Shows
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastAN ANGEL APPEARED IN THE GUISE OF KEITH GUYLER A Northcote Story from 1994A TIME OF TRIALOur bank were trying to foreclose on our mortgage because it had not been paid for over six months, we had over 15 very large Heavy Horses of various breeds in our care. Some like Goliath and Big Bonnie had very serious and also “expensive” health problemsWe owed huge amounts to our feed merchant and vet as well as countless smaller suppliers.Here I must mention the Vet practice. At that time we owed them over £10.000. They were fully aware of the situation and our intentions and they...
2022-08-1007 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastNIGHTMARE BREAKDOWN CALL OUT A Tale from Ivy House, New Bolingbroke, 1983Keith was phoning from a cafe on the M1 at Crick in Northamptonshire.The first thing he had to tell me was he had lost both rear wheels from one side of the lorry.It was fully loaded and he had been going fairly slowly through a restricted part of the motorway where it was single carriageway only.His rear wheels had come off in this section and just spun away across the remainder of the motorway.Mixed blessings here as with it being roadworks and restricted, then there was a...
2022-07-0511 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastDICK SANDERS "A MAN TRULY AHEAD OF HIS TIME" An It's a Rum Life StoryThese silver teaspoons with the crest of the RNLI have prompted this story which takes us back as far as 1950.We will begin the saga here, this was in fact the year that the chap who I assume is my father took his escape from my mother to seek his “fortune” in pastures new.BACKGROUNDI should explain to avoid further complications that my father is not my father on my birth certificate. The certificate names another chap who was married to my mother previously. It is just that she did not bother to have any...
2022-02-1726 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastTHE UNIROYAL YEARS It's a Rum Life, tales from Ivy House 1976 to 2003THE RISE AND FALL OF A GOOD IDEA!If I did not mention the fact before, the sole reason Ruth and I were appointed as the very first Uniroyal tyre stocking point in the UK was that Uniroyal wanted Harry Thorne’s business. Firestone were now totally out of the way and the door was open for a manufacturer of premium tyres to take their place in supplying Fossitt and Thorne with their retail outlets covering the length and breadth of Lincolnshire and into Norfolk and Cambridgeshire.Fortunately for us...
2022-02-1246 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastA TALE OF TWO EYES It's a Rum Life in France October 2021I have worn spectacles for long vision and reading for over 14 years now, but a couple of years ago. I found that I no longer needed glasses for long vision. I could see brilliantly into the distance.At the same time, when driving I could see the instruments in the car and the view ahead equally well.“My goodness”, I thought, “my eyes have become bionic”,....or something along those lines!They continued to perform exceptionally well, as good in fact as they had been before ever using spectacles....until the time came for my two-year...
2021-10-0612 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastDO YOU HAVE A "BLACK HOLE" IN YOUR GARDEN? It's a Rum Life in France october 2021Not one of those interspacial things that gobble up anti-matter and anything else that goes its way but something much more simple.A place in your garden where all the bad things happen. All the accidents, incidents and calamities, all in one place!I really did not think such a thing was possible until just the other week.I was walking a bit too fast to get back to a job, having retrieved a pipe wrench to effect repairs to the garden irrigation water, coming from a deep hole in one corner of...
2021-10-0610 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman Podcast"SAM AND THE MILK STOUT" A story from It's a Rum Life Book Four Volume two Northcote 1998 to 2008Now, vitamin B posed more of a problem in its natural form and lots of it for a horse who weighed around 18 hundredweights. Then of course the penny dropped, beer. Ruth remembered the times when hospital patients had been prescribed a personal allowance of “milk stout”. Full of vitamin B and the ideal pick me up for those under the weather. From time to time in the past we had been able to help our local family brewery “Bateman's” with jobs involving heavy horses. We contacted “Mr George” the boss who was only too pleased to help out.
2021-10-0505 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastDRIVING AMERICAN LADIES A story from It's a Rum Life in France 2013There were complications on the way to the train today, I had been driving three American Ladies around all week during their holiday here in the Loire Valley and their week finished today when they all had trains to catch from the mainline station in Tours. Thank you for listening to our Buzzsprout audio stories.You can follow many of these with added film and photographs as videos and slide showson our YouTube Channel at "cracker books on youtube".WEB SITE CHANGE: New Web site at www.crackerbooks.fr
2021-10-0106 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman Podcast"JUPITER AND THE AIRFIELD GHOST" Tales from Northcote from about 1989.I managed to dismount and calm him while inspecting his saddle. On eventually mounting once again he took charge and broke into an instant gallop. I managed to steer him around the next bend, across a stubble field, down across the Ladywath Beck by a narrow farm bridge across the lane, over a gate, and into our stable yard. He could not get away from that place fast enough!He did not stop even then and I had to lay flat on his neck as he was determined to enter his own stable without stopping. We must...
2021-09-1809 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman Podcast"SOME OF THE THE NOT SO GOOD TIMES" Stories from Northcote 1984 to 1998There are three stories in this piece. The Fire is already recorded and can be heard on its own.Also included are the stories of the two burglaries..........You have to "weather" the downs to appreciate the good times....takes some doing though!Thank you for listening to our Buzzsprout audio stories.You can follow many of these with added film and photographs as videos and slide showson our YouTube Channel at "cracker books on youtube".WEB SITE CHANGE: New Web site at www.crackerbooks.fr
2021-09-1814 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman Podcast"LITIGATION 1982 TO 2002" Taken from It's a Rum Life Book Three Ivy House Tales.Most things we remember are the good times................This story is about the bad times, but in this case they continued for over 20 years!A story of victimisation, bullying and intimidation. But it did not work!Listen to find out what it was all about....................Thank you for listening to our Buzzsprout audio stories.You can follow many of these with added film and photographs as videos and slide showson our YouTube Channel at "cracker books on youtube".WEB SITE CHANGE: New Web site at www...
2021-09-1822 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastIN TUNE WITH ANOTHER SAILING MAN AND SAILING WOMAN TOO 1970Another It's a Rum Life story that would be in Book two except I have just written this one.The version in the book is a little different. I prefer this one!Thank you for listening to our Buzzsprout audio stories.You can follow many of these with added film and photographs as videos and slide showson our YouTube Channel at "cracker books on youtube".WEB SITE CHANGE: New Web site at www.crackerbooks.frAt the same time, Cracker Books have produced 10 complete page turning
2021-09-0108 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastCHARLES AND LUCY GO TO FRANCE PART 1 BRITTANY 1978This was actually the first trip they took with Ruth and myself and daughter Helen.As with most things involving Charles, it was memorable and very funny.Thank you for listening to our Buzzsprout audio stories.You can follow many of these with added film and photographs as videos and slide showson our YouTube Channel at "cracker books on youtube".WEB SITE CHANGE: New Web site at www.crackerbooks.frAt the same time, Cracker Books have produced 10 complete page turninge-books on their own...
