{"id":28168,"date":"2013-12-16T18:41:16","date_gmt":"2013-12-16T18:41:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.bohemiavillage.com\/?p=28168"},"modified":"2013-12-16T19:14:45","modified_gmt":"2013-12-16T19:14:45","slug":"my-uncle-arthur-a-colourful-bachelor-of-bohemia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.bohemiavillage.com\/?p=28168","title":{"rendered":"My Uncle Arthur – a Colourful Bachelor of Bohemia"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Arthur<\/a>

Arthur Booth with ‘military’ moustache at Fairlight in 1958 next to lady friend’s car; she took the photo.<\/p><\/div>\n

MY UNCLE ARTHUR –\u00a0a Colourful Bachelor of Bohemia<\/b><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

As recalled by his nephew Derek Booth<\/b><\/p>\n

Arthur Gerald Booth was born in St Leonards-on-Sea towards the end of Edward V11’s reign on 16<\/span>th<\/sup>\u00a0 August 1909.\u00a0 Arthur’s parents (my paternal grandparents), Alfred and Flora, had emigrated from a humble rural background, growing up in the Wealden village of Sandhurst in Kent, about 16 miles from St Leonards-on-Sea. Alfred Booth after leaving school at the age of 12, delivered medicines on horseback for the village doctor.\u00a0 This equine experience later led Alfred to volunteer, to fight in the Boer War as a corporal with the Prince of Wales 12<\/span>th<\/sup> Lancers.\u00a0 Flora Booth was a younger daughter of the village butcher George Newman.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"At<\/a>

At Park View about 1943. L-R: Arthur holding nephew Derek, grandfather Alfred, grandmother Flora, brother Bill (Derek’s Father). Photo by Derek’s mother Peggy.<\/p><\/div>\n

By the time Arthur left school in the early 1920’s, he was living with his parents at 16 Landsview Terrace on The Ridge, before moving to a detached Victorian house ‘Park View’ in Upper Park\u00a0 Road close to Park Road Methodist Church (where my parents were married in 1938), and opposite the Park gates.\u00a0 ‘Park View’ was a clinic, and Arthur’s parents were the resident caretakers (I was born in 1940 and can remember receiving my bottles of cod liver oil, orange juice and jar of Virol from my grandmother Booth in the front room of the clinic).<\/p>\n

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DELIVERY<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Arthur<\/a>

Arthur Booth’s first van, Ruby Durrant, when he was 16 in 1925 outside E Walker, the butcher, in Bohemia Road<\/p><\/div>\n

Arthur, like his father was destined to be a conveyor of goods to the public \u2013 not on horseback, but from a van.\u00a0 Arthur’s first job was with\u00a0 the butcher, E. Walker who had a shop in Bohemia Road; Arthur worked here from 1922 \u2013 1928.\u00a0 It was during this time, that Arthur in 1925 at the age of 16, drove his first van, a Ruby Durrant, DY 2745 delivering meat for the Walker’s.<\/p>\n

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ARMY LIFE<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Arthur<\/a>

Arthur Booth and another young man on their first day with the Royal Army Service Corps, December 1940, in Cardiff<\/p><\/div>\n

Van driving for other employers, continued until the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939, when Arthur entered military service with the Royal Army Service Corps (RASC), driving small military vehicles and being a chauffeur to army officers.\u00a0 On leaving military service after the war in 1946, Arthur received a colourful, embroidered, framed tapestry of the badge of the RASC, as well as a most prized silver tankard (a hint that he liked a beer then?), from the officers of No.4 S.R.D., Swindon as a token of appreciation for Arthur’s devoted service.<\/p>\n

Back in civilian life, Arthur was employed for the rest of his working days as a van driver for The Ridge Laundry, near Landsview Terrace where he lived as a child (the site of the now demolished laundry, is near the Conquest Hospital).<\/p>\n

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THE LADIES<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Arthur<\/a>

Arthur Booth on South Downs in 1957, as chauffeur to his ladyfriend in her car. She took the photo.<\/p><\/div>\n

I recall that before the end of the War, Arthur and my grandparents had moved further down Upper Park Road to a flat at number 22, one of a group of late Victorian red-brick houses opposite the Shornden Reservoir in Alexandra Park.\u00a0 As Arthur’s eldest nephew born when Arthur was 31, I have little knowledge of my uncle’s seeding of a colourful life.\u00a0 However, as a pre-adolescent, I became aware that my uncle Arthur had a succession of lady friends, but apparently in true bachelor style, had no desire to marry any of them, but some ladies wanted to marry this handsome, informally well-dressed man with a humble occupation!\u00a0 Although Arthur had gained much driving experience through his job and time in the army, he never owned a car.<\/p>\n

Therefore, in his leisure time, Arthur\u00a0 took his lady friends out into the countryside i.e. to the South Downs or nearer to home at Fairlight,\u00a0 either in his work van or became ‘the chauffeur’ in one of his ladies’ cars.\u00a0 Arthur also combined business with pleasure with one of his lady friends sometimes accompanying him on his work rounds.<\/p>\n

Although Arthur seems to have had many lady friends in 1986, he told\u00a0The Sun\u00a0<\/em>“I’ve got all my own teeth and a good head of hair. I’ve never had sex and I’ve never wanted to. Staying single has saved me a fortune”.<\/p>\n

