I mentioned George Ashby last week and I have another good story about him. Not strictly Heifer related but it brings in another matter that concerned many in the 1960s. I mentioned drinking and driving earlier and as we moved into the 1960s it was being taken much more seriously. At that time licensing hours were set by the local magistrates and there was a mismatch between us under Skipton and Foulridge just over the county boundary. I'm not sure whether it was all week or just Sunday opening but the crack was that if you made a quick dash over the boundary at closing time in Barlick you could get a couple more drinks in. One enterprising man in Barlick had a large American car with a Perkins diesel in it and did a regular run round the pubs in the town and over the boundary at closing time, the Hole in the Wall at Foulridge was a very popular watering hole! I was reminded about this by the story about George Ashby. He was having a drink in the Syke one evening when someone tipped him the wink that the police were watching the car park. He rang his driver, arranged for him to meet him at the Seven Stars and then rang a taxi and went up there himself. After a decent interval he rang the police and reported his car as stolen from the Seven Stars where he was having a drink with his chauffeur. Of course the police soon found his car and delivered it to him at the pub. You have to admire the quick thinking! By the way, you know how I love word origins. 'Chauffeur' comes from the French for 'steam provider' and dates back to the days of the steam car when the driver had to keep the boiler fired up. Back to the Heifer!
The local bookies were regulars at many of the pubs, it kept them in touch with their customers. Tommy Fitton had a bookie's shop on Commercial Street in Barlick and was often in the Heifer. I must have been well-oiled one night because normally I never placed a bet but on this particular evening I must have had some good information and Eddie and I put a £5 bet on two horses we fancied. The following evening Tommy informed us we had a draw, both horses had come in at a good price. Eddie took his winnings but I told Tommy to all mine on a three year old second favourite I knew was running the following day. I think both he and Eddie thought I was mad and perhaps they were right but the horse came in. I had won about ten week's pay on one bet! Tommy paid me out at Barlick and asked me if I wanted to make another bet as I was obviously on a winning streak. I told him no thanks, took the money home, gave Mother half of it and never backed a horse again. I swore I would be one of the very few men in this world who went to his grave in front of the bookies!
In those days I had a wonderful Jack Russell terrier bitch called Bess that I got from Dick Allen at Lower Sandiford Farm on Gisburn Old Track. She went everywhere with me and was always a favourite, Gladys used to give her a drop of beer in a clean ashtray. I met a man with a dog in the pub one night (I wonder how many stories start with those words!), he came from Windy Bank at Colne and had a good looking black lurcher at his foot. It was a classic cross, Whippet and Cur crossed with Greyhound and Labrador, Windy Bank had a good (or bad!) name for poaching dogs in those days. The upshot was I bought it for a fiver, half a week's wage then. The following day I took it up on Bleara Side and soon found out what was wrong with it. The only thing it would chase was cats! Another thing was that it had big paws, a sure sign that a young dog has got some growing to do. Never mind, Mother liked it and so it became one of the family until I met another man in the pub who lived on the Ranch and his wife fell in love with the dog. I sold it to them for a tenner and hoped I never saw him again. No such luck! A couple of months later he and his wife, complete with big black dog (it was growing fast), were in the Heifer one night when I went in. My heart fell into my boots but I had no need to worry, they wanted to buy me a drink because they were so delighted with their new baby. It just goes to show, even a useless dog has a niche somewhere if only you can find it.
I think I may have bored you enough with my stories about the Heifer but I can't leave it without telling you my favourite again, it will be new to some of my readers. Eddie and I landed in the pub one evening early doors and were the only customers because it was a lousy November day, driving cold rain and we were wet through. The coal fire roaring up the chimney was just the ticket. There was a door at the end of the bar next to the fire, Gladys opened it and stood in the corner near the fire while we chatted. We knew that she wasn't well at the time and was waiting to go into hospital for a serious operation so when she suddenly stiffened up and cried out in pain we sprang to her side to see if we could help. She made it quite clear that we were to leave her alone so we sat back awaiting developments. After what seemed an age she straightened up, headed towards the bar and said she was all right. We asked her if it was her stomach that was bothering her and she said no, her suspenders had got red hot as she stood in front of the fire and when she shifted had pressed on the tender part of her leg! Looking back I can imagine they were pretty heavy duty items, these were the days of well-corseted women and Pulfront came to mind, they are still made at Doncaster.
I shall leave the Heifer for a while and I think next week we'll have a look at Kelbrook Village, it's an interesting place and I always had a soft spot for it. The Co-op once paid 3/6 in the Pound divi!
Bess the Jack Russell and the black lurcher at Sough in 1957.
love reading these, they could be in any community in years gone by. And, very few beat the bookies, well done Stanley.