Alfred John Boon      In the Army
The Early Years

What follows is largely in Alfred John Boon's own words, from notes he left with the genealogical data which forms the basis of this web site.

Alfred John Boon met Fred Winter, stable jockey for Maurice Hartigan at Weyhill Stables, through his cousin, Francis Synan, who was nursemaid to Fred Winter's daughter, Sheila, when he lived with the family in Andover, Hampshire.

'As I have been mad on horses from my infant days, and had quite a lot to do with them, I was more than delighted to get to know Mr Winter. My ambition had always been to be a jockey, and my size and weight were just suitable. I was 70lbs at 14. At every opportunity I would go with Mr Winter to the stables. The staff would give me a leg-up on the hacks, and let me mount racehorses at the walk. I can still remember three of them - Sewing Machine, Clyno and Breeze. I was offered a chance as a stable lad, when I finished school, at Weyhill, or I could pick another stable. If I was satisfactory I would be apprenticed. There had been some racehorse owners around the Woolwich area, and I had been offered a place in the stables by them, so had always thought that there I would end up. Nobody at that time seemed to object. 

When I returned to Plumstead my mother would not entertain it.  Reason, her brother-in-law, who was then a stud groom in Devon, had had a hard time as a stable lad. It was useless to point out that that was in the Middle Ages, when all workers had hard times. Mr Winter, when his wife wrote to Francis, said the offer was still open until I was about 16. He must have thought I would make it, for that would have been very late to be apprenticed. I often thought I would just go, but did not want to embarrass Mr Winter or my aunt and uncle.

As I could not go into the stables, I was not very interested in anything, even education.

65 Elm St (later Elmly) was a six roomed house with 3 bedrooms, and had elastic sides. Besides the family there was Lily (Pip), the illegitimate daughter of my aunt. My mother looked after her from when she was a few months old until she left school at 14. Her mother, who was then married, invited her to stay a few days, and then met her and sent her out to work. 

Another was Violet Bridges, older than me. Her mother, when she was dying, asked my mother to adopt her. She married a Sydney Higbee some time before the war. They had two children, Sheila and Betty. These were sent as refugees during the war to Yeovil, where May fed and clothed them for a few shillings a week, while their parents were raking it in as munitions workers. Violet’s uncle, John Middleton, also lived with us for quite some time.

Another inhabitant was Olive Archer, a friend of Francis. She fell out with her parents, married an engineer from Seimens and died shortly after.

Kathleen Taylor, was another refugee from parental warfare, a girlfriend of mine and a workmate of Francis. She married Terry Paul, an Inspector with United Dairies.

The people living at 67 Elm St did a flit, leaving their lodgers, the Popes, mother, father and son, stranded in an empty house. My mother let them have our front room, supplying the furniture, on the understanding that it was only temporary. It took a year to get them out, more often than not they didn’t pay any rent. My mother couldn’t resist waifs and strays. 

We had a good time though. There were always parties from when I was quite small. Parties went on all night, and sometimes lasted the weekend. They could be extended into several days at Christmas, going from house to house.

The last time I saw No 65 it was a hole in the ground, waiting for a concrete monstrosity to be planted. No 65 was on the sixth floor opposite.

I left school at 14 and went to work with Gert’s brother Ted at the old tramyard, Lakedale Road. He was employed by Fred Williams, who was once goalkeeper for Woolwich Arsenal, about the same time as my uncle played for them. He owned three public houses, The Brewery Tap, Plumstead, The Captain Digby Hotel, Kingsgate, Margate and The Spaniards, Hampstead Heath. He also had shares in Beasley’s Brewery, Cheeseman’s Stores, Lewisham and I suppose much more.

I went to The Spaniards one day with Ted. Tom Mix (old cowboy actor) was making a film there (Dick Turpin?). I was able to go into the stable and fondle his rather famous horse, was it Tony? Made my day.

Another bonus, I used to go into Beasley’s Brewery and got to know the stable manager well. The drays were pulled by shires. Of course I helped when I could in the boxes, and tried to persuade the manager to give me a job. He would laugh and say I was too small, one of the animals might tread on me. His stable staff being old employees, I don’t think there was a vacancy. I believe he was pulling my leg.

Ted’s job was chauffeur, driver of the pub’s delivery van, and the general maintenance of the vehicles. We both helped out in Arthur Hayward’s garage, that was in the tramyard. Learned to drive T-type Fords, but was too young for a licence. Mr Hayward kept saying he would employ me, until I thought it was time for a move.

I don’t know how I got the employment, but started work in the Inspection Department of Oliver Pell Control, Cambridge Place, Burrage Road, Plumstead. After I had been employed there some time I would go on a Saturday to the Strand, to service arc lamps. These, I think, were used in the Mall, by the Charing Cross Electrical Company. (Maybe) manufactured by OPC. Obtained me a 100% mark in searchlights at the Military College of Science. I learned quickly at OPC, and became quite adept in the use of electrical test instruments. I was at this time attending evening classes. Charles Fricker, manager of the test department and I were far from amicable, although this did not  prevent him from instructing me and giving me the best of the jobs. 

I was rewiring electrical motors in the machine shop, assisted by a "new boy". Charlie arrived an accused the lad of idleness. I stuck up for the boy, it developed, I challenged C. to a bout of fisticuffs. C. refused because of his double hernia. He was the boss, so I departed. Why I took a job with Addis & Usherwood, grocers, except that the manager asked me, he being a friend, I do not know. Hours 8-8 every Monday to Friday, half day Wednesday from 2 o’clock, Saturday 8-9. No football or cricket weekends. I was soon cheesed off, and when Mr Addiss started criticising me to the boss, that was that. 

I had employment with two other firms, sometime before I entered the services. Labins, wine merchants of Piccadilly. I serviced their bottling and corking machines etc. at Waterloo, and The Electrical Apparatus Company, Vauxhall Road, where I worked on electrical controllers, including trams.

Mr Chapman, in charge of the instrument section at OPC invited me to return to the fold (it was that kind of firm). Mr Chapman was one of those persons who seemed to devote their lives to others. He got some high decoration later in his life, maybe a knighthood. (If not, he should have). He was a great fund-raiser, especially for Miller Hospital, Greenwich. He Chaired all the committees in the firm, Welfare, Sports, Entertainment etc. He was an officer in St John’s Ambulance Brigade, and got me interested in First Aid. He was the most genuine gentleman I ever met. One thing stands out, was when I tendered my resignation from one of the committees, because of criticism. He said he would accept it, but if everybody was to resign because people who are incapable of functioning in the job disapproved, nothing would ever get done. I withdrew my resignation.

I was unemployed for about a year during the Depression in the early thirties. I eventually obtained employment in Kolster-Brandes, Footscray, assembling wireless components (radio). A come down, but thankful for any employment. I cycled from Plumstead to Footscray. This was seasonal, so it only lasted a few months. The Depression was easing, work became easier. I went to Standard Telephones Company, North Woolwich, assembling and testing telephone equipment. Not instrument making, but employment. I eventually returned to OPC, testing RAF equipment, including parts of Automatic Pilot. This section was controlled by my old friend, Charlie Fricker, with another old friend, Rainey. The combination soon got rid of me. 

Brother Jim was Charge Hand in the Instrument Shop at this time, so together with Mr Chapman I was soon back in the Instrument Dept.

In 1939 I "Signed On".'

Alfred John Boon's war
 
 

AJB in Elm Street, Plumstead, on the occasion of the Silver Jubilee of George V in 1935	AJB was a keen sportsman

Alfred John Boon          In the Army