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During ones service we were likely to come in close contact with a number of celebrities of one form or another, recalls Harold Taylor, a member of the police force.
When I was in Horsham one Sunday afternoon in the 1950's, I had occasion to speak to the occupant of a car, and he turned out to be Jimmy Gold of the Crazy Gang fame. He subsequently gave me an invitation to go to a show at the Old Vic any time I wanted, but I never took up the offer.
Another time I booked Lady Silkin, wife of the Minister for Housing. He was in the car at the time. An interesting thing was that he was specifically uninsured to drive the car, which belonged to a firm she was a director of, which had a small factory in Albion Road. One of the Johnson & Johnson Group.
In the same spot I was booking a rather attractive young girl one day, when I could clearly see she was becoming very embarrassed, and kept looking up.
When I followed her gaze I could see that two people who I knew as the Police Solicitor and Coroner, and his father, who had held the jobs before, were greatly amused at the incident.
They were her father and grandfather, but she did not carry their name. That evening in the national press and on radio it was announced that she had become engaged to Jimmy Edwards, comedian, actor and film star. The marriage never took place.
When I went to Worthing, the Connaught Theatre was on my beat. This meant that before and after performances I was required to control traffic arriving and leaving.
Often I would arrive, and for some reason or another the end of the performance was delayed, which would give me an opportunity to meet actors and producers who were down to see premiers to gauge their worth for the West End. One I met under these circumstances was Jack Longhurst.
The first year I was there I believe the pantomime for Xmas was to be Robinson Crusoe and they were often rehearsing late. One of the stars was to be Shirley Eaton, the only person I had ever considered worth calling a 'pin up'.
She was heavily chaperoned by her mother and father and a little dog, which I think was a miniature long haired Dachshund. I got on quite well with her and one night when they were rehearsing till 1.30 am, she tried to get me dancing with her on the stage, but I was never a dancer, and even with that encouragement I 'chickened out'.
Laurie Lupino Lane was also on the bill as the dame, a role he had for many a long year, coming from a family famous in theatre land. I believe he was only survived by his sister Ida. I spent many an hour in his dressing room having a beer and listening to his stories.
The only one I can recall, being that he had the record for the number of appearances and disappearances through trap doors, in which he had broken practically every bone in his body.
He showed me his ankles, or more correctly his lower legs, which were so misshapen through breaks it seemed surprising that they could bear his weight. However he was only a small man. His valet was a midget and they lodged in Warwick Road.
Another well-known performer in the production was Terry Scott. The incident I recall with him was after my supper break when on night duty. It must have been about 2.30 in the morning. I was making my way back to Goring beat, so I guess it was after Christmas.
I met him as he left the theatre, and he was in a very melancholy mood and related all his depression to me as we walked towards his lodgings, which were in Gratwicke Road. Being on the 'road' and on poor wages was bringing about the break up of his marriage. I think his wife and children lived in Croydon.
There was another person I also met. His name was Joseph Ward and it was his first time in panto. He was in the male chorus, and had just graduated in music, I think from Cambridge. The producer thought him so good they decided to give him a couple of solo spots.
I think I heard him once or twice on the radio after that, but in the sixties when I was on the Eddystone Lighthouse there was an operatic production in which he had the lead. I cannot say that I have ever heard of him since.
Norman Vaughan and Joe Church were resident comedians at the repertory company managed at the Connaught Theatre. The former went on to become quite a name on TV.
One girl I remember well, was Anna Massey, daughter of the famous film star. I also met her brother Daniel, but under different circumstances before he had really got into acting, although he was appearing at the theatre at the time. I had reported him for a motoring offence!
One of the London impresarios I met was Jack Longhurst, and another time I had a long conversation with Tyrone Power, they had both come for a preview of productions. Tyrone was on his way to Spain to film. Sadly he died during the production.
He had asked me my views on schools, as he was interested in bringing his children over during his stay in Europe. Oddly enough, during my next occupation I appeared on TV and one of the guest stars was to be Tyrone's widow, but I was not to know that, otherwise I would have made a point of introducing myself.
It was towards the end of the series of 'What's My Line', and they were trying to boost its lagging interest by inviting candidates. In my instance, their request was to have 'The Keeper of the Eddystone Light'.
By the time I got to London and was interviewed by a junior floor manager, it was reduced to 'A Lighthouse Keeper', of which they had had two before me.
The panel is supposed to be kept well away from the candidates, but as I was being escorted to a snack before the performance, we were discussing my occupation as we walked up the stairs and bumped into Barbara Kelly and Isabel Barnett. They were two of the panellists, who together with David Nixon and fellow Reed, were to make up the quartet.
Also whilst working on CID, I had occasion to get to know another celebrity. It was because of circumstances surrounding his son that he first imparted his information, otherwise I would never have guessed it.
I used to see this fellow almost every day as I travelled backward and forward to work, and also whilst on my beat, because this unfortunate fellow was the occupant of a mechanical chair to convey him about. Some undisclosed benefactor had in the meantime found his son employment overseas.
