster. He primed Joe Drew with a few pints of beer, and Joe had words with Cappers the Agricultural Engineers for whom he was a driver.
This brought forth a clapped-out builder's truck and all was arranged for Sunday morning to be the big expedition. Sam Cheshire, Joe Drew, my brothers Jack and Sam and several more all piled on the lorry and away it went.
They got as far as Wenlock Edge and it virtually conked out... all the gang pushed it and pushed it, finally getting to the top. But the journey took hours.
They eventually reached Kidderminster and the home of Mary Jane, only to find that Sam Waters, whose wife was Mary Emma Bishop (I always knew them as Uncle Sam and Auntie Emma) had been to Kidderminster only hours before and taken all the rich pickings... including a gold Hunter watch which my father had been given to understand was bequeathed to him.
The retrieval party was gutted. They couldn't think of enough four-letter words to describe Sam Waters. They did however load up anything and everything of value, and roped it to the ailing truck.
On the way back down Wenlock Edge the brakes failed and they were careering around the 'S' bends on two wheels with furniture falling off in all directions. Finally arriving back in New Park Road late in the evening they all disembarked at the New Inn for liquid refreshment.
Sam Cheshire never spoke to Sam Waters again, but for my part Auntie Emma always treated me regally and so did Uncle Sam. Ken Waters, my closest friend, was deeply embarrassed and upset over what happened, but we lived to forget the incident”.
"Around about 1938 word reached my father that Mary Jane nee Cheshire had died in Kidderminster. She lived alone... she was intestate... she was virtually penniless... but she had relatives in Shrewsbury who regarded the death of a family member as an opportunity to at least gain a few bob from the chattels that were left behind.
Sam Cheshire began to organise an epic journey to recover whatever spoils had become available in Kidderminster. He primed Joe Drew with a few pints of beer, and Joe had words with Cappers the Agricultural Engineers for whom he was a driver.
This brought forth a clapped-out builder's truck and all was arranged for Sunday morning to be the big expedition. Sam Cheshire, Joe Drew, my brothers Jack and Sam and several more all piled on the lorry and away it went.
They got as far as Wenlock Edge and it virtually conked out... all the gang pushed it and pushed it, finally getting to the top. But the journey took hours.
They eventually reached Kidderminster and the home of Mary Jane, only to find that Sam Waters, whose wife was Mary Emma Bishop (I always knew them as Uncle Sam and Auntie Emma) had been to Kidderminster only hours before and taken all the rich pickings... including a gold Hunter watch which my father had been given to understand was bequeathed to him.
The retrieval party was gutted. They couldn't think of enough four-letter words to describe Sam Waters. They did however load up anything and everything of value, and roped it to the ailing truck.
On the way back down Wenlock Edge the brakes failed and they were careering around the 'S' bends on two wheels with furniture falling off in all directions. Finally arriving back in New Park Road late in the evening they all disembarked at the New Inn for liquid refreshment.
Sam Cheshire never spoke to Sam Waters again, but for my part Auntie Emma always treated me regally and so did Uncle Sam. Ken Waters, my closest friend, was deeply embarrassed and upset over what happened, but we lived to forget the incident”.
posted by linda | 7:29 AM
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