Gardener

After my dad passed away, I was able to earn some spending money by mowing the lawn. In the house we lived in Farmborough near Bath, called 'Cherry House', there were lawns at both the front and back of the house. On average once a month, I would push the lawnmower over both lawns and transfer the grass cuttings to the compost heap. Hard work, but enjoyable, especially on warm summer afternoons. As with washing the car, every time I mowed the lawn, I would receive a payment of around £5, which in those days would be enough to cover my leisure activities.

Later on, during holiday breaks from university, I would perform handyman tasks around the house, like painting and clearing the guttering.

Another job, this one unpaid, which involved gardening, took place in the summer months at the village recreation ground. Once a week, members of the village cricket team would be called to cut, water and pull a heavy roller over the central square between the wickets. There would usually only be five or six of us, but it was a very pleasant activity, always followed by a few pints in the local pub after the work had been done.