The Ice Cream factory in Preston Street and The Fish & Chip Shop in North Street.

During the reign of Henry II (1154-1189) Exeter had over thirty churches and chapels. As they were not parish churches, there were no rectories, so the priests lived in a colony in Preston Street. Hence they all lived in the 'street of the priests'.

I left school eventually without an O level to my name, I did not sit my GCSE’s or whatever the exams were called in those days, but as soon as I had left school, I immediately began to read and read. I had come alive.  Now I began to question and question and discovered that I had access to the biggest resource of learning of all, other people! Working in the ice cream factory was my baptism into life.
People like Mr Thorne, Arthur Sharland, Luigi Decina, and Maude, the crippled lady who lived opposite the ice-cream factory in Preston St, who was extremely wise and intelligent and always sympathetic and supportive to me.
All these people helped me in one way or another, to look at things objectively, and directly, and to understand the key components of each problem as presented.

Although the lack of qualifications has never held me back in life or from trying, it has been a setback from achieving to other peoples satisfaction. Therefore denying me access to higher office. And so I do not recommend this course of action to anyone.
My quest for knowledge had begun; my whole life at this time was a wonderful feast as I drank from the cups of knowledge generously held to my lips by kind people.
Now I was free from the influence of Aunty Mina and greedy for life.
I discovered that I did not have fear of life, because of my childhood suffering everything seemed so easy now.  I felt I was just coming out of a daze of being absorbed by my childhood traumas.  Now anything shown to me or offered to me was consumed with great enthusiasm, without question almost.  I read books, went to the Cinema, Museums, Art Galleries, but most of all, I argued with Dominic.[trying to win an argument with him is an education itself].

At this time I began to look forward to doing my National Service. This was compulsory for all males aged eighteen who were not exempt or deferred because of being at college or reserved occupation or for health reasons etc.
I knew that doing my National service was going to be the first of the adventures of my life. Here was an opportunity to see the world for free! To test myself, little did I know what lay in store for me?
Immediately after leaving school I had opted to work in the Family Ice-cream Factory instead of My Fathers Fish and chip Shop in North St.
North Street was where My Father wanted me to go. We had quite an argument about it. What I did not realise then, was that My Father had sold his interest in the factory to enable him to buy his Fish and Chip shop in North Street.

Uncle Tommy and Aunt Mina did not want me there. But I insisted, I liked Ice cream, and did not then fancy Fish and Chips much. So My Father asked them to let me stay there to work, and grudgingly they agreed. And work I did ...but every day it was made quite plain I was not wanted there. So stubbornly of course I stayed, no matter what was asked of me or how nasty they became.
I came to realise that the staff there knew what was going on , and were on my side and gave me encouragement when things got really bad. It was then that I first made choices about who I liked to associate with, usually Common folk.
Because of the Birdsong which woke me each day, my body clock became accustomed to rising early each morning. So I would be at work at 8 A M ,usually in time to greet one of the delivery lorries from ASKEY'S biscuits who supplied the cornets and wafers or the FAVOURITE BISCUIT COMPANY, or it might be someone who was  delivering hundredweight bags of sugar, or 56lb boxes of butter or fats etc. All these items had to be carried up 20 concrete steps to the upstairs storeroom of the factory.
At first this was quite a task for me as I wasn't very strong, with poor muscle tone, but slowly I became accustomed to the weights and developed ways of carrying things.
What with cycling to work each day and carrying the weights in the mornings my health and physique began to improve, and as it did, so did my self confidence and my appetite.

Me aged 14 at the Ice Cream factory in Preston Street Exeter.

Me aged 14 at the Ice Cream factory.

My grandmother Pacifica.
Her job was to watch the tills and make sure that no one was on the fiddle.

She was a very kind lady and liked to spoil her Grandchildren. We always felt safe and protected when we were with her.  Granny had a big black handbag and purse we called the Black Heart. From this she would dole out sixpences or even florins if we had been good.

Uncle Tommy. Aunty Mina. Uncle Tony.

My favourite person after my Grandmother was my Uncle Tony, he was the kindest and most generous of men.  A tramp came into the factory yard one day looking very dirty and dishevelled, it was noticed a little later that uncle Tony was wearing his white overalls, He had given the tramp his own suit of clothes.                    

In this Photo he is seen during the war In Army uniform with Aunty Phyllis who was in the WAAF's I think.

Uncle Tony was very good looking, and because of his sweet nature he made an impression on me which I still carry.  Uncle Tony was married to Auntie Phyllis. Unfortunately they couldn’t have children of their own, but they were very happy when they adopted a little boy whom they called Tony.
Auntie Phyllis was often inebriated, and whether she was or not made no difference to her behaviour, which was usually extremely emotional.  Auntie Phyllis would get very close to you when she wanted to say something and cock her head and bend down as if she was looking up your nose, and ask you what you thought of her?
Each sentence came with a spray of fine spittle and strong alchohol. She commanded your absolute attention, all this laced with the delightful fragrance of Gin. Like many people of that time Uncle Tony, Uncle Ernie      were Expert ballroom dancers of the highest quality.

