Chapter One

My name is Kenneth Watson and this is my life story. I was born in Burnley Lancashire, England in 1930. I was born to a poor family, but there was lots of love in the home. My Father was a painter of houses and I think his wage when I was 5 was about $6. With that money my Mother had to feed us all and pay all the usual expenses, including a mortgage. I don't know how they did it, I was never hungry. We had gas for lights, and there was no T.V. Things were a bit depressed in the North of England, so my Father moved south to Watford where there was more work. Looking back, I think that was pretty amazing. My Father was not an ambitious man so I wonder who gave him the courage to move 200 miles south. He bought a brand new house 3 bedroom 1 bath $1,200 on a mortgage of course, but what a price. We also had a car, it was a standard 8 and he loved that car.

Almost new and only $200 I don't know how he did it. He might have got a little extra money with the move, but not that much. The only thing I can remember when I was 3 years old, was playing board games with all the relations, this was at Burnley. My Mother had a sister and 2 brothers and we were always getting together with her Mum and Dad and we played lots of games, probably to keep me happy. At that time I was the only child and everybody used to spoil me, But I could hold my own with the games. One of the games I remember was snakes and ladders. (I wonder if they still make it). Another incident I can remember, I think it was Blackpool beach. We were playing cricket and I got too close to the person wielding the bat. I was only 5 and I still have the scar on my mo