But, on a more serious note: after collecting or delivering laundry to the home of Malcolm Muggeridge (once well-known radio, TV personality and writer on political and religious matters), Arthur would drive on from here at Salehurst, a few miles to\u00a0 St Nicholas churchyard, Sandhurst to visit the grave of his parents.<\/p>\n

BOXING<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Arthur<\/a>

Arthur Booth at Silverhill 1953. Photo by Don Cockell, British Heavyweight & Brit Empire boxing champion<\/p><\/div>\n

Back home and in his leisure time, later extended into retirement at 65, Arthur indulged in that other activity associated with bachelors, being with the lads.\u00a0 One of Arthur’s interests, was boxing and in 1953 he got to know Don Cockell the then British heavyweight and British Empire boxing champion.\u00a0 Arthur, now replacing his military moustache with a full beard and seemingly enjoying life, is seen in the accompanying photograph taken by Don Cockell at ‘The Duke’ public house in Silverhill at 2.00 am \u2013 the landlord was Ted Baker.<\/p>\n

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BIRTHDAY<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Arthur<\/a>

Arthur Booth’s 76th birthday celebration in 1985, with a ‘nurse’ to see he doesn’t go over the limit.<\/p><\/div>\n

By the time Arthur was 76, he was having a birthday photograph taken of him at The Clarence in Silverhill \u2013 in the presence of a young ‘nurse’ to ensure that there must be a limit on his intake!<\/p>\n

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ALEXANDRA PARK<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Arthur<\/a>

Arthur Booth with friend Ron on a park bench in 1984<\/p><\/div>\n

Late morning, Arthur would frequently take a walk around the winding, wooded paths of Alexandra Park opposite his flat in Upper Park Road, and would then rest on a park bench to meet a a male friend for a chat \u2013 Arthur could ‘talk a donkey’s hind leg off’.<\/p>\n

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FINAL YEARS<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>

A contented Arthur Booth at his flat at 22 Upper Park Road in 1991, aged 82.<\/p><\/div>\n

In Arthur’s final years, he \u00a0enjoyed telling me about the different species of birds he had seen at the bird table in his backyard.\u00a0 Although born a town man, my uncle Arthur was not really ‘a man about town’.\u00a0 It was not obvious at first sight that Arthur was really quite a shy, humble man \u2013 he was also a very kind person, fond of his nephews and nieces who would never leave a visit to his flat without a coin – mine used to be a half crown.\u00a0 Arthur loved the countryside of his ancestors, an experience he could sustain in his working years driving his laundry van around the narrow country lanes of East Sussex and the border country of Kent.<\/span><\/p>\n

In 1992, Arthur could no longer look after himself, he left 22 Upper Park Road and entered St David’s Nursing Home at West Hill, St Leonards-on-Sea with splendid views from his room looking out to sea.\u00a0 Arthur sadly, died peacefully on 27th<\/sup> August 1993, just over a week after his 84th<\/sup> birthday.\u00a0 In his own particular way, although never being a family man, Arthur had served and made many people happy from all walks of life. Bohemia can be proud to have had such a colourful resident.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

DEREK BOOTH<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Derek Booth has been living near Cambridge with his family for nearly 50 years after attending Hastings Grammar School and Hull University before a research career in reproductive biology.\u00a0 Three years ago, Derek published a semi-autobiography ‘Boy of the Wealden Shore’<\/i>\u00a0 reflecting his childhood in the 1940’s and ’50’s in the social context of Hastings. Stories reveal Derek’s interests in natural and local history, jazz and playing in the 1066 Skiffle Group, delivering newspapers to\u00a0 the author Catherine Cookson (her husband Tom inspired Derek as a master at the Grammar School), and being a deck chair attendant in student vacations.\u00a0 A few copies of the book are still available for \u00a37.99 from Derek, e-mail: <\/i>booth30@btinternet.com<\/a> , Waterstones in Hastings, or can be read in the reference section or borrowed, from Hastings Town Library.<\/i><\/p>\n

BOY OF THE WEALDEN SHORE<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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\"Cover<\/a>

Cover of Boy of the Wealden Shore by Derek Booth<\/p><\/div>\n

Boy of the Wealden Shore<\/em>. \u00a0<\/span>No. of pages: 180. No. of illustrations: 51. Date of publication: June 2011. Publisher and copyright: Derek Booth. Page size: 206mm x 147mm.\u00a0 Summary: Reflections on childhood in the seaside resort of Hastings during and after the 2nd World War from the perspective of social and natural history, and education (autobiographical).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Arthur Booth with ‘military’ moustache at Fairlight in 1958 next to lady friend’s car; she took the photo. MY UNCLE ARTHUR –\u00a0a Colourful Bachelor of Bohemia As recalled by his nephew Derek Booth Arthur Gerald Booth was born in St… Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":28174,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"spay_email":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false},"categories":[230,111,7],"tags":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"http:\/\/www.bohemiavillage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/bv\/Arthur-1958.jpg","jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.bohemiavillage.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28168"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.bohemiavillage.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.bohemiavillage.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.bohemiavillage.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.bohemiavillage.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=28168"}],"version-history":[{"count":18,"href":"http:\/\/www.bohemiavillage.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28168\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":28193,"href":"http:\/\/www.bohemiavillage.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28168\/revisions\/28193"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.bohemiavillage.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/28174"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.bohemiavillage.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=28168"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.bohemiavillage.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=28168"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.bohemiavillage.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=28168"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}