I am told that they were frequent visitors to DELLERS restaurant for dinner dances etc. 
Shortly after I started work at the factory Uncle Tony went into business on his own in Exmouth, and I regret that I did not see much of him after that. 

DELLARS.

Unfortunately DELLERS was bombed during the Blitz on Exeter

Everything after the War was `make do and mend`. For example, one of the ice-cream vans was called “SUZY” and the other I think was called "Betty".  SUZY was a full blown hearse but Betty was a lighter vehicle altogether.

HERE THE MEN ARE SAMPLING THE PRODUCTS, SAT ON SUSIE'S BUMPER.

Big Bill.

BIG BILL. Aunty Mina went with Bill Holden all the way to Sheerness to collect this Ice Cream van.  I remember my brother Dominic being told to top up the water in the big van, and finding a handy cap on the side of the van filled the petrol tank with water.  He was often reminded of this to much kind laughter.

Arthur Sharland with the JOWETT van.  To the right can be seen the cat food shop.  This opened twice a week for the sale of condemned meat which was painted blue as unfit for human consumption. However some people were not too fussy.

“SUZY” was a huge Sunbeam which had once seen life as a Hearse.

Johnny Forte

My father (above) with his Ford Van.  My Father's eyesight was not good, the lenses in his glasses were like the bottom of bottles, he did not drive the van, rather he aimed it. being a passenger with him was always interesting

SUZY was beautifully converted to an ice-cream van and kept going a local mechanic called “Mr Kingdom” who had his own garage.   He was a lovely man and he told very naughty stories and jokes.   “SUZY”. Kept him in steady business trying to keep it in a running state of repair for many years.  When I think about it, it must have cost as much in maintainence as the original purchase price.   He was always trying to find spare parts or making parts himself.    Barely a week went by without Suzy or BETTY needing an overhaul, and him needing to Braize or file some bit to keep it running.

The view of the factory yard from  the upstairs in the factory.

Mr Kingdom’s hands and arms were all bent and misshapen. The engines that were used to drive these vehicles were huge, and accidents occurred quite frequently.  If he suffered a fractured finger, he didn’t have time to go to the hospital, he would just carry on working  regardless!. His garage consisted of a space between two houses. Here had slung some 6x4 beams of wood across between the walls and covered them in corrugated iron sheets. From these joists he hung pulleys to lift the engines out of vans and cars, this is where most accidents happened.  All the vans were very old. To make them attractive to the public they were painted bright colours, Then embellished with twisted brass pillars and lots of glass all round.      THIS PHOTO IS OF THE FACTORY YARD TAKEN FROM THE TOP FLOOR OF THE FACTORY.

Each van was armed with a big brass bell which had the inscription “SEMPER FIDELIS”. engraved on it.  A sign writer was engaged to paint each van with `FORTE’S ICE CREAM` on the woodwork on all sides, and pictures of Cornets and Wafers and Icedlollies were painted on the sliding glass windows and bodywork.

I was soon taught and learnt to drive the vans about the yard.  Moving each one carefully into place to be loaded each morning, and soon I became trusted to do this.  This led in time to my making illicit delivery runs, and gaining an immense knowledge of how to drive long before the law said I was allowed to.

In this photograph, in the forefront is Luigi Decina, Icecream Foreman and seated is Arthur Sharland, Mr Thorne and two other men wrapping Choc Ices. Life on the factory floor was full of variety. I found dealing with the women on the choc ice conveyer machine and enjoyed their funny innuendoes, and wholehearted raucous singing along with the radio, and general chit-chat educational, [Although I didn’t understand half of what they were saying], it was very entertaining in all senses of the word.

I always joined in the laughter, especially when it was at my own expense. And I soon began to understand a little bit about life. The women on the wrapping line were most worldly, and used to laugh at my innocence, which was usually highlighted by the scarlet colour of my cheeks.
All these women, Mary, Auntie Winnie, and Auntie Jo [my favourite], looked after me well, reassuring me when things got tough, and explaining things to me, especially about life, in a roundabout sort of way, if you know what I mean!

My main passion at this time was anything to do with aeroplanes and the RAF. I read books on planes, gathering information on the names of aircraft, their air speed, types of engines, the engines thrust, the manufacturer, types of armament, etc.  I would challenge people to quiz me on my knowledge, which became encyclopaedic, and I decided that I wanted to join the RAF as an armament engineer instead of working in the family businesses.  The staff at the factory used to take pity on me because of the long hours I used to work, and I was often allowed to sneak off to the Pictures, this was usually on quiet afternoons when I would be less likely to be found out. I loved the pictures, and I would watch anything, it was all the same to me, just Sheer escapism.  Of course that’s not all I did, I also had to clean the drains, sweep the yard, empty and rinse out all the dustbins.

