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Chesham Stories

Lawrence Lacey: After School Jobs

We were not given pocket money so my brother John and I soon worked out methods of earning a few pence. When the timber wagons came along Red Lion Street at 8am the horses deposited a large amount of manure. Gardeners were glad of this and willingly paid a penny for a bucket full. Other people wanted it, so we tried to be on the spot when the horses passed by. We would usually collect about four bucketsful each week. That would be two pennies each and we thought that was well worthwhile.

When we were a little older, that is seven and nine respectively, we started up a small haulage business. Dad made us a small truck - a wooden box, two pram wheels and an axle. Then two shafts were nailed on, one on each side of the box, and we were ready to go. Mum collected the orders from the neighbours and, of course, the money. We worked in the evenings, directly after school and on Saturday mornings. The Gas Works for coke, three pence a bushel and a penny for fetching, and to various wood factories for firewood, sixpence a truckload and three pence for fetching. We earned two or three shillings a week. Mum kept most of this, as there were now four of us children and Dad had a low paid job. However, she gave us a few pence each.

Lawrence Lacey, born 1915

Lawrence Lacey died on Friday 10th December, 2010

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