It’s a small world.

A change this week due to the fact that on Thursday I met a man and his wife . a Mr and Mrs Murphy, who live in Swarthmoor, formerly from the Ambleside and Hawkeshead area.
It transpired that we were related through our Grandparents, who came from little Langdale. Also Norman had been ,in his younger days, a keen follower of hound trailing and he remembers the days of ‘Perivale’ and Black Diamond, Sunset and ‘Bouncer’ or George’ Brantwood’ Brownlee to be correct. Also the long forgotten days of the ‘White Heather Club’ who met once a year at Hawkeshead Show in the Sun Inn and got ‘well oiled’.
The members included local farmer George Brass, Jimmy Beatty.Jackie Laidler, Laal Gus, Big Jim, Oliver Webb Colin from Manchester, a major from down south uncle Tom Cobbley and all.
Quite a number sat around the table largely because the drink was free.
And it was on record that the winner of the trail one year slept under the table before running, completely oblivious to the proceedings , its name – ‘Double Life’.
Norman told the tale of watching a certain hound being exercised around Hawkeshead , apparently waiting for an opportunity to ‘nip’ down the finish, Allegedly.
Norman now lives in ‘Swattie’ two doors from Wendy Martin’s Mum, Betty.
Mentioning Hawkeshead Show brought back memories one of which was under the heading of ‘ a funny thing happened on the way to the show’.
Travelling at high speed , about 20 mph, along the road between Clappersgate and Outgate , in ‘Sarah’ an ancient Bedford van, dad driving ,Gus navigating, Jim grumbling, Billy Braithwaite, an assortment of young ‘uns bunking off school.
When! there was a bang , followed by a scraping sound, followed by the driver saying ‘look ! there is a wheel rolling down the road, ‘Where the bloody hell as that come from’!
Then a shout from the rear of the ‘bus’ the bloody back wheel has dropped off’ Which was now gathering momentum and heading on it’s own towards Hawkeshead.
Then a sing along ‘Three wheels on my wagon and I’m just rolling along’. Happy Days- ‘Fire Away ‘ finished fourth , well that is 8/4d towards a new back axle- got a lift home with Jim Beattie , who would have given Stirling Moss a run for his money, mind you, this was after an all day session.
And as for Jim and Gus , on being asked on arriving home, ‘What won the trails? answered’ its Tuesday’!
Actually the Senior winner was ‘ Brantwood ‘ I wonder who owned that? (see above)