I had to learn all about Sterilisation, Homonogisation, and Pasteurisation and about different mixes of ice cream, how to make it and store it etc.

Here Arthur is stood working at the Giusti/Carpigiani Ice cream machine.                             

The Health Inspector who did quality checks often visited us. When he was due things became very tense, because a bad result could close us down. Many a time a whole batch of a hundred gallons of mix had to be thrown away because it had failed the test.
The Sterilising Agents used to ensure that the pipes were clean were DEOSAN GREEN LABLE and DEOSAN QUARTENARY AMMONIUM COMPOUND. Well! I overheard the health inspector say to his colleague that nothing could live in these compounds, and that they were safe to use because there was very little after taste as long as the machinery was rinsed well.
So unknown to anyone else, I made sure that I didn’t completely dry the pipes used in the manufacturing process, leaving a slight residue of the sterilising agents, and “Bingo” we started passing tests every time. The Inspector was mystified and never did find out how it was done. But I had to tell someone so I told `Lou` the foreman, and he successfully used to do this procedure thereafter.

Among the many tasks I had to perform was to wash the vans inside and out. Put the frozen brine inserts into their containers, and then drop the tubs of ice cream inside the inserts. I also had to fill the containers with dry ice to keep the spare tubs of ice cream and choc-ices and lollies frozen in their containers until ready for use.
When the vans left the factory in the morning they had about four to six hours in which to sell the ice cream before the inserts and dry ice gave up, at which time they would have to come back to the factory to get freshly set up again. The turn around time had to be short because this was the best part of the day in which to sell. So when the vans turned up life got quite frantic for a while.
My working hours was from 8am until 11pm, seven days a week, with a half a day off on Wednesdays from 1pm. One pound fourteen shillings a week, and I always gave my Mum some, how about that?

Here is a picture of Uncle and Aunty Morelli with their icecream cart circa 1947.  They used brine inserts to keep the icecream cold and solid.  Once it had been made they had to trundle the cart to a pitch and sell the best they could before it melted. Life was very hard for them.  Two more lovely people you could not find.

Other people used parts of the factory to make a living as well; they were all relatives of ours. There was Uncle and Auntie Morelli, (My Grandmothers brother) who were very elderly; they had one Ice-cream cart. From this they gleaned a living of sorts; they had two daughters, Tina their eldest and Josie. Josie was our favourite cousin and always kind to us, and a true friend. They lived in BUDDLE LANE.

I loved visiting Josie at home when I was a child. Teresa and I would toddle off to see Josie in their house. They had shelves with books which were all grownup. If she could, Josie would make us some special toffee using sugar, flour etc. it was Yummy!

My Aunty Lucy Croyden used to work at the factory as well, just to earn a few bob to keep the lion at bay. Auntie Lucy was a very intelligent but nervous lady with a wonderful temper that she exercised often.  Auntie Lucy, apart from working in the factory helping to wrap briquettes and choc-ices was the official tea maker. She would pour tea from the silver metal teapot from a great height and tell me it came out stronger that way, I believed her.

Auntie Lucy used to live at REDHILLS with her daughter Margaret.  Auntie Lucy’s husband Stanley Croydon was dead, he had been a builder, and had built our house in Dunsford Gardens.  Margaret our cousin was a great favourite, always jolly, and pleased to see us. We loved to visit her and touch the doll that sat on the back of the chair in the front room. I’m not sure I ever saw the rest of the house.

Now I began to question and question and discovered that I had access to the biggest resource of learning of all, other people! Working in the ice cream factory was my baptism into life.
People like Mr Thorne, Arthur Sharland, Luigi Decina, and Maude Diamond, the crippled lady who lived opposite the ice-cream factory in Preston St, who was extremely wise and intelligent and always sympathetic and supportive to me.
All these people helped me in one way or another, to look at things objectively, and directly, and to understand the key components of each problem as presented, and from this I learnt a direct way of dealing with problems and issues which has always held good for me.
Although the lack of qualifications has never held me back in life or from trying, it has been a setback from achieving to other peoples satisfaction. Therefore denying me access to higher office. And so I do not recommend this course of action to anyone.
My quest for knowledge had begun; my whole life at this time was a wonderful feast as I drank from the cups of knowledge generously held to my lips by many kind people.
Now I was free from the influence of Aunty Mina and greedy for life.

