The West Winford Incident (18 page)

Following this first specimen, the two others from the same batch were destined to fail later that week and the three specimens from the next highest stress group would lose significant load with one failing a few days later. Dave was elated, as he could now complete his submission to
International Power Digest.

*

Sue's morning was far more mundane. She had plenty of housework and washing to catch up on, and the vigour with which she attacked these chores reflected her impatience to have them completed. Her ancestors were awaiting her pleasure. After lunch she, with a clearer conscience, began working diligently through her notes on her Pulham ancestors. Some of the recording clerks of ages past had been especially helpful. They had appended the mother's maiden name alongside the birth entries which aided her in solving some of the family puzzles. Impulsively she called Peter and enthusiastically related details about her trip and its usefulness in taking her Boughtons back into the eighteenth century. She also mentioned her fortuitous meeting with the lady who had promised to supply more details. Hopefully, if she could sort the various families out from the notes that she had made, together with this additional information, she might be able to go back even further. Peter offered to help if required and she agreed to let him know when they met up on Friday as usual.

“It could be earlier if you are free on Wednesday. I realise that it's short notice, but I am intending to spend the day in London and you are welcome to join me if you are able.”

Sue was taken aback. She hadn't really settled in yet. Her initial reaction was to refuse the offer, as she still had plenty to catch up on. However, it was very tempting. It was clear that Dave wouldn't object, wouldn't even notice, he had been so self-absorbed, more so than before her trip, and the girls were not due back until Friday.

“I'll quite understand if it's difficult,” said Peter, sensing her hesitation.

“No, that would be lovely,” declared Sue decisively. It would be a hectic week, but so what?

Another early start. Sue was surprised to find that Peter was alone. It was rather a last minute decision, he explained, and the others were not able to get away. They chatted pleasantly as Peter tackled the A4. He asked Sue to look in the glove compartment as he had something that might interest her. She found a sheet of paper with, what appeared to be a poem copied out.

“I thought that it was rather appropriate, given your recent luck with the family bible,” he explained.

Sue read the lines:

“Well, as you say, it's most appropriate but who wrote it?”

“John Clare. It's part of a much longer poem.”

Peter went on to say that he was not on a genealogy mission this trip but visiting a friend in Highgate. He learned that Sue was returning to Portugal Street, to continue her search for the other Caroline Potten in the Brighton census. They agreed that he would drop her off at Ealing Broadway tube station.

On arrival, Sue settled in for what might prove to be a long day. This looked the likely outcome after almost three hours with no success. She struggled to maintain her concentration. Her eyes were tired. Then, the little jolt. Yes! Thomas Potten, her possible great, great grandfather, aged thirty six, with his wife Elizabeth and five children, including four year old Caroline, living in Vine Place. Thomas had been born in Mayfield, Sussex. She noted down the details. Though tired, she was relieved as she could have been searching all day. She was particularly pleased as she wanted to progress with her dear Caroline's family.

Sue met Peter back in Ealing. He had had an excellent day and, learning of her success, he suggested they celebrate with a drink. Sue enthusiastically agreed. Her luck with her census search, together with all the other pleasing developments, certainly ought to be marked in some way. A few months earlier she would have been unlikely to have agreed, as she would have felt that she should get home to her husband, but he had clearly demonstrated his indifference over recent weeks.

As they approached the Devizes—Avebury crossroad on the A4, Peter turned into the Waggon and Horses car park. They entered the dark interior of the ancient, thatch-roofed pub and found a quiet corner. Sue selected a long upholstered seat and sat with her back to the mullioned window. When Peter arrived with their drinks he slid alongside, rather than opposite her.

“Well, here's to mark a successful day.” He raised his glass. After taking a sip, Peter replaced his glass thoughtfully on the table. He settled back into his seat and looked across at Sue with an expression which both puzzled and, in some way, unnerved her. Without any preamble, he asked her if she fully appreciated how well her research had progressed in just a few months. He knew of many people who had encountered difficulty with their research, even at an early stage. Sue wasn't sure how to take this remark as, although it was true that she had progressed well, she still felt that she had done quite a lot of tedious searching through books and microfilm along the way. Even today, just one item had involved several hours of searching. She recalled how tired she'd been after wrestling with the large births and marriages indexes at Somerset House. Peter, as though sensing her indignation, continued by saying that it wasn't that she hadn't been working hard through the usual records to which he was referring, but rather the good fortune of her uncle's information, her cousin's bible and now the promise of a history of Pulham families.

