Out on the Round
Dear Simon,
My dad had a smallholding in Wallington, Surrey. He also undertook a grocery round in Coulsdon. He sold the fruit, vegetables and flowers he grew himself and bought potatoes, bananas and oranges from a wholesaler. I think the name was Bates and he came several times a week.
My older sister Nancy worked with Dad on the land. In the school holidays I was sometimes allowed to go with them in the van. The night before, my sister had to weigh out the potatoes into 5lb and 10lb bags. I used to go out into the shed to help her by holding out the sacks. As the potatoes were dropped in, my arms would slowly droop until the sacks were on the ground and I would be told off.
If I was lucky, and there was room for me at the back of the van, a wooden box would be placed for me to sit on among the boxes, buckets of flowers and the scales. When we got to the first customer, Dad would take the order to their door. Other customers who hadn’t ordered would arrive when they saw the van and Nancy would serve those. Then Dad would drive to another road and repeat the process.
Halfway around, a customer would bring us cups of tea and I would have a squash. I would be allowed to take the cups back with warnings from Nancy not to drop them. Some of the regulars would talk to Dad, ask his advice about things and as he was a caring man he would listen and help if he could. Nancy would get impatient as she wanted to get home for her dinner.
At last, there were only a few odds and ends left and Dad would decide it was time to go home. He would tie the back doors back with string and I would sit at the back with my legs dangling and feel the wind blowing my hair, my shoes sometimes scraping the road.
I loved my days out on the round.
Maisie Dance
Purley, Surrey