SEPTEMBER 3rd 1978, We became Parents

These pictures were taken last week of outside the Hospital where Susan had our Son,
and the middle picture is the actual room where they both were for the Birth, the
Hospital is now closed!


I remember things were going well at work and Susan was doing fine (pregnancy wise) it was now exactly 6 weeks after we got Married, we went to bed that night on the 2nd September 1978 and everything was O.K, Then about 3 am on that Sunday Morning, Susan's water's broke!

I thought Susan had too much too drink the night before! lol

Anyway the Ambulance was'nt called until about 7am the next morning, and by about 8am, we were off to the Hospital.

I was told after about an Hour or so, to go off to work as nothing would be happening for "Hours yet"

At about 11.30 am I was getting ready for Sunday Lunch at Work, when a Phone call came through for me to get to the Hospital as things were about to happen!

As I went to the Hospital with Susan earlier that day in the ambulance, I didnt have my Bike with me, so I had to get to the Hospital somehow!

Luckily there was a Bus that ran all the way from my Work to the Hospital, I can remember to this day the funny feeling of fear I had all the way there , which was about 3 miles away, in total!

I finally got to the Hospital about 12.30pm, I remember both of us being "very nervous" as we were both still teenager's ourselves, and back then in 1978, we were classed as "too young to have Kids"

Anyway after hours of waiting and tension in Susan's room and the waiting room, things were about to happen! (I remember there was 2 other blokes in the waiting room, and both of them looked older enough to be my father!).

I had to wear a big white coat and green trouser's in the Delivery Room, and I also remember the Doctor had big White Wellington Boots on, and after speaking to Susan while writing this Post up, she reminded me that I had a pair of the big White Welly's on as well!
I cant remember there being too much Mud about in the Delivery Room!

After which seemed an eternity of pushing, shoving and sweating bucket loads for both of us, at 15.55pm on Sunday 3rd September 1978, our Son was BORN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What a relief! that was probably the first time in public I cried!

But Problems were on the horizon for me and susan concerning our New Baby.

END OF SUMMERTIME 1978!

These pictures were taken around late 1977 or
early 1978!

By about August of 1978, we had been offered a move to Susan's Nanny's house at the opposite end of Town to where we had been living at my Nanny's! We jumped at the chance, as Susan was about 1 month away from having the baby!

I also worked at the opposite end of Town from where we were living, so to get to work I had to cycle right along the length of the Seafront, what was about 2/3 miles distance, and at that period of time I was working Split Shifts all the time, I believe it was 10 till 2 during the day and back at night 5.30 till 9.30 , this compared to most Hotels at that time, was an early finish at Night!

I always remember during the day I could cycle along the seafront, but at night time it was a different matter! with the Seafront area packed with people, I forget how many times somebody (a Lout in a gang) would throw something at me or try to push me off the bike! so the ride home was through to Town Centre, and that was nearly as bad, passing the Pubs etc, but most nights I was with one of the other Chefs, so when you were in pairs, mostly I got home without any bother!

Our Home Life at Susan's Nanny's was'nt very good! We always had the feeling of "them going through our belongings when we were out"

Anyway everything in our Life was about to change again, but this time forever!

EARLY SUMMER OF 78

By now we had about 2 Months to go before getting married, and we had a couple of Big changes going on! Firstly, I had to sell my Car, the main reason behind this was to get extra money for us when we got Married!

I remember selling the Car to my Sister's Boyfriend, for £100 and a bike, so not a bad loss on the Original price and I had some transport to get back and forth to work!

The second change we had, was we had moved in with my Nanny, who lived in the Town Centre of our Town, we had our own Bedroom and had most of our Meals out at the Hotel where I worked, so we were sorted at last!

One thing I do remember that happened at this time was, we had to convert a large Bathroom in my Nanny's House, into our Bedroom,what a nightmare that was, in the process we had to get the old Bath out of the First Floor Room Window, this took quite a while to do!

Work was going OK at this time and as I said we had about 2 months to go before we got Married!

PREGNANT, MARRIAGE AND A LET DOWN!

We were now into Spring time in 1978, Dates I must admit are a bit vague around this time, as we had alot of things happening around this time!

As Susan was Pregnant and due Early September, we had alot of things to sort out "where to live" "marriage" and of course our "Baby"

We arranged to get Married in July, nowadays it seems nobody gets Married, but just live together!, but back then, it was completely different, although we had already talked about Marriage, the event of Susan being Pregnant, speeded everything up!

Both Families were not Happy, to say the least! my Mum didnt like Susan, my Dad was alright to her, Susan thought the same of both of them!
I didnt like Susan's Dad, but did like her Mum, and basically that's how it was back then, and how it has been for most of our lives!

Susan's Mum was the only one, that was always alright to us!

It was also around this time that we found out, that the Promised Rented Property we had hoped to move into, fell through!

So now we had no where to live, Susan was about 5/6 months Pregnant and we were getting Married in about 2 month's time!

Could things get any WORSE!