One day this person approached me in the town, full of the joys of spring and quite elatedly announced that his book had been accepted. I did not know he was writing a book. It later became a best seller and was made into a film, in which our friend is reputed to have acted as himself.
Unfortunately I cannot accept this statement. Whereas facially they looked the same, from the present day build of the man and his motive ability I am convinced that Clifton James had a double for the film 'I was Monty's Double'.
Two other people I met were Tseretse Karma and his wife, Ruth Williams. I met them twice in the same day and found them to be very pleasant people. Although I did not meet him, I met the widow of 'Elephant' Bill Williams, who at the time I was avidly reading.
Bill had been an estate manager in Burma and was inducted into the army where he utilised elephants for the transport of war material behind enemy lines during the Burma Campaign.
At the same time I was friendly with Paul DeLauney whose family had owned and managed about half of what became West Pakistan.
In the takeover Paul had come to England with some of the pay out, his brother had remained behind as some form of official to look after and safeguard the family assets. Paul's wife, who was Australian, had nursed Bill when he had come out of the jungle, incapacitated in some way.
One surprising meeting I had, was when I was in the small party of police that was sent to an Ascot race meeting. There were 11 of us under Sgt. Scotcher, who had been a Patrol Sgt. when I first went to Horsham.
We lived in pretty disgusting conditions in some old derelict houses, which were opened up for the meeting. Mattresses on the floor and skimpy sheets and blankets were supplied, I suppose from surplus hospital equipment. The messing was pretty primitive also, but adequate though greasy.
The system then used for controlling the traffic on this big occasion of the June meeting was that the traffic flowed normally through this quiet village until at midday a signal was given and all the traffic flow was reversed.
It was, in its way, quite an impressive and well controlled operation. My particular job was control of the horse box entrance, just before the main grandstand. I also had a roundabout here. One day after the races and the traffic had once again resumed its correct flow to get the vehicles away, there was a hold up.
I had stopped the traffic behind me and noticed that the first was a big Rolls.
As I let the traffic resume, this 'Roller' stopped beside me and the chauffeur presented me with a packet of 10 Manikin cigars and said 'With Lord Trenchard's compliments.' As the vehicle passed on its way the old gent in the back acknowledged me.
I can only presume it was the old gent's way of passing out his largesse. Lord Trenchard was regarded as being both the father of the Air Force and the Police Force, having been influential in the reform of both.
When on duty at the Goodwood motor race circuit, I was officiating at one of the car parks. It was going home time. After the end of these meetings, everyone thinks they're another Stirling Moss, an up and coming driver of those years.
In 1952 his racing car was kept in a garage on my beat when I had started at Worthing. At this particular meeting (1950?) a lot of advertising was being done for the Aston Martin DB4 vehicle.
I was letting the cars into the main stream in this narrow country road after the meeting (again there was specific action in force, in which all the traffic went one way allowing two lanes of cars in the same direction). Two cars came bumping along on the verge and creating chaos.
I stopped these cars, and in no polite terms asked the driver what the hell he was doing. It turned out to be Richard Dimbleby. He stated that he had to get to a studio set up in Goodwood House to interview the Duke of Richmond, who was following behind, and they were late.
I took no notice of this 'blow hard', who seemed to think he was a power unto himself. Having told him what I thought of him and his antics, the driver of the other car got out. It was the Duke, who apologised most profusely for both of their conducts, which I accepted and sent them on their way. They were both driving DB4's.
One person I had dealings with, who has continuously intrigued me, is John Sergeant, the Political Correspondent for BBC TV. I did a boy of similar name for a minor theft in 1956. His mother was very friendly with a person, who at that time was very influential in local politics under the guise of Liberal.
I do not know if there is any connection at all, but from the time John came into the limelight I have always thought there to be an uncanny likeness.
Although the next character was not met till many moons later, I will include him and one or two others whilst on the subject of celebrities. He was Chay Blythe, another person whose presence I objected to with about the same regard as Dimbleby.
This man boarded a plane I was on from Guernsey to Gatwick and was allowed to take over whole of the passenger aisle to accommodate the whims of himself and his offspring, as though he owned the airline.
His every whim and fancy was catered for to the exclusion of the rest. It was not as if this 'haggis waffler' was even of pleasant disposition.
A different kettle of fish was Chris Braysher, who I sat beside for yet another of these flights home. A man of charming disposition and I was able to converse with him upon numerous sports acquaintances whom we both knew.
Another charming man was the one in charge of the oil rig 'Orion', which went aground on the north coast of Guernsey when under tow. There was a dramatic rescue in heavy seas by the local lifeboat and helicopters. I do not know his name, but he came from Louisiana.
As I sat beside him he told me of his 'hairy night' and the difficulty he had in hanging on to his snake skin Texan boots and his ten gallon hat, which he was not going to take off for anybody in case they never came back. I was impressed by the massive gold rings that adorned his fingers.
Harold Taylor West Sussex, 2001
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