A Coventry Kid's Tale

Chapter 6: Approx 9 years of age to 10 years

The Cox Street Club children's outing comes to mind for although the child's father was not a member, one of his friends was. The child's friend was Leslie Belford. One of the children could not go on the trip so the child's friend asked him if he would like to go. An immediate "yes" from the child.
On the Saturday morning all the coaches lined up in Godiva Street. There were a lot of children. When on board the coach a man came round giving every child half a crown for spending money. This was to buy ice-cream or whatever the child wanted when they got to Dudley Zoo. However, fortunately for the child their coach broke down. So they all had to get on another coach, on this coach a man came round giving every child a half crown. The child now had five shillings (today's money 25p). However, fortunately for the child this coach broke down as well. Now they crowded the children onto the other coaches.
When they were all seated (3 to a seat) a man came round to give all the children a half crown. After threatening one child to shut up, the child now had seven shillings and sixpence. A small fortune to the child. What a good day the child had at Dudley Zoo even buying a lead elephant for his mother as a present and a pipe for his father, and he didn't go short on ice-cream either.

On the point of earning money, the child found this easy. One night while out playing with Alan Warwick they were returning home from playing on the bomb site in Cox Street. It was winter so it was dark early. Just outside of the Francis Barnett factory in Lower Ford Street a lorry had broken down. The lorry driver had the bonnet up and spotted the torch that Alan Warwick had in his hand. "Excuse me son" said the lorry driver "could I please have a loan of your torch? I know what's wrong but need light to put it right". Alan Warwick said "No", but the child being kind hearted took the torch and said to the lorry driver "Of course you can", and passed the torch over. Ten minutes later the lorry driver said "Thank you son, here's five bob (25p) for new batteries". The lorry drove away and Alan Warwick said "That's my money". "No it's not" said the child, "I lent him the torch, you said no". So they split the money two ways, 2/6 each. Money for old batteries???? Alan Warwick had to buy new batteries, but the 2/6 was sheer profit for the child!!! (The Francis Barnett factory made motorbikes, known as the "Franny Barnett").
Penny for the guy wasn't bad either. Standing outside the Canterbury Arms pub, the people would give you a couple of pennies going in and then give you maybe sixpence when they came out. It paid to wait. The child always waited.