Page 3 The Long Walk

The Long Walk continued . . .

Making my way along Muntz Street, my heart seemed a littler lighter.

Crossing Coventry Road into Langley Road, I made my way to Herbert Road.

Soon I was at Mrs Thorpe's house where my father and I lodged. Mrs Thorpe was good to me and in many ways tried to be a mother to me. My father was waiting for me with some tea in a jar and three pieces of bread and margarine.

"Hello my son" he said. "Sit down, I want to talk to you."

My father was a blacksmith by trade but work had eluded him for many months. A tear seemed to fall from his eyes when he said:

"Would you like to go to London and see your aunts and uncles?"

"Yes Dad." I replied.

"We shall have to walk, son. I have no money, but with my peddler's licence we may get some coppers selling studs and laces."

"Better not tell Mrs Thorpe. We will leave in the morning when she is not around."

A few things were packed in a haversack - a shirt each, sunlight soap, towel, and facecloth.

Morning came and we set off walking through Small Heath Park towards Yardley.

Soon we were 'away from people' so to speak. Nearing a place called Sheldon, I felt a little tired. My father noticed this and said: "Rest awhile."

Then he took from his haversack some bread, cheese and a bottle of tea. It was then I took from my pocket the book Mr Haywood gave me.

"What's that son?"

"Oh, I forgot to tell you Dad. It's from school."

Glancing through it he said, "If everybody lived by that Book we would have little to complain about."

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