2021-09-0106 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastCHARLES AND LUCY GO TO FRANCE PART 2 PREHISTORIC CAVES IN THE DORDOGNEA family holiday looking at prehistoric cave paintings. There are photographs to go with this story. A story with an amusing incident......Thank you for listening to our Buzzsprout audio stories.You can follow many of these with added film and photographs as videos and slide showson our YouTube Channel at "cracker books on youtube".WEB SITE CHANGE: New Web site at www.crackerbooks.frAt the same time, Cracker Books have produced 10 complete page turninge-books on their own Site.All the books are f...
2021-08-2809 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastINCIDENT WITH RMS QUEEN MARY....THE SOLENT 1958Reflections of time in our school Combined Cadet Force and learning the hard way!
2021-08-2810 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastTHINKING ABOUT CORONAVIRUS........ a story from 2021 here in FrancePrompted by an article in the French press about alternative medicine.Thank you for listening to our Buzzsprout audio stories.You can follow many of these with added film and photographs as videos and slide showson our YouTube Channel at "cracker books on youtube".WEB SITE CHANGE: New Web site at www.crackerbooks.frAt the same time, Cracker Books have produced 10 complete page turninge-books on their own Site.All the books are free to download to any device.Have a look at...
2021-08-1407 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastWHERE DOES FATHER CHRISTMAS REALLY LIVE? a tale from Northcote 2002This was our destination for the journey that included "Passat with a Problem".An amusing story which will become part of "It's a Rum Life Book Four" Volume two Northcote 1998 to 2008.Thank you for listening to our Buzzsprout audio stories.You can follow many of these with added film and photographs as videos and slide showson our YouTube Channel at "cracker books on youtube".WEB SITE CHANGE: New Web site at www.crackerbooks.frAt the same time, Cracker Books have produced 10 complete page turninge-b...
2021-08-1406 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastPASSAT WITH PROBLEMS IN FRANCE another tale from Northcote 2002This was the third trip and third problem, would you believe that after 2003 when we moved to France that car made countless trips with trailers and what have you and never had the slightest trouble........Thank you for listening to our Buzzsprout audio stories.You can follow many of these with added film and photographs as videos and slide showson our YouTube Channel at "cracker books on youtube".WEB SITE CHANGE: New Web site at www.crackerbooks.frAt the same time, Cracker Books have produced 10 complete...
2021-08-1403 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastPASSAT IN TROUBLE AGAIN..........Another Northcote Story from 2001It would appear that every time that car went to France it had a problem.....I suppose that is quite true..........but amusing too.Thank you for listening to our Buzzsprout audio stories.You can follow many of these with added film and photographs as videos and slide showson our YouTube Channel at "cracker books on youtube".WEB SITE CHANGE: New Web site at www.crackerbooks.frAt the same time, Cracker Books have produced 10 complete page turninge-books on their own Site.All the...
2021-08-1406 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastPASSAT IN TROUBLE tales from Northcote from about 2000Our first trip to France with "Passat" and caravan................Thank you for listening to our Buzzsprout audio stories.You can follow many of these with added film and photographs as videos and slide showson our YouTube Channel at "cracker books on youtube".WEB SITE CHANGE: New Web site at www.crackerbooks.frAt the same time, Cracker Books have produced 10 complete page turninge-books on their own Site.All the books are free to download to any device.Have a look at our bookcase...
2021-08-1404 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastHENRY CAME TO STAY from Northcote in about 1997Another unexpected arrival, when we saw that "stretch Limo" in the drive of the bungalow,we did not know what to expect! Thank you for listening to our Buzzsprout audio stories.You can follow many of these with added film and photographs as videos and slide showson our YouTube Channel at "cracker books on youtube".WEB SITE CHANGE: New Web site at www.crackerbooks.frAt the same time, Cracker Books have produced 10 complete page turninge-books on their own Site.All the books ar...
2021-08-1405 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastDINAN AND THE ROSE SHOW..........a story from Ivy House, New Bolingbroke in 1980Dinan himself did not actually go to the HM The Queen Mother's 80th Birthday Celebrations at Sandringham, but that is where we found the rose with the same name!Thank you for listening to our Buzzsprout audio stories.You can follow many of these with added film and photographs as videos and slide showson our YouTube Channel at "cracker books on youtube".WEB SITE CHANGE: New Web site at www.crackerbooks.frAt the same time, Cracker Books have produced 10 complete page turninge-books on their...
2021-08-1203 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastEBONY AND THE DIESEL DELIVERY DRIVER tales from Ivy House, New Bolingbroke 1978Ebony had to have an operation, this is what happened.............Thank you for listening to our Buzzsprout audio stories.You can follow many of these with added film and photographs as videos and slide showson our YouTube Channel at "cracker books on youtube".WEB SITE CHANGE: New Web site at www.crackerbooks.frAt the same time, Cracker Books have produced 10 complete page turninge-books on their own Site.All the books are free to download to any device.Have a look at our...
2021-08-0306 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastTHE RENAULT 4L IS 60 THIS YEAR............Reflections on our family experiences of the amazing 4L together with our efforts at promoting the car at its launch for local Renault Dealer Pete Taylor at his garage at Stickford near Boston, Lincolnshire UK in 1961.Thank you for listening to our Buzzsprout audio stories.You can follow many of these with added film and photographs as videos and slide showson our YouTube Channel at "cracker books on youtube".WEB SITE CHANGE: New Web site at www.crackerbooks.frAt the same time, Cracker Books have produced 10...
2021-08-0310 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastFINALLY I'M DRIVING A "REAL" CITROEN...ONCE AGAIN!We buy a new "secondhand" car that really impresses!The nicest car to drive since I drove a pre-production model Citroen DS 21 Pallas on a test drive for my newspaper employers in 1965.The story of that test drive is here on our buzzsprout site...."The one and only Test Drive".Thank you for listening to our Buzzsprout audio stories.You can follow many of these with added film and photographs as videos and slide showson our YouTube Channel at "cracker books on youtube".WEB SITE CHANGE: N...
