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Ron Levett, born in Alfriston, East Sussex, enlisted in 1943, and whilst posted to the British Liberation Army, took part in the liberation of Germany. He then returned to England, setting up his own electronics business and developing an interest in the new entertainment of the time - television.
We did some work for a Mr Puttock, a builder from Hailsham, and he must have been pleased because from then on we did all his work. One of the jobs was to wire a new bungalow he was building in Herstmonceux.
This had a very high specification and all the interior walls were built using engineering brick. We had to chase in the cable drops for power points and switch drops, by hand.
By the time we had finished my hands were black and blue. Once you have hit your hand it is difficult to stop. Electricians these days, with Thermalite block and power tools have a very much easier life.
Mr. Puttock's son had a small farm at he rear of their home, where he kept about 50 pigs. The heat and condensation from the animals caused the wiring to disintegrate rather fast. We were asked if we could remedy this. We rewired the buildings and it lasted for years.
Tom Dinnis, who farmed Mays Farm at Selmeston, asked us to estimate to wire Ludlay Farm cottages for electricity. This was where some of his farm labourers lived, who had never had electric light in their lives.
We worked out what we thought would be a fair price, and got the job. When we started, we lifted the floorboards in the first part of the building and found there was another set of boards running in the opposite direction to the top set. After a struggle to find a way through without taking up all the top boards, we found yet another set a boards.
They had been feeding the woodworm by laying down one set on top of another. Luckily the lowest set were so eaten away by the woodworm, we could smash a way through the wood with a hammer. The whole of the job ended up a very difficult one but we eventually finished it, but made very little profit.
A few years later the family living in the largest part of the house asked us to install a TV set. When I arrived, together with Barry Norman who was working with us at the time, we took the ladders off the rack on top of the van and carried it into the garden through the gate.
When we turned round, we found that two cows had followed us into the garden. We managed to drive one back out but the other went the wrong way, right through the rose garden.
When we attempted to drive it out the stupid animal ran into the pond. We gave it up as a bad job and rang up Tom Dinnis, who sent some cowmen down to rescue it.
We did manage, however, to install the aerial and a TV. We found that Berwick village was a very good place for business. I only had to park beside the road and someone was bound to come out with an enquiry.
Ron Levett, 2001
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