Memories of Douglas Number 4

BOOKS

My late husband Douglas collected books.... amongst ( many ) other things. Every bookshop, charity shop, car boot fair we saw in wherever place we were visiting he was in there like a shot.

He loved old books - especially children's books about adventurers. Biggles was a particular favourite.

He had a quite a few books written by Douglas Valder Duff . Lt.-Commander Douglas Valder Duff DSC was a British merchant seaman, police officer, and author of over 100 books, including memoirs and books for children. Douglas Duff also served in The Palestine Police and was an Inspector in the 1920's - many years before my Douglas joined up.

As far as books he read were concerned he loved sea faring adventures - Douglas Reeman, Patrick O'Brien etc , the Sharpe books by Bernard Cornwell as well as the Frost series by R D Wingfield.

Anecdote coming up.......... When Douglas and I first got married in 1982 we lived in an area of mostly rented flats. Our house was 2 flats knocked into one - cost £9,000 back then. Our street was pedestrianised at the front and everyone had a small garden. However as most of the occupants were renting they took little pride in their gardens - full of rubbish,old household goods etc.

Our little garden was a mess when we moved in but we soon had a lawn and flowers planted in the border. On summer evenings Douglas would often be out there with a watering can. He attracted the attention of a few of the local children who had obviously never seen a watering can before in their lives. When they saw him out there they would come and ask if they could have a go themselves. And so he would chat to them about this and that while they watered. One evening after one of Douglas's chats one small lad announced " Mr........ you talk like a book ". I thought this was so amusing - and so true.