Granger 40
- This article is a Biography
- Chapter 40 - Untitled
I will now jump ahead of my story, to continue this part of it to its natural end, before I return to corsets and other things. It does show however that Ethel was not the helpless creature some might suspect, that the tight lacing had in no way injured her. Due to my father's illness we did very little in 1957 or 58, and what we did at first was almost a disaster. We did have one or two trips planned but they came to nothing, so we were left with a short one, which took us. We left too early, and before we left Peterborough Ethel had a puncture. My engine started off well but soon lost power, then after a time there was a plop and the plug fell out. This delayed us so that we just missed her corset instructress in March, who had left 5 minutes before. Then my clutch cable pulled out, but a garage near by soldered it on again. From March, by Doddington, Chatteris and Mepal, Witcham and Witchford we came to Ely. My engine had been consistently misfiring, although I did everything. We passed my old Shade school at Soham and called on my old landlady, now dead, but saw her daughter now married, so we had a lot to say over tea and biscuits. Through Wicken to take the road by Water ­beach and Milton, to see her father sitting in the sun. Then off to see our relations in Cambridge where I cleaned the carburettor, changed the plug, but to no avail. It was missing and eight stroking all the way home. I found the end bearing had gone so the points were out of place. It was a job to send away for repair. That was Whitsun.
In the summer we tried another short trip by Whittlesy, Ramsey, St Ives, Gamblingay, Potton, Biggleswade to Henlow for lunch. Then off to Hitchin, Codicote into Welwyn, where we visited Ethel's Corset firm. They were very interested to see her, for although they had made her corsets with that tiny waist, they could not imagine what she would be like. They expected to see a little old lady, not a dainty lady riding a moped. They showed us all over the factory, gave us tea and biscuits, asking for some photographs too.
Leaving we came to the A 414 at Sole Green on to Hertford. Then across country by the B158 to join the A 10 at Wadesmill. This we followed until we turned off at Puckridge by the B1368 through Barkway to Barley, meeting the A 10 near Harston, where we turned off to see one of my uncles. We stopped late and bypassed Cambridge to the foot of Castle Hill from where we let drive full speed for home, by the A 1 which was now nearly finished being made into a dual carriage way, so we made good time, doing the 38 miles in 1½ hours, not too bad for small machines.
Ethel was still nursing my father, but we did get a nurse in so we could get away for a few days as I had become a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society, and they had arranged a few days at Keele. So I got leave to attend the meetings and what followed I will now relate.
After the troubles I had obtained a new engine, and with special leave we decided to attend a series of meetings of the Royal Astronomical Society, of which I was now a Fellow to be held in Keele Hall, the University of N. Staffordshire. The doctor said the trip would do Ethel some good, as she was feeling the strain from nursing my father. Included in the four days was a trip to Llangollen and Jodrell Bank.
Loaded with cameras, my V.P.K., now adapted to take colour film, maps, routes and guides, with leggings and plastic mack each, in case of rain. Ethel had a beautiful new frock which could be worn with the polished aluminium belt or a white leather one as she wished. Our spare clothes were packed behind Ethel's machine. We left by Glinton, Helpston and Barnack into Stamford, then a bottleneck on the A.1, from where we proceeded by Oakham to Melton Mowbray for lunch. After we took the B676 to Loughborough, and the A 512 to Ashby de la Zouche. We climbed up to Woodville and down to Burton on Trent, by Draycott into Uttoxeter, Stone, Whitmore to Keele Hall, half an hour late, and burst into the reception as we were, but dashed back to change in quarter of an hour. Ethel put on a green and white frock with a laced on green leather belt, a startling creation.
Like this we camp down to the inaugural dinner, to meet many old friends. Our night accommodation was in a double bedded hut, with provision for tea, for Ethel isn't human without her morning cuppa. Next day after lectures we visited Jodrell Bank Radio telescope. After the evening lecture - - they organised tea and biscuits in our hut, with some friends in tow. A visit to Llangollen, the Horseshoe Pass and Chester, by the monthly meeting, ended in another tea party in our hut. I must say that many members were Interested in our tiny machines, and we were tough to came all that way on them.
As for Ethel's waist, many who had not seen it before gasped when they saw it for the first time, and the staff could not take their eyes off it, and when we returned [some time] later they still remembered it. It rained most of the way back home, by Draycott Upper Tean, and Tutbury to Burton and Ashby where we paused for a meal. Then by Coalville and Groby, into Leicester, from where we came into Uppingham for tea, then home, wet but happy, one of the least [restful days] of motor cycling , but we liked.
Soon after, we went to the wedding of her niece in Cambridge, in 1958, and went to change on the back of our machines. Ethel put on her new flowered with the polished aluminium belt, which showed off her waist to perfection. It certainly shook the Cantabrians who saw her in the Church and at the reception later.
Quite a few made envious remarks about her marvellous figure and how she did it. Coming back, we were making 40 and passing the buses and old cars, who goggled when two mopeds came flashing by. We did not know if we should have any summer holidays, but when my father passed away on August 1st she was released, and events followed fast.
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