My father Daniel, son of Daniel Joseph (see here) and Eliza Ellen née Stacey, was the youngest of five (Ernest (Ernie), Norah, Albert, John & himself). He was born in St. Albans in 1915, his father being temporarily working in that area for a rubber company (tyre manufacturers, I think), before moving to Walthamstow.

Very little I know of his childhood, since he rarely spoke about it. I'm sure he did his infant schooling in Walthamstow, and started working at a young age.

The following periods are summarised in his own words, on some handrwitten notes I have recently found:

      1930 - I commenced an apprenticeship in the Electrical Dept. (Engineering section) of the London Cooperative Society, which covered all types of installations and maintenance of power equipment in the North London area. Gained considerable knowledge through the vast organisation of the L.C.S. in complete installations of departmental stores, factories - including bakeries, dairies, laundries, offices shops, etc.

      1936 - Upon conclusion of apprenticeship, at 21 yrs, wishing to gain a greater knowledge of the electrical trade, I entered Messrs Henleys Cables training school at Forest Hill, to acquire experience in both Low Tension and High Tension distribution, commencing with Plumber Cable Jointing, coupling of high & low tension transformers and sub-stations, etc.. I also gained considerable experience with oil filled cables and upon work up to 132,000 volts. During my engagement at Henleys I was sent to all parts of the country and, on one occasion, carried out assistant engineer work, involving the employment of local labour, laying of cables and arranging the coupling of these to various equipment at a mining colliery.

      1938 - Wishing to further my experience still more, I left Messers. Henley, of my own accord, to take up employment on the electrical dept. of the - at the time - Finchley Borough Council. Here I was engaged upon change-over work, from D.C. to A.C. I remained here until after the break of World War II, being retained on reserved occupation for some months, until, through all future distribution work being abandoned, practically all the outside staff was dismissed.

      1939 - Still under 'reserved occupation' and finding at that time some difficulty in obtaining a position, I volunteered for service in the Merchant Navy. Here I was accepted upon the base of my past electrical experience in the position of 6th Engineer. After several journeys on the vessel "Jamaica Planter" to the East Indies, I was unfortunately forced to leave the M.N. through poor health: the vessel was built to carry bananas, rather than living men, and purposely 'rolled' to an unbearable extent for me, making me constantly sick!

      1940/41 - After my discharge from the above, I was sent to Scotland by National Services, to be engaged by an electrical firm (Kilpatrick?) carrying out the high & low tension distribution to the large munition factories at Bishopton. My work there mainly dealt with 11,000 volt distribution and, before I left, I carried out a 132,000 volt take off for I.C.I.