2021-08-0208 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman Podcast"A TUESDAY IN MARCH" One of "The original stories" Northcote 1994The very first of my regular Diary Stories published by my ex-employers, Mortons Group Newspapers.The story appeared on 31 March 1999 but was from a period in time around 1994 when the Northcote Heavy Horse Centre was looking for all kinds of volunteers.They still are!Permission to reproduce is kindly granted by Johnson Press Group who own the copyright.Thank you for listening to our Buzzsprout audio stories.You can follow many of these with added film and photographs as videos and slide showson our YouTube Channel at "cracker books on youtube".
2021-06-2203 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman Podcast"TORNADO IN OUR GARDEN" It's a Rum Life in France June 2021There are pictures to go with this story....all very recent.There will be a slide show presentation of the story on our YouTube Channel.........the short storymankeithsanderson youtube.Thank you for listening to our Buzzsprout audio stories.You can follow many of these with added film and photographs as videos and slide showson our YouTube Channel at "cracker books on youtube".WEB SITE CHANGE: New Web site at www.crackerbooks.frAt the same time, Cracker Books have produced 10 complete page turninge-books o...
2021-06-2206 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastWE INSTALL THE GENERATOR Northcote 2002We were destined to produce our own electricity.Thoreslinks Fundraisers were not just providers of badly needed financial help.....they were electrical installation specialists too.Thank you for listening to our Buzzsprout audio stories.You can follow many of these with added film and photographs as videos and slide showson our YouTube Channel at "cracker books on youtube".WEB SITE CHANGE: New Web site at www.crackerbooks.frAt the same time, Cracker Books have produced 10 complete page turninge-books on their own Site.
2021-05-2308 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastSTUDENTS ARE COMING It's a Rum Life Book Four vol two Northcote 2002We were given the chance of a new means of support for the centre and all its four-legged residents. A new substantial means of financial support long term, for the future.It was an unforgivable fraud that left us hugely financially overstretched.We did all the preparations and planning only to have it rejected at the very last minute. Thank you for listening to our Buzzsprout audio stories.You can follow many of these with added film and photographs as videos and slide showson our YouTube Channel at "cracker books on...
2021-05-2305 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastContinuing "THE MR MACKAY TRIBUTE" Francis and the Tractor Northcote 1994Without Francis and his encouragement, despite his own personal problems, this would never have happened.........................Thank you for listening to our Buzzsprout audio stories.You can follow many of these with added film and photographs as videos and slide showson our YouTube Channel at "cracker books on youtube".WEB SITE CHANGE: New Web site at www.crackerbooks.frAt the same time, Cracker Books have produced 10 complete page turninge-books on their own Site.All the books are free to download to any device....
2021-05-2302 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastTHE "REAL" MR MACKAY and the Horses he loved. "A TRIBUTE" Northcote 1994Francis was the first volunteer helper we ever had at the Northcote Heavy Horse Centre.Francis was very special and this is why....................Thank you for listening to our Buzzsprout audio stories.You can follow many of these with added film and photographs as videos and slide showson our YouTube Channel at "cracker books on youtube".WEB SITE CHANGE: New Web site at www.crackerbooks.frAt the same time, Cracker Books have produced 10 complete page turninge-books on their own Site.All the...
2021-05-2306 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastANTICS IN A BOTTLE BANK It's a Rum Life Book Four Volume Two Northcote 2004A very short story but amusing.................Thank you for listening to our Buzzsprout audio stories.You can follow many of these with added film and photographs as videos and slide showson our YouTube Channel at "cracker books on youtube".WEB SITE CHANGE: New Web site at www.crackerbooks.frAt the same time, Cracker Books have produced 10 complete page turninge-books on their own Site.All the books are free to download to any device.Have a look at our bookcase and view all...
2021-05-2002 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastTHE FIVE LEGGED HORSE! Northcote about 2005How would you set about dealing with this "big problem"!Thank you for listening to our Buzzsprout audio stories.You can follow many of these with added film and photographs as videos and slide showson our YouTube Channel at "cracker books on youtube".WEB SITE CHANGE: New Web site at www.crackerbooks.frAt the same time, Cracker Books have produced 10 complete page turninge-books on their own Site.All the books are free to download to any device.Have a look at our...
2021-05-2003 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastJUPITER AND THE AIRFIELD GHOST 1989 It's a Rum Life Book Four Volume OneI managed to dismount and calm him while inspecting his saddle. On eventually mounting once again he took charge and broke into an instant gallop. I managed to steer him round the next bend, across a stubble field, down across the Ladywath Beck by a narrow farm bridge across the lane, over a gate, and into our stable yard. He could not get away from that place fast enough!He did not stop even then and I had to lay flat on his neck as he was determined to enter his own stable without stopping. We must...
2021-05-0209 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastCRACKER GOES TO THE ITV STUDIOS IN LONDON It's a Rum Life Book Four Vol 2We had a telephone call from Southern Arabia where the stud manager for Sheik Hamdan al-Maktoum the famous horse owner, to see if Cracker was for sale. Unfortunately, they were not aware that Cracker was a gelding and not a Stallion!We had phone calls from all over and also one from the ITV in London who wanted Cracker to appear on a television programme with one of their celebrities. We explained that it would not be cheap to bring him to London and told them about travelling time restrictions in moving horses .T...
2021-04-2408 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastYOU MUST MAKE PEE PEE 2018 It's a Rum Life in FranceGravity came to my rescue and there must have been almost a litre!When she came back and saw the result, she swiftly tipped it into the toilet and with thesingle word “good” she disappeared with a satisfied “I knew best” smirk on her face!Thank you for listening to our Buzzsprout audio stories.You can follow many of these with added film and photographs as videos and slide showson our YouTube Channel at "cracker books on youtube".WEB SITE CHANGE: New Web site at www.crackerb...
2021-04-2204 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastI'M YOUR LITTLE GNOME 2015 It's a Rum Life in France She quickly bobbed down behind the counter and shot back up wearing a motor cycle crash helmet….. “but I’m the little gnome, “ she said with a distinct twinkle in her eye! So there it was, our own personal little gnome loaded her company quad-bike with our boxes and proceeded down to arrive beside our car.Thank you for listening to our Buzzsprout audio stories.You can follow many of these with added film and photographs as videos and slide showson our YouTube Channel at "cracker books on yo...
2021-04-2202 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastNORTHCOTE STARTED THIS WAY.......The end of It's a Rum Life Book Three New Bolingbroke 1970 to 1984 In the contract with the TMC was a clause that if my company was to liquidate then we would lose the contract. The bank would not budge and despite Ed and I traveling the countrywide to find a solution, nothing could be done in time. My final visit to the Midland Bank in Lincoln and dismantling their office desk with my boot did not help, but made me feel much better at the time!One and a half year’s work on developing the TMC distribution, 10 years of ECYB all ended in that liquidation; we finally ran...
