HAROLD
Secure with his Dad
As a family, we saw a lot of 'Uncle Harold' ( we called him less formally Uncle Hat) as he came to our house for his dinner every workday during the week in the fifties and sixties. He, like my father, worked in the engineering firm Reyrolle and their day was broken with an hour 'dinner break' when they would come home( a few minutes walk) to enjoy a home cooked meal at 106 Tennant Street.
Although it was a little more work for Mother, he paid her enough to compensate. Also, I think Mother liked to keep that closeness to family she had always known and Harold was the young brother for whom she had probably felt a sense of protection in earlier years.
A young teenager
Victoria Rd, Hebburn
As a boy of 16 years, Harold signed on as an apprentice to the trade of Electrical Mechanic with Reyrolle in May 1926 . He followed the family tradition of working for the firm in which his father was a manager. The agreement was signed by his father and lists his weekly wage, starting at 7 shillings per week for the first year and increasing by 2 shillings per week each subsequent year. Out of this the firm deducted 6 pence per week, the total being returned at the completion after 5 years. He eventually became a skilled toolmaker and stayed with the firm all his life.
He was a tall, handsome man with a fresh complexion and always looked tanned. He had beautiful white straight teeth and thick, wavy silver hair. Prominent brown eyes and very deep gravel-voice.
His nature was extremely gentle and friendly. I can never remember him being rude, argumentative or self-opinionated. And 'dinner times' at 106 were not always without family quarrels! He simply maintained a quiet low profile and sensibly neither took sides or even joined in.
He was very helpful to his parents in their latter years and maintained their garden with a greenhouse, fruit and vegetables. Not an academic type he liked to gamble in a small way and enjoyed a smoke and the occasional drink.
He often did the shopping and knew all the best bargains and prices. Liked country walks and would be up at the crack of dawn to go mushrooming when it was said he could spot a wild mushroom from half -a-mile.
After he retired he usually called in at 106 every Sunday morning to keep in touch and pass-on any gossip and shopping bargains. On entering the house my father and him would exchange greetings 'Haaaat..Jaaaack, hard lines yesterday on the horses Jack...'
MARGARET BEASY
She was married to Harold in September 1940 at St Andrew's Church, Hebburn from her home at 51 Jutland Avenue. Peggy was a very smart and good looking woman, always with a ready smile, very chatty and quite friendly with all of us. She also worked in Reyrolles.
Just married at Evenwood with evacuee Rosemary !
Harold and Peggy had one boy called Harold (known as 'young Harold' by us ) and always referred to as 'the Lad' by his father.
They lived most of their married life in a small flat in Hebburn just bordering onto Jarrow. Later-on in retirement, they moved to a flat near the shopping centre of Hebburn.
Brothers Alec and Harold with their young sons. About late 1940's.
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