I discovered that I did not have fear of life, because of my childhood suffering everything seemed so easy now by comparison.  I felt I was just coming out of a daze of being absorbed by my childhood traumas.  Now anything shown to me or offered to me was consumed with great enthusiasm, almost without question.  I read books, went to the Cinema, Museums, Art Galleries, but most of all, I argued with Dominic. [trying to win an argument with him is an education itself].
At this time I began to look forward to doing my National Service. This was compulsory for all males aged eighteen who were not exempt or deferred because of being at college or reserved occupation or for health reasons etc.
I knew that doing my National service was going to be the first of the adventures of my life. Here was an opportunity to see the world for free! To test myself, little did I know what lay in store for me?
Immediately after leaving school I had opted to work in the Family Ice-cream Factory instead of My Fathers Fish and chip Shop in North St Exeter. 

North Street was where My Father wanted me to go. We had quite an argument about it. What I did not realise then, was that My Father had sold his interest in the factory to enable him to buy his Fish and Chip shop in North Street and his ex partners Aunty Mina and Uncle Henry did not want me there.

Uncle Tommy and Aunt Mina did not want me there. But I insisted, I liked Ice cream, and did not then fancy working in Fish and Chips much. So My Father asked them to let me stay there to work, and grudgingly they agreed. And work I did ...but every day it was made quite plain I was not wanted there. So stubbornly of course I stayed, no matter what nasty piece of work was asked of me or how nasty they became.
I came to realise that the staff there knew what was going on, and were on my side and gave me encouragement when things got really bad. It was then that I first made choices about who I liked to associate with, and to this day it is usually Common folk.
Because of the Birdsong which woke me each day, my body clock became accustomed to rising early each morning.

Here is a Photograph of me serving Ice Cream in SUZY in Burnthouse Lane Exeter around 1953        

Everyday  I would be at work at 8am, usually in time to greet one of the delivery lorries from ASKEY'S biscuits who supplied the cornets and wafers or the FAVOURITE BISCUIT COMPANY, or it might be someone who was  delivering hundredweight bags of sugar, or 56lb boxes of butter or fats etc. All these items had to be carried up 20 concrete steps to the upstairs storeroom of the factory.
At first this was quite a task for me as I wasn't very strong, with poor muscle tone, but slowly I became accustomed to the weights and developed ways of carrying things.
What with cycling to work each day and carrying the weights in the mornings my health and physique began to improve, and as it did, so did my self confidence and my appetite.
There were two Foremen at the Factory, there had to be, or one or the other would have left. Luigi Decina was the indoor foreman, he used to set up the equipment to make all the ice cream, and then he made the ice cream following carefully laid down recipes. He was very good at his job, very precise.  Lou was Italian, and had been a motorcycle mechanic with the Moto Guzzi motorcycle Racing team before the war. 

Arthur Sharland was the other foreman, he seemed to be responsible for organising all the women to do their work, and wrapping choc ices, etc. he also saw to the vans and kept the premises clean and tidy, and ordered me about.  Arthur had been in the RAF during the war. He had been an aircraft engine mechanic working on Merlin engines. Arthur had been based in Southern Rhodesia, and had met many famous people. He claimed to have played tennis with Rita Hayworth and had met many other Film stars of the day, these people had gone to Rhodesia and South Africa to entertain the troops. 
Before the war he had been in service, and had some risqué stories to tell about the goings on of the rich and famous in their stately homes.  Arthur was a good chap really, he couldn’t help his nature, All the same he was kind, and taught me to drive safely when I was just 15 years old.  My job was to do what I was told. So I did most of the time. The rest of the time I got by. Sometimes when I felt mischievous I practised knife throwing upstairs in the stock room or I played with my Cat “RUSTY”. 

“RUSTY had been wild before I tamed him, I was told that he had gone mad because of the bombs during the Blitz; I used to feed him on fresh Whiting which I used to boil for him, or Cats lights, which was the offal from condemned meat. I trained TOM to come to my whistle, this amused people.
When I first started to work for pocket money at the factory, the staff used to throw out scraps for the stray ginger `Rusty`. Rusty had been around since the war they said, but I did not think that he was as old as that. Tom refused to go near his food when people were around, and if they approached him he would arch his back and spit like fury. I think he must have been hurt by someone sometime.
I took over the responsibility for feeding Rusty And each Saturday I would beg sixpence off of someone and buy a whole fresh whiting or some Lights. This I would boil up for him on a stove which was upstairs in the factory. The dreadful smell of boiled fish or cats lights would bring Rusty running from wherever he had been snoozing. Slowly over the weeks I got him to accept the food from me until eventually he was no longer afraid of me anymore.

After that he became my devoted slave, and would follow me about the factory. If I told him to stay, he would sit and wait for me. If I whistled he would come running to me as fast as a streak. I loved Rusty.  Here is a photo of him basking in the sun after his sumptuous breakfast.