As Father was forgetful regards water in the radiator and petrol in the tank we were stranded a few times.
At about the age of seven years Father left instructions to the effect that Mother and children were to be in front of our home at 10.30am, no reason was given “just be there!”.
The surprise came round the corner, a ‘Baby Morgan’ with Father at the wheel. A ‘Baby Morgan’ was a three-wheeled car with a leather roof which was manually raised and lowered depending on the weather. After we were all seated, I must explain I was the middle child of five, a sister four years older, a brother six years older, a younger sister and brother, two years and four years respectively.
Mother sat with the youngest on her knee next to Father, we girls sat on the back seat while my older brother sat on the hood; he had the best view. In those days there were no restrictions, no seat belts, you just piled as many passengers in as you could, also there were not many cars on the road. We had many trips that summer into the countryside, we never had the hood up, so I presume it did not rain the days we were out. As Father was forgetful regards water in the radiator, also petrol in the tank, we were stranded a few times. Mother was not amused!
We had a glorious summer out in the countryside; Sundays always after Church, but the final day of the car was one Sunday. The car stopped; no petrol (he forgot to put the extra gallon can in the boot) and no garage. With the help of my older brother, plus two older boys who appeared from nowhere, the car was pushed home and we, who were left behind, had to walk the five miles home.
I don’t know what was said by Mother but we did not see the car again. It must have been sold or exchanged because the next Sunday, Father turned up at 10.30am with a Norton motorbike and sidecar. Father drove with older brother on pillion, Mother sat in the front seat with younger brother, and we three girls in the back seat. It had a leather hood with windows manually raised and lowered depending on the weather. Once more we were on the road, harmony restored!