7. No. 6

Kitts

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  • Well Jack was your dad Emma. At the time he wasn’t that much older than me, in his 20s I guess and I remember your mum I think they were courting or engaged at the time. There were two other brothers who I think worked in Smithfield market or somewhere like that and had fancy cars because they used to come down from London sometimes. Yes the house was at the top of Noak Hill and had a very long garden. I remember pulling down plaster lathe ceilings and getting in a real mess. Your dad said do a certain number of weekends and I will pay for a made to measure suit for you from Burtons in Basildon. As usual I didn’t do that many weekends before I went and had a suit made, dark blue Italian jacket with purple lining and tapered trousers, your dad was a good man.
    Then it was off to the Basildon Mecca and the Dave Clark Five.
    As I said before great days and great fun.

    By Roger Whisken (22/06/2020)
  • How funny! Ron was the other brother. Jack, my father. I think the house you mean out of town, was Noak Hill? It’s opposite the turning to Great Burstead – the first house after a field on the right hand side.

    By Emma South (was Cheeseman) (20/06/2020)
  • Fantastic to see a picture of Kitts.I worked there on Saturdays and for a while when I left school. I really enjoyed working there it was great fun. Down the back of the yard we used to mill all different timber sizes and make interwoven panels amongst other things. It was the start of DIY and on Saturdays people used to come in with a list of timber sizes they wanted cut and we used to hand cut all these different sizes which meant we basically built their bathroom cabinet. In the shop all sorts were sold including Keilcraft model aircraft kits. I was allowed to shunt the lorry up and down the drive and learnt to drive there taking the lorry to Brentwood in the end to do my test which I passed because I had never driven a car.
    Kitts was owned by 3 brothers as I remember,Jack, Ted, forgotten the last brother. Two of them built there own houses and Jack bought a old house on the outskirts of town at the top of a hill. I used to go up and help him work on it sometimes. I remember Jack had a left hand drive mercedes and was a big fan of Brenda Lee. We all used to pile in a van or car and go up to London to see Brenda Lee.
    I also remember Tony, Bert in the yard and another lad who drove also plus a old boy who could paint murals or things on hardboard. I was only 16-17 but I remember them as great days and great memories when life was good fun.

    By roger whisken (28/11/2019)

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