“Oh! Yes. I agree with you, Peter, those have been surprises, and very welcome ones that I couldn't have hoped for.”

“Hmm. Quite so, but there may only be so much good fortune, you know, and you may have had all yours early.”

Sue replied that she realised that this might be true.

“Well,” said Peter, “maybe not quite.” He took a small note book from his pocket and handed it to her. Replacing her glass on the table she opened it at the marked place where she saw a drawing, a single branch diagram of a family ‘tree'. It depicted a married couple with five children. Sue caught her breath as she read the father's name – Henry Potten. His birth and death dates were given, together with his wife, Felicity Groves. The five children had their years of birth included. Then the shock of pleasure made her eyes widen. Thomas Potten 1806. As she had determined to trace Caroline's family as a matter of importance, of honour even, she had all the relevant information so far acquired, fixed firmly in her mind. She knew that 1806 was the year of birth of one of ‘her' Carolines' fathers, the other being about ten years younger. She was delighted. But how? Peter explained that it was a stroke of luck. He and his Highgate friend had spent the morning looking around art galleries in the area. One of these, a small place on Archway, had an exhibition of, lesser known, British landscape painters. One of the rooms was devoted to a Henry Potten, of whom Peter confessed he'd never heard. Apparently he was better known in the middle of the nineteenth century. Along with his works, were odd bits of memorabilia, including a copy of Henry's family tree.

“I made a note of where the original can be found on the following page,” Peter continued. Sue saw that this was at County Hall, Maidstone in Kent. She was overjoyed and impetuously leaned across to kiss him. He turned towards her just at that moment and so her intended peck on the cheek became a full kiss, and it lasted. She felt his hand on her breast and resisted the temptation to retreat suddenly, but just gradually moved away from him to resume her position. Her colour was high and she felt breathless. Before she could apologise for her forwardness, Peter stammered his apology, clearly contrite. Despite her confusion, Sue showed remarkable control and made it clear that she was responsible. In a simultaneous nervous gesture they both leaned forwards and picked up their glasses, their hands shaking. After a deep swallow, Peter shook his head.

“To continue,” he began, and Sue was impressed by his attempt at lightness, “before being so violently attacked, I was going to add that this ‘tree' extended backwards into the seventeenth century, but I only had time to copy down what you see. Should it turn out to be what you are looking for, then you could contact Maidstone for the complete information.”

“This is so exciting, Peter, Henry Potten a well-known – to some at least – artist. If I can prove that his son Thomas is my ancestor, then I have so much information. Oh thank you, thank you,” enthused Sue and she unselfconsciously, squeezed Peter's arm.

“You're not about to attack me again, are you?” joked Peter, moving away. “I did just scan the wall chart briefly before we left and although Henry lived in London, his major paintings depicted scenes of Kent. I noticed also that many of the earlier ancestors also had Kentish connections.”

Sue moved on to mention her Pulham ancestors and Peter agreed that the information from the Pulham registers should enable her to build up a picture of the various Boughton families living in the village around the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, and this should be reinforced by the extra information that she was expecting. Naturally, this would take some time, as much had to be unscrambled, but this was a good way of advancing her new hobby at home, rather than in the rough and tumble of the various record repositories. Sue confessed that she had found the periods of waiting between trips to London frustrating and so having work which she could do at home, was welcome.

When Thursday arrived Sue, with understandable nervousness, prepared for her interview. Although the job was in the finance department and she had several years' experience in that field, she was under no illusions that huge changes would have occurred since she last processed invoices, all those years ago.

Surprisingly, the whole thing passed in a blur and was over before she knew it. As she drove home she reflected that it didn't go as badly as she had feared. True, systems had changed, but she was pleased to find that the present incumbent would be staying on for a month and so her replacement would have the benefit of working herself into the job. So there was a chance. They would let her know within a few days. Before that however, she had some mothering to do.

