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Hi folks, I stumbled across this site by chance and seeing some of the names posted here felt I was duty bound to add my six penny worth! Back in the late 1960's my Father (a coin collector) befriended a chap in Palmerston Road in Boscombe, Bournemouth. His name was George Blackwell and he had a shop called 'The Coin Cabinet'. Well, over the next few years their friendship grew and Dad would join George on Sunday morning trips up to Cutler Street which is off Petticoat Lane in the east end of London with me in tow! I couldn't believe some of the sites I saw, quite scruffy attired men with pockets crammed with coins and a bunch of notes that they had a job to get their hands around! George would buy large amounts from all manner of folk to stock his shop until the next visit! Later, George asked my Father if he would like to help him at the coin fairs which George attended, around 4 - 5 times a year. Dad jumped at this and George said bring your son if you want! I was 14 when we went to our 1st fair at the 'Rougemont Hotel' opposite Exeter Central railway station which I think was a 2 or 3 day affair. This was 1968 and for a lad of that age who'd never stayed in a hotel it was like another world with all the luxury rooms and food you could only dream of eating! After this came the Midland Hotel in Birmingham, the Piccadilly in Manchester, the Cumberland in Marble Arch and the Imperial in Blackpool which George couldn't attend due to ill health but insisted Dad and I go with the stand and it was a total success. I remember getting into a lift at the Cumberland and Mary Quant the fashion designer was there with I assume, her husband! At the Cumberland George did some business with a couple of Brothers (millionaires!) whose surname was Hearn, one of them I recall was Bernard but can't remember the other?! George's Wife Ada always came to the fairs with us, she was a lovely lady and added attraction to the stand! Sadly George did not enjoy good health in the early 70's and passed on I think around 1974. I have kept in touch with Ada from all those many years ago until her passing in 2015 aged 90. I remember talking to Lawrence from R & L coins at one of the fairs, he would be a few years older than me I think?! Other names that spring to mind:- Mike Harrison Leeds coin centre Ava Hardy from London Fred Jeffries, I remember going to his house in Melksham, Wiltshire, with Dad to collect some coins he'd found for him. Peter Ireland from Blackpool Jeff Cook, who I think put George onto the Cutler Street Sunday gatherings! A footnote to Jeff, I remember going to visit him in Winchester prison with my Dad in the early 70's, he was serving I think, 21 months for hitting a Policeman after drowning his sorrows due to marital problems! Nowadays you'd probably get a warning?!! How times have changed! Hope this may be of interest to some of you and perhaps jog a few memories!? All the very best Terry

Thanks! That will be one for home as I will use all my data on the boat if I run that to the end?! Cheers for that, Terry

Thanks Chris - if you do get the time, that'd be great. If you're anything like me though, it'll turn up when you're looking for something else - and you'll think "how the hell did it get there?"

Thank you! I have done track work in the Winter when the trains aren't running and I appreciate the graft that goes into that side of things so that us loco men can run our trains! I have moved on to narrow boating now and am on the Grand Union at Hemel Hempstead going down to London and over to Bristol which will take most of the Summer. Cheers Terry

There's a train simulator series on You Tube - very realistic! - which clearly demonstrates that train drivers regulate their trains according to minute detail every few hundred yards or even less. A driver that is doing even 1mph over the limit would be reported if he/she hadn't braked enough in time. It's quite enlightening!!

I did store it somewhere - if I can find it (might be a long job!) I'll post it.

Think it is Banknote Auction today, probably no one in the Office until Tomorrow/Wednesday

I noticed that after I made the post. Thanks B&C....

I'd wait for the next issue coming out in the next financial quarter Struck on the day - 200 years since Victoria started to teethe and next year they're doing a struck on the day celebrating 100 years since the birth of Buster Merryfield.

Not a bargain basement spot....I've my own pet peeves with Atlas - the principal there can really be a b---- at times. He's also got an outrageous business model wherein he buys a bit high and then frequently triples, quadruples or worse the price on his list. I have seen some of them to be recycled in auctions at Heritage, etc. when he does not get his crazy price.

I forgot that the Wreath crowns carried on till 1936 .Doesn;t sound as special now .