2021-04-2006 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastA LESSON IN FAITH IN THE 21st CENTURY....... It's a Rum Life Book Four Volume two Northcote 1998 to 2008A huge catastrophe took place in the years 1993/4 when the UK Government decided to begin the National Lottery and the majority of small animal ‘sanctuaries’ lost most of their income when vast numbers of the general public began gambling their income on pieces of paper and a game of chance!The amount of money taken out of the day-to-day economy of the country was crippling to some and still is. It takes much from the many and gives to the very few.My desperation to find a solution to our enormous debt linked directly to the...
2021-04-2029 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastBUYING NORTHCOTE...........It's a Rum Life Book Four Vol One 1984 to 1998 I was making the best use of what was at hand!After all, I felt that our family had gone through hell in the last few months. I was still going through huge difficulties that Ruth did not know about, the demonic farmer who had begun civil proceedings against me for personal spite, was still pressing.We needed some luck!The mortgage went through and we made plans to move. But how to move the result of 14 years living in one place was the next problem?Thank you for li...
2021-04-2011 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastNORTHCOTE 1984 AND ONWARDS............It was about this time during the development of the Rabbit farm that the stress of the final two years of ECYB caught up with me. I woke one night with this immense burning ‘orange’, glowing and engulfing the whole of my chest. The previous day I had felt strange tingling sensations in my left arm but given them no thought. With the orange was a violent heartbeat almost fit to burst. Ruth was concerned and I was powerless to move, only able to lay flat in bed while sweat poured off me.I could not p...
2021-04-2018 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastSURVEYING A TEN TON WOODEN BUILT BROADS CRUISER IN 1972....... Ivy House tales 1970 to 1984 This exercise was mind-boggling. They brought the boat to the slipway and attached a cable to a shackle located through a large access hole in the front of the boat’s keel. A number of wide greasy wooden bearers were laid on the slipway and the other end of that cable was attached to a winch drum on the rear of a “track – marshall” logging tractor. On the word, the tractor roared, the winch turned and our chosen Vesta of ten tons deadweight, literally leaped out of the water and in an instant was beside us on the slip. The e...
2021-04-2006 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastTHE NAVVY BARROW STORY 1973 NEW BOLINGBROKE 1970 TO 1984Back to the wheelbarrow.....it was very second hand when we bought at « the auction »,it previously belonged to the Lee family in New Bolingbroke. Its frame is particularly heavy, no doubt that is why it has stood the test of time ; including over 24 years daily « muck shifting » at the Northcote Heavy Horse Centre before joining me in retirement here in France in 2008. Admittedly it has been welded a few times.......Now in 2021 it is still going strong and is destined to outlive us all!!Thank you for listening to o...
2021-04-1511 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastMEDICAL EXAMINATION IN LEICESTER 2008He went over to a cabinet, withdrew a syringe and bottle of liquid. Filling the syringe, he said quite casually, “this is same stuff that you normally have in tablet form. Just as they do in the “films”, he pointed the syringe into the air and squirted out a tiny amount of liquid.“This should be enough for you for the rest of the day. You can have it when I have finished with you!”Thank you for listening to our Buzzsprout audio stories.You can follow many...
2021-04-1518 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman Podcast"THE SUPER SABRE JET DROP TANKS" BOOK TWO BOSTON 1960 TO 1970It was during the time that I was looking for some other ways of making a living in preparation for the time when the Firestone Company would be no more. ECYB had begun and then been put into “cold storage” after losing the Magyar contract. I was told that close to the old East Kirkby airfield about 14 miles north of Boston was a huge number of ex American air force wing tip auxiliary fuel tanks. They were well hidden in a wood close to the centre of the village; not that the wood had been there when the t...
2021-04-0608 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman Podcast"SUMMER CAMP 1966" (A story from the 1st Boston Sea Scouts) Book Two Boston 1960 to 1970During my earlier years with this unit, they had held a Summer camp at the Gloucestershire County Scout Camp site at Cranham. This beautiful village was set in a deep quiet secluded valley about 10 miles East of Gloucester. A small single track road passed through, dropping steeply to the valley floor from high hills on each side. The centre of the village comprised the County Scout HQ itself. An impressive barn type structure built in “Cotswold stone” together with a group of traditional stone out buildings. The whole, surrounded by an arrangement of fields allotted as individual camps...
2021-04-0616 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman Podcast"BAMBOOZLE ARRIVES" BOOK TWO BOSTON 1960 TO 1970 taken from Chapter The Garage. We both loved the activity and heard at the Club that “Bamboozle” was for sale.Only having heard about the boat second-hand, we did not know what to expect. It was love at first sight. In fact we both liked the boat so much we still have her 40 plus years later.“Bamboozle” is a 14 foot Merlin Rocket class racing dinghy. Rocket by name and Rocket by nature, beautifully built in clinker ply construction (this means the planks overlap each other), the whole boat finished in varnish.Unlike more normal sailing dinghies, the Merlin has side d...
2021-04-0608 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman Podcast"CRICKET CRACKER" THE FIRST FOUR YEARS by Elizabeth BarathyCracker was born at the Heavy Horse Centre Cricket St Thomas Wildlife Park in Somerset in the early hours of 30th May 1988. I had been close by for nearly a week in case the mare would need help when she started to foal. Lady had previously had two foals before Cracker, both had been good sized foals, he was a very big foal. After his birth he lay in the straw for a while then struggled to his feet when he finally stood up I said out loud ‘what a cracker of a foal’ that is h...
2021-04-0613 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastDINAN AND THE COATS a Story from 1978 taken from Book Three Ivy House 1970 TO 1984For some time we had been driving horses for pleasure and a few years previously paid a visit to the British Driving Society Annual Show at Smith’s Lawn Windsor Great Park.We had seen a carriage dog actually at work. A Dalmatian.It all started here.................Thank you for listening to our Buzzsprout audio stories.You can follow many of these with added film and photographs as videos and slide showson our YouTube Channel at "cracker books on youtube".WEB SITE CHANGE: New Web site at ww...
2021-03-3004 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastTHE LINCOLN SPIV DRAMA New Bolingbroke 1983Tyres had been my life then for almost 20 years and I had developed some very good trade contacts.After much research and discussion within the trade locally, I earnestly believed that there was an opening for a specialist truck tyre remould operation within our counties or Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire.The market was certainly there and I initially discussed the idea with the main local independent tyre dealers to get their support for a consortium to produce retreads with their own individual brand names. This would have given them local buying and quality control; and the...