*

Sue was pleased to find Dave in a much more positive frame of mind than recently and when the girls returned home, he greeted them enthusiastically. He seemed almost hyperactive as he gleefully accepted their gifts of sticks of rock. He immediately donned his ‘Kiss Me Quick' hat with a laugh and acted the clown to their amusement. He listened with interest to Katy's report of all her adventures during the holiday. Jo showed him the paintings she had done and he was genuinely amazed.

“Wow Jo, these are brilliant.”

They were beach scenes. Dave, though not knowledgeable, could appreciate the attention to detail in some areas.

“The detail on these rocks is super and look at that piece of driftwood, it's so realistic you feel that you could pick it out of the picture. I expect you're pleased?”

“Yes I am. I concentrated on the rocks and driftwood, because I thought that the sand and sea was pretty boring. I'm thinking of making these two part of my school project.”

Sue was delighted the following morning when she received a bulky letter which came from a Miss Fox of Pulham. It contained a transcription of notes, by an old Pulham resident, who had written of his research into the families of Pulham. This included some Boughtons, one being ‘Barber' Boughton who, in addition to working in the glove trade, also acted as village barber. These snapshots from the past were fascinating and allowed Sue to put her ancestors into historical context and imagine them going about their daily lives in Pulham all those years ago. The details copied from gravestones, sited in the old churchyard, and the information which Sue had collected herself, appeared to offer the possibility of her being able to work backwards and follow the Boughtons to the beginning of the eighteenth century. It would take some time to sort through but the prospect gave her immense pleasure.

*

Dave had arranged a meeting with Tony to report upon his recent results. He felt confident that they could not now refuse to publicise his work. He realised that it would be some time before he saw his full results in print in a scientific journal, which was his main aim. He had completed his modified internal report and this would form the basis of his paper, with perhaps an extra section upon the crack initiation process when he had resolved it. He had slogged away examining sections taken through the samples after exposure, but nothing of significance had been revealed. Days had passed. All he could do was to expose more specimens and take more sections, in the hope of finding some clue to the initiation process. There were just so many specimens to sort through.

Thankfully, his technical note containing his major findings was complete and he hoped that it might be in time for the September issue of
International Power Digest.
Once this was done and he had highlighted his concerns regarding the safety of other operating units, he would feel easier in his mind – his duty done.

So he could now be completely focussed upon his crack initiation studies. He worked frantically and although his colleagues admired his dedication, there were times when they were alarmed by his single-minded zeal. Recent developments appeared to have affected his approach to his work.

Tony received him. If Dave had intended to keep the smugness out of his voice, he did not succeed. Tony agreed that the results from his second series of experiments certainly overcame the criticisms about possible contamination. The fact that several test pieces had failed gave added credence to his hypothesis. Tony thought that Dave's investigations into how cracks initiated would, if successful, be a neat addition to the whole thing and would certainly add to the quality of the proposed external paper. He was enthusiastic about it, this was an absolutely wonderful piece of work and just the sort of thing that was hoped for, when the department was set up. Dave reminded his Section Head that his full paper had no chance of being published for some months, but there was a clear need to alert other turbine operators quickly. Fortunately, his report to the sub-committee, together with a technical note for
International Power Digest,
could be circulated quickly and in his view, this was essential. He hoped that he had Tony's support to submit it without delay. He was given this assurance, but of course they would require Sweety's approval.

Later that day, Dave received a call from Mrs Murray requesting his presence in Dr Honey's office. As he waited in the outer office, Dave eagerly anticipated Sweety's acclaim. He sensed that this was the sort of development his department head would welcome in his efforts to get SSD on the map. The whole concept of the Strategic Supplies Authority, although primarily to ensure the integrity of essential services, also required a credible and effective technical back up service. Sweety was all smiles and invited Dave to take a seat. Tony was already settled.

First the sugar coating.

“This is a fine piece of work, David. Just the sort of thing that we want here in SSD, a well-run investigation, leading to unprecedented results of high scientific value,” beamed Sweety. “Very well done indeed.” He went on to say that they had been impressed with Dave's work from the start and, in particular, the way that he had handled the running of the Materials Section during the Winford site investigations. They realised, he continued, that this had had an adverse effect upon his ability to produce any meaningful research results from his own project, in time for his technical appraisal, which would mean that he would miss out on, what Sweety was sure would have been, an upgrading.