He said ‘Pam’s getting married tomorrow,
we mustn’t miss that.’ So nine o’clock at
night we set off for Essex. When we got
there we knocked on the door. ‘What the
bloody hell are you doing here?’ Pam
said. ‘We’ve come for the wedding, my
duck’ Geoff said. ‘It ain’t half cold, you go
get in Gran’s bed with her and we’ll have
yours!”
Ken was in the airforce during the war,
looking after Carterton. Asking him about
his war experience led to a story about a
driver he knew called Ted Bendall. One day
the camp was being bombed as Ted drove so
he got out and took shelter under his vehicle.
When the all-clear was called he told his
associates where he had taken cover…only
to be told what he was carrying in the
lorry was a load of explosives! Another
tale involved a soldier providing a
specimen as part of his medical and
spilling it over the chap examining
him!
Ken made himself useful in other
ways during the war. “I used to drive
for Archie Rose.” Rose owned The
Vineries which specialised in fruit and
veg. “I had my day off on a Friday, so
I’d come home on Thursday night, he’d
have his van loaded up ready, I’d deliver
around Oxford for him – all his tomatoes!”
(Carterton’s history is very tomato
orientated: “everybody in Carterton had
chickens and tomatoes” our Carterton
character had already informed me).
Police, bombs, tomatoes…I could
have talked to Ken for so much
longer. But I didn’t want to tire him
out completely; he had just relayed
years and years of Carterton life to
me. Many thanks to him for being a
fabulous first in what we hope will be a
series full of cheer, charm and character!
Could anyone you know be one of our
Carterton Characters? Call 01235 856300
or email
25
