Douglas's profile. 2004.

Updated 19th January 2010. 1st January 2015.

Hello I’m Doug 2nd eldest of 10 and by far the better looking (at least up to now) Born on the 5th March 1947 at St. Catherine's hospital in Birkenhead, then living at 197 Sea Bank Road Wallasey. I don’t recall a great lot about Wallasey, except I seem to remember going with my mother to New Brighton beach and collecting cockles or some sort of mollusk. We carried them home in bags and put them in a pan of boiling water this I understood was to open them and then I assume we ate them. Apart from that I don’t seem to have any other recollections.

From Wallasey we moved to Ormskirk in 1951 by this time we had increased the family by another 2 making a family of 4 with Marilyn and Jacqueline. On arrival in Ormskirk I do remember walking down Whittle Drive and seeing a couple of young lads of which we became all good friends.
Billy Dickinson, Paul MacDonald, Wilfred McCrae and last but not least Geoff Webster.

The family increased again over the following years with Dorothy, Eric, John, Edward, Sandra and Graham. At this stage with coming from a large family I must give Mum and Dad full credit for bringing us all up as a disciplined and meaning full family. All in good health fed with good meals and presented well.

The family started with Colin 63 years ago and finally with Graham 45 years ago spanning over 18 years, we are still in touch when necessary, and on social occasions. Another nice memory of the family is that when Dad took us to the Ormskirk annual fete, which then was on Green Lane playing fields. At one of the stalls we won some bone china crinoline ladies but just could not win the final figure making a full set. After trying so hard with no success we left for home. On arrival there, to our surprise dad gave me some money to go back and buy the last one, which was an option those days making a full set. Over the years they got broke and were repaired of a fashion using just household glue. The outcome of this short story is to say that I am pleased that I have still got the last surviving figure, somewhat battered and repaired.
It was a housing estate with rural surroundings agricultural fields to the rear where dad was working on the farm of George Gittens. Of this we were allowed to go and help whenever we could ( School hols and weekend etc.) slopping out the pigs, collecting hen eggs, smaller jobs around the farm and most enjoyable helping with the harvest

There was an old meadow to the front and right of our house which was an excellent adventure playground. There was an old pond in the meadow where we could go fishing, catching newts and making rafts, needless to say every time we made a raft we always ended up getting soaking wet through. We knew the error of our ways when we got home. Also in the pond were reeds which we used to plat and weave making various things but mostly small whips but don’t remember what we did with them. There was a lot more adventures with other people and friends who also will not be forgotten. It was a good atmosphere on the estate everybody seemed to know everybody else and it was not uncommon to have street parties especially on special occasions like the coronation in 1953 etc. Other than that, there were organized coach trips which I think mum and dad paid into a club on a regular basis and accumulated a small kitty, I think it was generally known as the Scott Estate club. I am pretty sure that the organizers of this club were Jock Whithers and Alec Baird and maybe one or two others which both and any others concerned deserve full credit. We would go on various trips to places typically like Blackpool and Morecombe by coach and would have a pomegranate to tuck into using a little needle to pick out the seeds and eating them one by one. In addition to that there would be a sing song of family melodies like 10 green bottles standing on the wall, and others. Other than that I started school at Greetby Hill infant’s school in 1951/2 shortly after it had opened and onto the junior section after that. I was never going to be an academic, I never took my 11 plus exam for entrance to the Grammar school and went straight onto the Secondary school at Wigan Road which in those days was boys only, where we were educated for more manual work.

I quite enjoyed my school life although it seemed some times go on for an eternity. In the final years I achieved status as woodwork monitor where we were supposed to check the tools were safe and sharp, sharpen if required for use during that particular day. I also got a position in the school football team as defender although the position used to alternate between myself and another friend Ian McKenzie. Leaving school back in 1962, the day of my brother Colin’s 21st birthday, Friday 13th April. Lucky for some.
My first job was in a factory at Burscough, as an apprentice electrical engineer only to find that with the sun blazing through the roof lights it was not for me, thankfully I realized that I was more of an out of doors worker. After-which by 2 months I got another apprenticeship, this time as a heating engineer which suited me to the ground. During my apprenticeship I had the opportunity temporally to go onto servicing oil burners for the boilers in hospitals and schools, after which back to general central heating. During my apprenticeship or shortly after I achieved my welding certificates for oxy-acetylene gas and electric arc welding.

