Chapter 25: Another Dispersal

In 1937, it was becoming obvious that war was on the way again, despite the reluctance of most politicians to accept the inevitable consequences of Hitler's rule in Germany. However, common sense prevailed in some quarters and limited rearmament began. But the government wouldn't lift a finger against Franco's fascists in Spain. Only unofficial volunteers went there from Britain.

The rearming of Britain meant that there were new job opportunities for some. Always one with an eye for a chance, James Davies decided to move round Morecambe Bay, to Barrow-in-Furness. There was plenty of well-paid work in the shipyards, building submarines or labouring on the houses which were springing up on new estates. Beatrice and Tom and Julia, their two unmarried children, went with him.

James dictated terms to a Barrow builder before agreeing to be employed by him. "We'll start off how we mean to carry on," he told his son. "Best to know where we stand before we begin!" He and Tom started work on houses in Darbyshire Road. Many in the uncertain building trade, faced with the possibility of being laid-off without pay in bad weather, had opted for better jobs at Vickers. James and Tom were both skilled craftsmen and were able to command what were to them princely wages, plus good bonuses for quick work. They had an advantage because good tradesmen were in short supply. Unemployment was disappearing fast along with the prospects for a continuing peace.

Julia found a job in the office at Vickers. Beatrice stayed at home on her own. She had time on her hands for the first time in her life. She had money to spare. She and James bought a little Austin 7. Tom learned to drive it. He used it to take his girl-friends out. In return, he occasionally drove his mother and father back to Lancaster and Morecambe to see some of their other children. Malcolm had moved to Leeds with his new wife and Tom even drove his parents there on one occasion. All of them were earning more pay for shorter hours. Life seemed good.

Tom was having the time of his life. He was the youngest of the four brothers and the slightest in build of a diminutive family. He was small but strong, and extremely agile. He was quick-witted, sharp-tongued and had a fine intelligence. He was quick to see the solution to problems when they arose on the building-site. He was often called into the site office and consulted by the builder about the quickest and cheapest way to do an unusual or difficult job.

"You'll be wearing a collar and tie soon!" was his father's tart comment. Tom had spent a whole day in the office, away from the constructing of a house with James and their work-mates. Secretly, he was proud of Tom's ability. He'd always been a bit of a favourite son of James, the only one who could get away with being cheeky to the old man.

Tom spent money on clothes and was a success with the girls. He'd joined a local tennis club and was hard to beat because he was so quick about the court. The family regarded tennis as a sissy's game and when they saw him in his white shirt and flannels, he had to endure their ridicule. He didn't care -- it all helped to pull the birds, to get off with the girls as they said then.

He liked dancing too, and was good at it. He preferred ballroom-dancing to any other. "Off tripping the light fantastic tonight?" his mother would ask when he came down from the upstairs bathroom. He had shining, Brylcreamed hair, patent leather shoes and a white silk scarf. "Your Fred Astaire outfit, I see," his father noted. And it was true: it was Astaire, slightly built like himself, whom he emulated. Cutting a dash! Smiles for all! Devil may care! Like a lift in my car? Look out girls, Tom is out on the town!

Julia was the baby of the family and could not remember the hard times in Wales. She was a raven-haired, blue-eyed beauty with a sparkling personality. She earned good money and was independent of her father. One of the New Women, she ignored his orders about not going out so much, about coming in at a reasonable time. "I'll be in early. Promise! Early hours of the morning I mean," she'd say to James. He remonstrated with for wearing too much make-up and too short a skirt. Julia pleased herself and her mother was pleased for her, although she always took care to support James in his efforts to control Julia.

No chance of that!

One thing that she did do was keep her piano lessons going. James loved music, mainly old music hall songs. In Morecambe, he'd earned enough to buy a piano. He paid for Julia to learn to play and was delighted when she took to the instrument and had a certain flair in her playing. She went to Woolworths every week and bought song sheets, only sixpence each. Lots of her favourite songs were the ones she'd heard in films at the local cinemas. She soon learned quickly and was a player in demand at parties she went to every week.

Sometimes, she and Tom went out together but they always came home separately. Julia was usually home after Tom and sometimes brought boyfriends into the darkened downstairs lounge. "Shh!" she'd say. "They're asleep. Don't wake them up."

Beatrice was always awake, waiting for her to be home safely, but she never called down.

Once, Tom came in later than she and put on the electric light. He was surprised and a bit annoyed to see his sister lying there with her skirt up around her waist and her new boyfriend's hands all over her. He put out the light and left them to it. He never mentioned the matter to her. After all, she was only doing what other bloke's sisters were doing with him...