David's Journey: Memoirs of a Chimney Sweep

I’m always delighted to introduce you to a new-to-me author and today’s post comes from an author I should have told you about months ago.

The great folks at PublishingPush introduced me to David White, author of DAVID'S JOURNEY: MEMOIRS OF A CHIMNEY SWEEP. Doesn’t that title just stir up your imagination?

David’s story is a deep and detailed account of a life lived through cultural revolution, of milestone moments with celebrities good and bad, and most notably the principles that are unbreakable family bonds and community strength in the shifting social structure of a post-World War II world. In these moving collections of memoirs and recollections, David takes you on a journey through history, in a way that relates to each and every one of us.

Please join me in welcoming David as he shares a bit from this story with us. Welcome, David.

                                                                            David`s Journey                                I940..

                      My dad, like Grandad, was also named Tom …and a very cheeky cockney boy, at 15 could not wait to get into uniform and take on Hitler.

                             However, all he could do at the time was join the local home guard, and help take care of Swanley Junction, the High Street, and especially

                             The railway station, where Winston Churchill was known to embark or disembark and then be chauffeur driven in his limousine to Chartwell near Westerham.

                             Once Dad received his home guard uniform he felt unsatisfied with the baggy fit and length of trousers, so swiftly he went to work with a pair of scissors and a lot of imagination,

                             then ending up with a desecrated uniform with one trouser leg longer than the other… Never mind he thought, if the enemy attack at night they may never notice.

                           However as we all know imagination can be a wonderful thing, if though at times a little dangerous…Not satisfied with marching and patrolling around Swanley Junction…at around

                           16 years of age he learned his young uncle Ted, my nans brother had joined the recently formed parachute regiment, known as the 1rst Airborne…Just a few years later Ted would be

                           Captured and taken prisoner of war at the battle of Arnhem, Holland…

                              In no time Dad located the regiment, and by putting up his age by another two years would join up. However, Ted would have none of it, as soon as he clapped eyes on his young nephew Tom

                              He gave him a right telling off and informed his sister Violet, Dads mum, who promptly arrived to frog march him back home…….as she did in her parting cockney accent calling out……..

                           “you can’t ave im e,s still only a boy……

                             Hitler would have to wait a little longer to be dealt with….. in the meantime the people of Swanley junction would sleep safely in there beds at night as Dad continued to patrol and marchin along Swanley Junction with his specially adapted broomstick handle over his shoulder…                             

                                I have never thought to write of my past events, and stories that have played a part in my life, mainly as I feel that others may have had a more interesting past to write about. I`m sure that`s true, but with that in mind, I do not want these writings(or mini book, as I prefer to call it!)to come over as some kind of biography, as it may smack of a me-ism book…something I desperately want to avoid.

                               What then is the purpose of this document or mini book? Well at my age now, my early 70s I really believe that myself and other born around the same time, lived through a very interesting period.

                               Without wishing to be biased and of course I can only talk from a personal point of view, a 1950s childhood was so different from one today in Britain, And as for the 1960s, it would touchstone a rocket,

                              Taking off exciting in its journey as everything was changing so quickly.

                                                              1946..

                          

                            I was born in March 1946—that`s right, I was one of the so called `baby boomers`! The second world war had just finished and my Dad would remain in the army until the following year, 1947.

                                      What a time! Post-war Britain gave evidence of a war that would remain for at least another 10 years. Locally, there were a few bombed out buildings and many air raid shelters around.

                            Much of London still remained flattened because of the bombing she had sustained. Hitler may have been dead a while, but evidence of his handiwork was everywhere, and rationing would continue

                            Up until 1954.

David, thanks for joining us today and sharing this look back at your life. It’s good to share those memories with others.

Author David White

Now for those of you who aren’t familiar with David, here’s a bit of background on him.

David grew up in Swanley, Kent. Writing about past events wasn’t something that had crossed his mind until comparatively late, whereby reminiscing on “stories that have played a part in my life” began a journey through a very endearing and interesting life, despite him thinking the opposite for a long time.

Thanks for stopping by today. Do you enjoy sharing tidbits from your past with family or friends? Do you wish older family members had shared more of their memories with you?