On July 27th 1968 I married Gladys after a long courtship of approx. 6 years with small breaks in between. We went into living in a flat in the centre of Ormskirk for another 6 years before buying our present property in Aughton which was back in 1974, we are both quite satisfied with our little castle ( bungalow really ) as we have adjusted by means of extensions to suit ourselves. It was far enough to be away from, but close enough if required for both of our parents who all lived in Ormskirk. By the time I have changed my employer several times working on oil refineries to nuclear power station interrupted with the Royal and Sun Alliance buildings and renovation of the Liver Buildings etc. etc. in Liverpool. Otherwise not a lot happened we enjoyed ourselves going out regular to various places often in company. Then in 1979 along came Paul, our son. Since then still in the same humble dwelling and with still no intention of moving in January of 1988 I went self employed in the Plumbing and Central Heating business of which I have no regrets. Hobbies generally consist of anything that I can make with my hands and am currently making a 6ft x 3ft refractory table out of reclaimed timber, pottering around the garden and going to theatre.

Updated 19th January 2010
Yes I’m still second in a family of ten and still as good looking as ever, no one has over taken me YET. I finished off the last profile saying that I was building a refractory table out of mostly reclaimed timber and yes it was finished and have since made a second one for my son Paul both of us are more than pleased with the end result. We have also made other pieces of furniture out of reclaimed timber i.e. mirror frame out of what used to be Southport pier timber and have also laid the hall floor in it. Other frames out of drift wood from the water front where the blitz ruins were left at Crosby.

Nothing much has changed, other than the obvious; I am getting a little older although I don’t (hopefully) look it.

I’m still self-employed with over 21years experience, not a great deal longer to go, perhaps Ill just wind down slowly, I’m probably already doing so but not realizing it. I still go out on Fridays generally around Ormskirk meeting various groups of people not knowing until I get there who, I do go a little further on occasions with Gladys.

Paul has now turned 30. At his birthday celebrations we had a fancy dress party, dressed as gangsters and molls at Café Matisse in Southport. The first time for most of us, we dressed up for the occasion. It went down really well.

We had another fancy dress party at Dorothy’s house over this New Year 2010, based on a murder mystery adventure on a cruise liner, I think all of us did ourselves proud and we did have a laugh. I barely recognized Jacqueline when I arrived. Everyone really looked the part and everyone enjoyed the evening. Nothing to report about any influx into our section of the family but everything comes to those that wait. Gladys and I celebrated our 40th anniversary back in July 2008 and again all of the family met apart from our Edward. Paul super imposed a recent photo of him on a new family photo, which was taken virtually to within the hour if not within minutes of the same day 40 years previously at our wedding in 1968. We are now approaching our 42nd anniversary in a couple of months; I believe you can get out of jail after 15 years for murder I understand. We are still in the same castle (little bungalow) since 1974 and still happy not to move, nothing much else to report, I built a larger BBQ with a tall chimney similar to Paul’s which he recons I copied, well, he did have one first. We think well be having a few BBQs this year weather permitting; this will be a chance for the family to meet again. I still got the same motor I’m not one for changing for a new model, I’ve had it for approx. 9 years now but it is ready for change. We still go to theatre not as often but will soon remedy that when we get into the spirit again. We are really happy with Paul, he is fortunate to have a secure job as IT manager. He has amongst other things bought himself a micro light (a small flying thing). He had flying lessons and is currently taking his test for his pilot’s license. A few of us are looking forward to going up with him including me, so put your names forward he won’t mind.

Ill perhaps catch up again in a couple of years if I’m still here.
Revised. 1st January 2015.
Hi again for another update this New Year’s day 01-01-2015
For me personally, not a lot has changed, getting a little closer to retirement, sometimes not going out to work for a week or more, but staying part time mainly to support our past clients, but I will be soon stopping that as I now have completed 27years of self employment, not really regretting any of it.
Glad and I are still in our little bungalow getting out in the garden, weather permitting or maybe I have a project going on down in the shed. It could be anything. Currently I am refurbishing Glad's mother’s old house down Calder Ave, that keeps me occupied during the winter period and should be finished soon
Paul did get his pilot's license and I have been up flying with him doing spirals etc. it was an experience and well worthwhile.
He often takes friends up and also colleagues as he has a new job now but still in I.T. He is now a programme analyser and it’s only a few minutes' drive to where he keeps his Micro-Lite
What has changed for Glad and I is we have our very own lovely Daughter-in-Law Samantha. Paul proposed and she accepted, they got married in
July 2014. She has a bubbly character and shares a lot of interest together. They are very good company for each another as well.
They have just recently moved into a new house and have plans for putting their mark on it. We will be expecting a few BBQ’s this year weather permitting of course. That’s about it for now.
C U again in 4/5 years 10 4
Doug

Homepage: www.aughtonplumbingandheating.com

Email: doug@aughtonplumbingandheating.com