2021-03-3006 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastCHANGES TO THE TOWN HALL a story from 1972 taken from Book Three, New Bolingbroke 1970 TO 1984 The Town Hall committee comprised most of the ‘worthies’ of the village. John Rundle, our neighbour living at Globe House was now running the family engineering business and iron foundry, it was his father “Jack” who was Chairman of the committee. Local plumber and neighbour across the road from Ivy House was Les Langstaff, it was his father who was the secretary. Then there was Ivor Bush and retired local postman Harry Hubbard who lived in the ‘North Row’ of cottages. Ivor and I were the youngest members by many years.Thank you for listening to our...
2021-03-3009 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastTHE CRANE LORRY Introduction to a collection of stories from Rundles in 1984. Taken from Book Three.The Rundle family ran and to this day still run a thriving agricultural engineering business. It all began with grandfather who was an agricultural contractor and used traction engines to propel his machines from farm to farm.(Those traction engines are still in the family ownership and form the nucleus of their fabulous collection).The business developed over the years into manufacturing machinery and specialist repairs of unusual machinery.Their main annual contract while I was there was servicing and repair of all fairground machinery at every Butlin’s Holiday camp. This was an...
2021-03-2905 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastBIG BROTHER IS WATCHING.....WOULD YOU BELIEVE IT! A story from Book Three....New Bolingbroke 1970 TO 1984I have only just remembered this story while posting items on our facebook pages about 45 Woodside, London Road, Boston, Lincolnshire UK....our first real home. It all began evidently not long after we had moved to Ivy House New Bolingbroke.You need to listen to "Buying Ivy House" ideally to get the real feel of what is going on!Neverthless, this incident happened a few years down the line..........Thank you for listening to our Buzzsprout audio stories.You can follow many of these with added film and photographs as vid...
2021-03-2908 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastBLOODY HELL MATE....WE'LL BE IN REAL TROUBLE NOW! A story from France in 2017As if we were not in enough trouble already............I must ask you to picture the situation, we are in a small town in "centralish"France.My younger sister was moving house after a very messy third divorce in the UK!!!She had ended up with some funds but not a lot, hence the move to France where propertyis very reasonably priced.............listen on!Thank you for listening to our Buzzsprout audio stories.You can follow many of these with added film and photographs as...
2021-03-2910 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastTHE COACH AND HORSES WRANGLE 1955/6 BOOK ONE 1947 TO 1960RESPONSIBILITYI also took on the role of ‘cellar man’ due to my father still keeping his 9 to 5 job with GPO telephones. September 1955, I was 11 and had started at the Grammar School at Boston. The school bus started and finished in our pub yard, I left home at about 7.45 am and arrived home just before 6 pm.Every day after school I stacked all the shelves behind the bar with bottled beer and soft drinks, and then moved down to the cellar and ensured the barrelled beer was adequate and ‘fit’ for the next...
2021-03-1105 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastBASIC ECONOMICS HARROGATE 1950 BOOK ONE 1947 TO 1960I soon learned that if I was quick enough at the bus station I could catch a different bus from town to school. Normally all the local buses were run by the West Yorkshire company but on just one route between Harrogate and Bradford, the Samuel Ledgards company ran double-deckers, the route which passed my school.I could save a halfpenny on each journey if I could catch the Ledgards bus. It left the station about two minutes ahead of the West Yorkshire destined for Leeds.Samuel Ledgards were based in Bradford and al...
2021-03-1104 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastTANKS, TANKS AND EVEN MORE TANKS BOOK ONE 1947 TO 1960June 1950 to July 1953 was the Korean War….when North Korean invaded South Korea…….America and the UK went to the aid of the South Koreans and from all accounts, it was a bloody and bitter fight.After the end of the War, the tanks had obviously come back as scrap metal…….and I had the chance to investigate…..while Archie kept my parents occupied I had a couple of hours of unchecked exploration.These tanks had been in battle and many come out the worse for it….but some were in fair condition and they were m...
2021-03-1103 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastCROSSING THE HUMBER BY FERRY BOAT "PASSION TWO" BOOK ONE 1947 TO 1960 The second option was far more interesting…..if a little more expensive cash-wise. The cost was actually a little higher than the all-road route, as remember petrol was still cheap. The ferry route was far quicker though, probably cut at least an hour off the journey time each way. Much more if there were any roadworks hold-ups. It was also much more exciting, not just the ferry trip but getting on to the ferry at New Holland was like taking your car onto the big dipper at the fair. I jest not, it...
2021-03-1106 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastEXCURSIONS "FIRST PASSION" BOOK ONE 1947 TO 1960 Back to travel, so you see we had to go to Scarborough every month to see Grandfather Munford. At that time my passion was for going over the “Transporter Bridge” at Middlesborough over the river Tees. It was very unusual and moved...every small boy’s dream. It had little railway crossing-type gates to stop your car from falling off the end of the moving deck! As far as I can remember it did not go anywhere…..well not anywhere my parents wanted to go to. I am sure locals to the bridge will...
2021-03-1103 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastA BIT ABOUT "MAY AND WILLIAM" Northcote Volume two 1998 to 2008Around about the year 1999, the Heavy Horse Centre at Northcote was approached by the family of an old gentleman from Nottinghamshire who owned two Shire Horses.I think it was the daughter who first contacted us and explained that these two horses were the pride and joy of her father..........but he was having difficulty in facing the fact that he was just getting too old to cope with their care.They had been looking for a new home for the horses, but.............father was insistent that they would never be separated!I...
2021-03-0904 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastCATASTROPHY ON THE WAY TO THE HGV TESTING STATION New Bolingbroke 1970 to 1984 1974 As usual, there were road works in the town and Michael was sat at the temporary traffic lights waiting for his turn.Suddenly and without any warning there was a huge thump at the back of the lorry. Michael got out and there embedded under the back of his vehicle is a red Morris 1100 family saloon car.The windscreen of the car was shattered where it has hit the back of the lorry body and the bonnet was wedge well under the main chassis frame. As Michael approached to see if he could help, the d...
2021-03-0908 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastIS IT "BAYNE" OR IS IT "BAYNES OF NIDDERDALE" Book One Harrogate 1947 .....My wise old grandmother had always said the same applied to our family, but ours was a bit different. It was not until many years later when I needed her help to enable my marriage to take place, that much of the family history came to light. The marriage bit and all the intrigue I will come to later, in the meantime sufficient to say that she produced two volumes of a family history produced by her great Uncle Mr. John Baynes J.P. of Ripon. He was a wealthy businessman living in the...
