London.
I was lucky to be President. There was also Ted Tidbury, the
roofing felt manufacturer. Ted was a lovely man. We had meetings in each other’s house, with whist drives and the like. His year was noted for sport. He started so many activities.
Charles Olley was remembered for all the gravel pits around here. He was an interesting character and, in 1932 he supplied the materials for the foundation of my house in Parkland Avenue. He started off with just a horse and cart, but, by the time he came to Rotary, he had become a millionaire. He was very helpful and another one who lived to his 90s.
Tidbury had a cricket net in his garden. We used to practice cricket with Archie Rogers and others. We had a tremendous fellowship and played all over the place. Harry Wilson was a cricketer and played at South Ockendon and Harold Wood. Bob Chester was a tremendous cricketer. Through the darts and cricket we got to know many people from other Clubs. We started the Christmas Tree in this year and the first one was outside the White Hart in Hornchurch. We got the idea from seeing Christmas trees at other Clubs. Then afterwards it became quite a big thing. The next year we decided to ask local choirs and bands to have services there. We did not have a collection in those days, not until we came to Upminster.
We attended all the conferences and Tidbury used to come. He was followed by Archie Rogers, who is remembered by many people. He was a solicitor. We went to the conferences with Jones the dentist. They let their hair down at the conferences, and this amazed me because they were so much older than me. Rogers and his wife Maude and all the other ladies became founder members of the Inner Wheel. Archie had a very successful year with lots of things going on. He was a friend of Harry Chandler, whom he brought into the Rotary.
Harry Frizzell was the next President. He was a young baker and very sociable in the Club. He had a most unfortunate year because he was taken ill in his year and spent a lot of time in Broomfield hospital with TB. He got back to us once, but after a short time died. So Gibbs had to take over a bit early. I was the vice-President. Gibbs was a private tutor, and his wife was the only person allowed to call him John.
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