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Christopher Bridle

CHRISTOPHER CHARLES BRIDLE

 born 22nd July 1942 in Ryde, Isle of Wight

Parent:

Elizabeth (Betty) Jacobs Bridle

Siblings:

Peter
Jean
Barbara
Susan

Children:

Warren
Paula
Herb

Born 1942. Was it at 239? I don’t know as I was a bit younger then. (Sisters might know)
Went to:
Playstreet Lane Infants. (Now a junior school)
St. Johns Road Junior.
Ryde County Secondary Modern (Upper Grade. “The Mudslingers”) as had my father and siblings before me. (Now houses). Sue went to Green Street.............

Left school ’57 (15) went to work at Great Briddlesford Farm, Havenstreet.
I’d been headhunted; well “Farmer” Griffin came to the house before Whitsun. Obviously informed by the Labour Exchange that I wanted to work on the farm when I left school. I basically started working there at Whitsun and carried on every weekend until leaving school.
Went into “digs” in ’58 when the family moved to Pompey.
Lived at Binstead first then Ashey where I often used to walk the railway line to work and hitching a lift on the solo engine’s going to Newport and ended in digs at Elmfield.
Havenstreet village show early July ’60 (Thursday) I over imbibed on Mew Langton’s boilermakers (brown and mild) mainly bought by Colin Langridge (a lot older) who worked at Briddlesford Farm, Wotton - Farmer’s brother’s farm. My landlady did not appreciate the carpet pizza next day and by Saturday I was living in Pompey and traveling daily on the Pompey ferry to and from work.
 

August, I had some day’s off in Pompey and was passing the Army Recruiting office and popped in. A month later my life had changed and I reported to Blenheim Barracks Aldershot at the start of my time in the British Army.
Friday the 13th of January ’61 I was on the boat from Harwich to the Hook of Holland then on the “Blue Train” to join the B.A.O.R. There I stayed (apart from a try with the Hereford Hooligans in ’64) until June ’65.
Early July I was in Aden where I spent some quality “down time” away from camp with Ken and Sherry over the next two years.

While in Aden: I arranged for the day off (the normal working day was 07.00 - 13.00Hrs. I'm not sure if I was back at the "Fld Ambo" location out at Little Aden or on detachment as MO's/Ambo driver in Singapore Lines. Where cousin Ken was with the REME Workshops) to go down to Steamer Point to meet Jean - Brian - Angela and Nick who were on their way out to Australia. Having spent a while looking for the (Liberty) boats coming in and touristy looking people and seen none, I went to the Crescent and the shipping office to enquire about their "No Show". I was told that due to the I.S.(Internal Security) situation the boat had been diverted to Djibouti. So I never saw them again until Jean and Brian came home in '83 (I think) and the kid's when I went out for "The Bash" in '94.
 
Christmas Dinner with "The Stout family" at the Mermaid Club Lido. On the beach but we didn't go for a swim as the tide was out and probably as low as it ever got, it was then that we espied the hole in the corner of the shark net!

July ’67, I was back in Blighty and on disembarkation leave I met Roni and Warren (another life changing experience) when I was doing some taxi work with Nunk. Deepcut first then Ward Barracks Bulford until I finished in ’69! (Dad asked if Tin Town was still there? It was then, as it had been when he was recalled for the B.E.F)
Started driving as a civvy for a local firm with Nunk* on tippers but after seven weeks and a dispute on what my duties were I changed firms and was on long distance work. Oftimes I stayed overnight with Sue at Welwyn and Pete up in Yorkshire. Paula was born in ’70 and I changed to local work in ‘72. Herb was born in ’75.
I joined the TA in ’76 and finished in ’88 when they said “you’re too old, sling your hook”! I moved my desk from my office in the garage to the Cadet hut behind, Herb joined the next year. I finally finished with the Cadets in ’05. A year later I went to camp as A.D.C to the Sgt’s Mess Manager (my oppo Roy), old Messmates reckoned I was on a skive. To think I said that’s it with uniform’s when I left in ’69!
In August ’85 I Changed employment and became a Civil Servant as a Driving Instructor for the REME at Bordon, Roni reckoned I was in semi-retirement.

 Roni died in May 1990, another life changing experience for us all! The photo of Pete and me in suits* was in the TA Centre after her funeral. As I said at the time, she must have appreciated the send off, family –friends- TA and Cadet Instructors and Cadets, as there were no thunderbolt’s hitting me......
 In August ’94 when driver training moved to Leconfield I decided that I wasn’t moving to Yorkshire and had to go back to working for a living, “on the road again” until I retired in ’06.
Warren – Leigh and the kid’s moved to the USA in the ‘90’s and have changed into “Yanks”!
Paula moved up to Brum with Chris, and Herb, getting married to Claire in March 2012, still lives in Pompey.

I now live in a caravan at Southbourne West Sussex.

 *  See Peter’s page

For a chart showing Chris’ descendants, click here.

[Jacobs Ancestry] [Jacobs Cousins] [Thomas Jacobs] [John Jacobs] [William Jacobs] [Harry Jacobs] [Elizabeth Jacobs] [Dorothy Jacobs] [Margaret Jacobs] [Louisa Jacobs] [Ellen Jacobs] [Ruth Jacobs] [Jesse Jacobs] [Jacobs Cousins] [Thomas 1826] [John Alexander] [Jacobs Family Groups] [Mystery photos] [John1798] [Cliff End] [Figheldean Memories] [Davis Cousins] [White Cousins] [Carraher Cousins]

 "Nunk" is/was Jack (William George) Frost. As I'm sure you will be able to drag up from the back of your mind. It comes from the "Navy Larks", the old programme that used to be on the wireless and then they made a film of it. Nunkie was always salvaging after all the damage that Lesley Philips (No 1) would do with HMS Troutbridge. I think he was AB Pertwee's uncle.After Kay was born he started calling me Nunk or Nunkle and I'd call him Nunk in return. He was rarely referred to as Jack after that (by me) and when I "got tied up" with Roni he then started calling her Nanty.
In one of the wedding group photo's (I think it is one that who's wedding is being queried) he is emerging from behind, going right to left (as you look at the photo) or his head and shoulders are, but there appears to be a female foot stepping out! I know he was a matelot but ...........
 

NB. See Barbara’s page. DJ

Chris Bridle