2021-03-0905 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman Podcast"THEY" WERE DETERMINED TO CLOSE THIS SCHOOL New Bolingbroke 1984 I must mention the amazing support we obtained from my old employers of 24 years or so before, the Boston Standard and even more so my old boss Lionel Robinson the actual owner of the Newspaper. Yes the very man who had taken me to task all those years ago for “misuse of his company vehicles”. (See Book Two “Lincolnshire Standard Tales).He was unstinting in his support and instructed the newspaper to give us all the help they could.Thank you for listening to our Buzzsprout audio stories.You can follow many of these wi...
2021-03-0819 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman Podcast"JAG" ON THE A1 New Bolingbroke 1970 to 1984 1975The Jag story for example was from about 1977, we had been to Faslane for a holiday with friends Bob and Kaye. The car was running so well and almost home, instead of turning off at Markham Moor island and going home through Lincoln we decided to keep on the A1 and turn at Newark.It was an excellent stretch of road, all dual carriageway, on through Tuxford and down to Newark by Sutton on Trent and Cromwell. The whole of that memorable journey, that old car cruised at 125mph. It could have been a Sunday evening and...
2021-03-0809 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastCROW SCARERS New Bolingbroke 1983 with additional from 2015 Finally, I must tell you about the most difficult one ever, while we were living at New Bolingbroke. I was tracking it on a bicycle across country. On roads at first, but then I had to take to the fields and between the fields were dykes and land drains large and small. I must have been about 31 or 32 years of age at the time and very fit. I needed to be on this night, the number of times I had to back- track to get round long lengths of water was becoming very irritating. I could still not...
2021-03-0809 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastTYNE TUNNEL PAY KIOSK FIASCO New Bolingbroke 1978I decided to hire four wheel box vans, with as big capacity boxes as possible. The Uniroyal manager at Leeds organised the lorry hire from Salford Van Hire in Leeds and we provided some of the drivers. We decided it would be best to travel in convoy for safety and give us more “clout” when we encounter any Trade Union Pickets, we were informed that a picket line was in action outside the Uniroyal factory.The four wheelers carried a much smaller load than our usual 40 foot artic deliveries, but they were quicker and easier...
2021-03-0606 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastMUSSELS TO WHITBY New Bolingbroke 1974I began the descent by selecting a low gear which helped a bit, but the old KM 6 cylinder motor was lacking compression when pulling....... never mind trying to slow the 16ton vehicle. Jabbing and releasing the brakes is the recommended method of allowing the brakes a ‘breather’ to try and keep cool; when they get too hot they cease to grip!I was jabbing steadily then as the hill got steeper, more often; before long I had to keep the brakes on for longer intervals. The hill seemed endless and my speed gradually increasing.Whitb...
2021-03-0608 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastTHE VERY FIRST LINCOLNSHIRE SCOUT JAMBOREE New Bolingbroke 19736th BOSTONWe discussed all this with the Cub Unit Parents committee. Our proposal was to move the whole unit to Carrington the next village to our own and a little nearer to Boston. It was also not too far from the homes of many of the young boys attending this particular Cub Unit. Ruth and I both felt that at Carrington we would have a much improved catchment area to attract a greater number of boys to the unit. Carrington Village Hall was connected to the estate owned by the Ward fa...
2021-03-0611 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastTHE HOT SADDLEBAG STORY Northcote 1998This tale comes from the end of the 1990's when I was using an old 400ccHonda Superdream for all my travels.This included delivering all the promotional leaflets and posters for the Horse Centrein the Springtime............I travelled throughout the whole of Lincolnshire, then down into Cambridgeshire, across to Norfolk and upwards beyond the Humber into South Yorkshire and of course Nottinghamshire..............Thank you for listening to our Buzzsprout audio stories.You can follow many of these with added film and photographs as videos and slide showson...
2021-03-0605 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman Podcast"SAMMY'S NEW ADVENTURE" The Second Sammy the Shire Horse Story for ChildrenIn this Second Book about Sammy the Shire Horse and his friends........Sammy has gone to live in the countryside and finds it so very different.This is a FREE AUDIO BOOK.This story is also available as a page flipping e book.More details can be found at "Sammy the Shire Horse Stories for Children on facebook"https://www.facebook.com/Cracker.books/Thank you for listening to our Buzzsprout audio stories.You can follow many of these with added film and photographs as videos and...
2021-02-1728 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman Podcast"SAMMY GOES NORTH" Book One Complete audio story for childrenA true horse story for Children.This unique true story tells how Sammy the Shire Horse who is working at a London Brewery is able to leave the City and travel to live in Lincolnshire with his big friend Ebony, when Ebony begins his retirement.The story is an audio book.The story is also available FREE OF CHARGE as a page flipping e book.For full details look up " Sammy the Shire Horse stories for children on facebook"https://www.facebook.com/Cracker.books/Thank you for listening t...
2021-02-1728 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastFREE BOOKS FROM "CRACKER BOOKS"Why have we decided to give our books away........... In a word............COVID.........For over a year the World has faced the greatest virus ever to try and overcome mankind. All over the World there are ordinary people and small businesses trying to survive.We know all about survival having run small businesses ourselves.............and lost them too!Money is short, nobody can say when normality will return. Will the World ever get back on an even keel? Can you remember the pleasure of “normality” of jus...
2021-02-1302 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastA SHOWER IN PETROL 2018Here in France, your local Pharmacy is your first call for assistance with health problems............ Thank you for listening to our Buzzsprout audio stories.You can follow many of these with added film and photographs as videos and slide showson our YouTube Channel at "cracker books on youtube".WEB SITE CHANGE: New Web site at www.crackerbooks.frAt the same time, Cracker Books have produced 10 complete page turninge-books on their own Site.All the books are free to download to any device.H...
2021-01-1904 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastA STORM AND MYSTERIOUS PASSENGERS ON THE FERRY 20012001 was the year the Foot and Mouth epidemic swept the Uk.This is a tale of our short break in France and the consequences of oversleeping!!! Thank you for listening to our Buzzsprout audio stories.You can follow many of these with added film and photographs as videos and slide showson our YouTube Channel at "cracker books on youtube".WEB SITE CHANGE: New Web site at www.crackerbooks.frAt the same time, Cracker Books have produced 10 complete page turninge-books on their own Site.
2021-01-1815 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastTHE HORNCASTLE RALLY Lincolnshire 1980The British Driving Society is a National Organisation in the UK, for folk who love to drive horses and their accompanying vehicles.A short tale about one of our local rallies....... Thank you for listening to our Buzzsprout audio stories.You can follow many of these with added film and photographs as videos and slide showson our YouTube Channel at "cracker books on youtube".WEB SITE CHANGE: New Web site at www.crackerbooks.frAt the same time, Cracker Books have produced 10 complete page turninge...
