1955 General Election - I'm 6, living in Heaton St and it's the morning of the 1955 General Election. All children have got the day off (schools are being used as polling stations) when Colin, my older friend from a few doors away calls, he's an entreupreneur:
"Got a plan to earn a few bob, are you in?"
I instantly convert the currency bob to donut vouchers and am mentally already on my way to the cake shop (H V Smith on the Flat) when I reply:
"I'm in."
He goes on to explain:
"You put a Vote Labour poster on your cart, I'll make a plackard with the same message and we''ll call at the Labour Office to see if they will pay us to walk the streets."
I had no political affiliations then (in fact I couldn't even spell it let alone know its meaning), anyway we call at the campaign office but Colin doesn't ask a direct question, he asks the Labour people:
"Will it be OK if we walk the streets with this plackard and the cart." Anticipating a fee would be offered.
The official says yes and promptly shuts the office door.
Now, quite frankly I didn't give a monkey's whether it would but OK or not, I just wanted to be paid, so there we were looking at each other in disbelief - the plan had withered on the vine.
We went our separate ways and I joined my mate in the Icknield St School playground.
Peg.