HAND BELL AND JACKIE WILSON

It was now about Late April time 1987, our New House was a bit of a Tip really, the Person we Exchanged Houses with, was as we found out, a Bit Of a, shall we say "Scum" 


The House had been Left in a State with Stains all over the Carpets, one particular Stain near the Front Door, was from 1 of Her Kids "Throwin Up" we Dumped all the Crappy Carpets and any other "Crap" left from Her!


It took Weeks to get Clean & Tidy and all Traces of the Previous Tenant "Gone", another thing that was Really Annoying, was all the House Pipes ran through the Bathroom, "At the top of the Wall" this meant every time we had a Bath, all the Pipes "Condensated" and Dripped down on to the Floor, what a Dump we had moved to!

Every Weekend, Us and the Kids, went back to Great Yarmouth, to see Family etc, and this is when I used to go to the "Cash & Carry" to Buy Stock for my Mobile Shop.


I used to Buy all Types of Household Items, Fruit & Veg, Sweets, Cakes & Toiletries etc etc, anything I thought I could Sell Really! 


After I finally got everything ready to Start going out and about in the Van, I realised the Van would have to be Parked outside the House at Night, with all that "Stock" in there, so I decided I needed to Park the Van in a Driveway, for Safety!

So for Quickness I knocked down our Front Wall and starting Reversing the Van into that Space at Night Times with the Back Door right up to the Front Window, I then Slept Easier at Night!


I then started going out during the Day, around Council Estates, Old Peoples Homes etc, looking for Business, I knew "Norwich" well so I picked a Few Places well known Places!


I had a small Problem when I got to these Places, apart from knocking on Doors, I needed something to let them Know I was there!

My "Old Boy" suggested I had a "Bell" to ring when I got there, as it turned out my "Grandad" had a fair sized Bell (from years ago), which I Borrowed, and from then on when I arrived at certain places "I Started to Ring the Bell" & it Worked! 


Up until then, we were getting on Fine in "Norwich" but things were soon to Change!


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As for some Music, The Great Jackie Wilson Released His 44th (out of 67) Single in 1967, (some 45 Years ago), it is My Favorite Track of His, it was Called (Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher & Higher.


It Reached Number 6 on the US Pop Chart and Number 1 on the US R&B Chart, it was Released in the UK 2 Years later, where got to Number 11 on the UK Pop Charts.


It was on the Brunswick Record Label and Written by Gary Jackson, Raynard Miner & Carl Smith, the Track was Produced by Carl Davis.

The Musicians on the Track were All Member's of "The Funk Brothers" from "Motown Records"


Incidentally the Track was Released a Further 2 Times in the UK over the Years, both Charting!


The Track was Voted on the "Rolling Stone" List of the Greatest 500 Songs of all Time at Number 246! 

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