2021-01-1804 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastANOTHER CUB OUTING about 1967 not far from BOSTON, LINCOLNSHIRE, ukAdventure is the name of the game.......there would have to be some proficiency requirementsalong the way.................if the situations did not happen.....we created something that needed their expertise!Thank you for listening to our Buzzsprout audio stories.You can follow many of these with added film and photographs as videos and slide showson our YouTube Channel at "cracker books on youtube".WEB SITE CHANGE: New Web site at www.crackerbooks.frAt the same time, Cracker Books have produced 10 complete page turning...
2021-01-1806 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman Podcast"THE SKEGNESS FUNERAL" about 2005The Skegness Fire Station approach was our chosen parking spot. The road was wide and there was plenty of room to unload horse and dray. We managed this in double-quick time as we were already twenty minutes late.However, I suppose funerals are somewhat different to weddings!In an effort to make up time we galloped and cantered down the main road into Skegness and eventually arrived at the Funeral Parlour with Cracker out of breath and steaming so much in the frost, he was producing his own personal fog bank!Thank you for listening to...
2020-12-2708 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman Podcast"CRACKER COMES TO STAY" 1992"Cricket Cracker" had a profound effect and lasting impact on the whole life at the Northcote Heavy Horse Centre.He was difficult to load into his transport........all his life he was no difficult although never again as spectacular as that journey back from Somerset.Thank you for listening to our Buzzsprout audio stories.You can follow many of these with added film and photographs as videos and slide showson our YouTube Channel at "cracker books on youtube".WEB SITE CHANGE: New Web site at www.crackerbooks.fr
2020-12-2407 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman Podcast"THE DAY THE ROOF BLEW OFF" New Bolingbroke 1970The roof was covered in immense Westmoreland slates.Each piece was around eight to ten inches long, six inches or so wide and about half an inch thick. They weighed several pounds each and had come loose. The original wooden pegs securing each slate to the roof battens had perished and the wind had just pushed them out of place. Worse to come was that unlike modern roofs, under the slate was nothing, just the plaster ceilings!Thank you for listening to our Buzzsprout audio stories.You can follow many of these with a...
2020-12-2405 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastA PROBLEM WITH BONNIE (It's a Rum Life Book Four Vol 1 Northcote 1984 to 1998)HOW MANY?Julian decided to use ‘prednisalone’........a cortisone treatment generally used for many different health problems, it was much cheaper but would it work. He contacted a drug supplier and they told him what was needed for an animal the size of Bonnie.How many tablets?We needed to give him over 360, five milligram tablets a day for the initial two weeks.“How many tablets,” was my initial reaction?Thank you for listening to our Buzzsprout audio stories.You can follow many of t...
2020-12-0506 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastMG "B" GOES "TWINNING" TO FRANCE ( It's a Rum Life Book Four Vol 1 Northcote 1984 to 1998) “Will it affect the engine?” I was asked the one question I did not wish to hear.“It shouldn’t do,” I replied knowing full well that was THE big problem. Hesdin came nearer and nearer and we did manage to pull into the hotel car park relatively safe and sound.Next morning we had time to spare and the local garage proprietor was called in to supply a new alternator drive belt as the one I had bought in the UK especially for the journey was the wrong size. The belt was loose and perhaps tha...
2020-12-0510 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastMEMORABLE WEDDINGS WITH ROBERT (The Roman Catholic Church at Skegness about 1992) Time went by and we thought it rather long winded so I sallied forth and turned out of our side road to find a Fire Engine parked outside the Church. I could not believe my eyes. Nipped back to inform Robert who was engaged in keeping Jupiter quiet with a Mars bar! Back once more and up to the Church to see what was going on, why on earth should a Fire Engine be called into assist at a Wedding?
2020-12-0502 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastMEMORABLE WEDDINGS WITH ROBERT (Holy Trinty Church Boston Tales from Northcote 1990) We also found a water tap on the end of a pipe coming out of the ground among the gravestones surrounding the Church. We looped Dinan's lead around the pipe and thought that very suitable and convenient…….. “You know what thought did”.......... not long before the bride and groom were ready to depart, the dog appeared at our side, complete with his lead. A steady jet of water could be seen in the near distance where the tap and its pipe had been previously standing alert!Thank you for listening to our Buzzsp...
2020-12-0506 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastMEMORABLE WEDDINGS WITH ROBERT (St Matthews Church Skegness about 1992) As we passed the Church Door, the Vicar could easily see our problem and also with him was the “best man” who happened to be a Military Police Sergeant in full dress uniform. We continued on our somewhat rapid circuit of the Church and Jupiter calmed as the noise had stopped. As we approached the Church for the second time at a more sedate pace, we could see a rough looking lad at the side of the road being “Talked to” by the NCO Soldier.
2020-12-0504 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastTHE FIRE AT NORTHCOTE Northcote 1991ROBERT ACTUALLY DISMANTLED THE BURNING BUILDING..........WHILE IT WAS STILL BURNING!The first problem was finding water to fight the fire. There were three fire engines and one was used to feed hose about 500 yards down into the village where there was a water main access.Robert was back very quickly and as the firemen soaked the hay Robert dug it out with his shovel and took it across our yard, across the road from our house and into a vacant field. Here a second fire engine soaked the hay to ensure the fire was out.
2020-12-0506 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastFILMING "WATERLAND" 1991 Scene 2 WALSINGHAM (Northcote 1984 to 1998)ADMIRAL TAKES A BREAKAt 2am they took a break and after everyone had been fed by the caterers they seemed to descend on the pub and leave me taking still photos of the scenes around us.It was about this time that Admiral decided he had endured sufficient and decided to go “walk about”, complete with his heavy iron wheeled Lincolnshire farm cart. I was his minder at that moment and had been distracted and thought him asleep!He turned in a circle and moved sharply towards the pub at a tr...
2020-11-3008 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastFILMING WATERLAND SCENE 1 1991 (Northcote 1984 to 1998)YOU NEED A COSTUMEI refused to have my hair cut short so Robert accepted the inevitable!Much to his surprise and I might say delight, he quickly found himself in a caravan filled with attractive ladies. They helped him off with his 20th century garb and fixed him up with a mix of gear to suit the period. They cut his hair short and applied all kinds of make up for the film set. I think he rather enjoyed it as during the length of time it took to get him ready...
2020-11-2905 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastA BIT ABOUT JACOB (Tales from Northcote 1995)Jacob, or to give him his “proper” name “Park Jacob” came to us at the Northcote Heavy Horse Centre in 1989 as a six month old colt foal.Jacob was a British Percheron Horse. In an endeavour to illustrate to you something of the Percheron origins and characteristics I will tell you what I know of them.No doubt there will be other Horsemen who have different experiences and perhaps greater knowledge of the breed. I only know of this one horse who came from the Park Stud owned by the Hemfrey family who...
2020-11-2604 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastA BIT ABOUT ADMIRAL (Tales from Northcote 1995)Hence the reason for trying to protect Admiral.We obtained the information of his whereabouts and borrowed our neighbours small horse box lorry. We raised £900 to buy him…..the price the owner would have received if he had sold him for dog meat!!Admiral’s problem was a “side bone” on one of his front legs where the hoof joins the lower leg. Our vet had told us it was a risk to buy him like that…...he could be OK or create lots of problems.We took the risk, brought Admiral back to Northcot...
2020-11-2604 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastHOW IVY HOUSE WAS PREVENTED FROM BURNING TO A CRISP New Bolingbroke 1975The more the stove bounced and rocked, the more burning sticky gloop poured out onto the floor. The glowing, all consuming river was spreading faster and faster. The closed air vents made no difference whatever, ‘salamander’ had created its own living burning world inside, very much like a modern diesel engine that begins to burn its own engine oil from the sump; it is unstoppable! Right next to where I stood were those recently acquired extinguishers and they were all filled with dry powder, this was what they were built for but would they work?
2020-11-2108 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastFOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE....THE AFTERMATH Northcote Heavy Horse Centre 2001) Our business was not a registered charity, but we had always declared that our aims were charitable and not profit-making. Who could possibly make a profit when looking after 15 or so aged and helpless Heavy Horses that nobody else would lift a hand to look after.We received not a penny from that hand out because it was decided we were not a proper business!We did know that “profit-making” animal petting farms that existed just to make sufficient money to buy the boss a new car or two were in receipt of countless thousands of po...
2020-11-2111 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastCANALSIDE ANGELS (It's a Rum Life in Retirement .... 2010)Why ‘Angels’? Simply because they were ‘Heaven sent’.Our situation was seriously bad. The boat could quite well have been stopped by ice in the middle of nowhere with no chance of help and no safe haven to leave her. Even in the middle of a town, who can say that she would have been safe, moored for goodness knows how many weeks?Thank you for listening to our Buzzsprout audio stories.You can follow many of these with added film and photographs as videos and slide showson our YouTube Channel at "cracker books on youtu...
2020-11-2013 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastDRAMA ON THE TYNE BRIDGE (last boat goes to Dundee part 2 1969)The boat was unhitched and the mechanic towed it into the mouth of the new A1 road that was to disappear underground at the northernmost end of the bridge. We quickly moved the road works barriers and deposited the boat on the trailer with Jane and Colin in the tunnel mouth to await my return. We were at least 5 hours travelling time from Dundee, and the traffic was building up rapidly by now in the centre of the city.The mechanic was true to his word. There was a Rover in the scrap yard and it still...
2020-11-1909 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastHIGH JINKS AT FOSDYKE BRIDGE (To Dundee part one 1969) “When I turn the jib out over the river it will have to extend to reach the boat. That will be the dangerous bit. As soon as I take the strain, the boat has to come up quickly and allow me to swing the jib over the trailer in one quick movement.” If anything were to go wrong I thought, the dragline would topple over on its tracks and career crazily downwards into the river and crush the boat beneath.His instructions were clear and the ex boat owner secured the lifting hook onto the straps...
2020-11-1611 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastBILLINGSGATE FISH MARKET (1974) This interlude lasted about two months off and on. The experience was good for the future although Brian decided to sell his boat later that year and move away.Brian paid well for these trips but I did not take into account the corrosion effect of the residue salt water constantly dripping from the shrimp nets onto the truck bodywork.This was to be contributory to my first road traffic licence endorsement two years later for “dangerous” corroded sills on the same truck!
2020-11-1607 minKeith Sanders the Storyman PodcastBOSTON, FIRESTONE AND FOSSITT AND THORNE IN 1969My boss Fred had been superseded by a bombastic toilet paper salesman who made his “regional” office in Nottingham. One of his first and perhaps worst decisions was to inform Fred that he would have no further contact with Fossitt and Thorne senior management.“The account is much too important for a mere District manager to handle”, he was told quite bluntly.“Your role will be to have contact with local managers only and your salesmen (yours truly included) will have no contact with the company at all”! Thus came the epistle from on high.Thank y...
2020-11-1606 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastTHE ONE AND ONLY "TEST DRIVE" (Lincolnshire Standard Tales 1966)The 1950’s saw the very first Citroen ID saloon with its revolutionary new design, their unique hydraulic suspension, long flowing bodies with sweeping smooth panels and no running boards. This was the time in the UK when the first Morris Minor with its split windscreen was becoming popular. To place the finest modern cruise liner next to “The Ark” would be a similar comparisonNowhere in the World was there such an unusual and dramatically different motor vehicle. There was nothing to compare with the whole Citroen range.Thank...
2020-11-1407 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastEBONY AND THE STABLE DOOR (1978)There were now the three horses and we had moved them onto a long bank of the Medlam Drain, still at Revesby Bridge. This was at the very end of the straight road running past our house and travelling north towards Horncastle.For several years this was reasonable especially in the summer. For the winter though we had to think again. The land was heavy clay. The slightest wet made it cling to your boots and the horse’s feet like weighty glue. It would not drain; in fact it is transported and used to lin...
2020-11-1304 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastEBONY ALMOST WENT TO THE SCHOOL SPORTS (1979) t was not to be........As soon as I began to explain what was needed, he obliged by just stopping dead in his tracks.Within a split second, because he had lost his brake chain the wagon kept going and hit Ebony a huge clout up his bottom, Horses do not like being hit up the bottom by their cart or wagon and normally retaliate by lashing out with their hind legs.Within a second of receiving his ‘clout’, both Ebony’s back feet rose up to meet me on the wagon fro...
2020-11-1306 min
Keith Sanders the Storyman PodcastTHE SIERRA COSWORTH EXPERIENCE …......1987“You know France well Keith. Would you like to drive for me in the next “Beaujolais Run”?”The question was put to me in late Spring 1987, I was working for the Skegness News at the time and had spent the previous year as their staff photojournalist.Driving was and still is my main lifelong passion. At home here in France today we have six “older” cars on the road plus a 1980 BMW motor cycle and an ancient camping car!Thank you for listening to our Buzzsprout audio stories.You can follow many of these wit...
2020-10-2806 min