My interest in Meccano started at a very early age with a model crane that Father had made before joining Dido. It was based on the crane on Orford Quay and kept me occupied for many hours. It was many years before it was taken to pieces as, due to a shortage of nuts and bolts, Daddy had used copper nails and rives to rivet some of the pieces together. After the war when meccano became available in the shops again, I was given my first set and thereafter, most of my pocket money was spent on building up to the next higher set - eventually reaching set nine. In addition I had Daddy's and I think some from John Richardson together with numerous special parts bought separately. The hobby stood me in good stead at the Admiralty Interview Board as a gearbox made of meccano was used to sort out those with engineering talent - several of the gears were misplaced and candidates had to move them back to give the correct drive sequence.
I started Stamp Collecting when I was eight with a second hand album. The collection grew slowly at first with a lot of help and advice from Mummy. However, when the school moved to Brandeston Hall, we were very fortunate that Mr Kittermaster and Mr Pemberton were keen philatelists and a stamp club was run in the winter term. Not only did this educate us about stamps and the hobby generally but it encouraged "swapping" of duplicates in reasonably controlled conditions. A number of us also filled a few spaces by acquiring stamps strewn on the floor by less tidy members - nothing of any value as the "finds" were usually checked by a member of staff to see if the owner could be traced.
I was interested in carpentry from a very early age and with Daddy away during the war, Mummy arranged for me to go and visit Mr Sterman - the local jobbing carpenter in Framlingham. Over quite a number of Saturday morning visits, he showed me how to use the tools correctly and how to look after them, showing great respect for sharp edges. I was thus allowed to use saws and chisels from an early age. In fact when I went to Framlingham at the age of seven, I was even allowed to use a tool for cutting mitred corners. I have one of these myself and a tool with more potential for taking off little fingers is difficult to imagine. In woodwork classes at both Framlingham and Brandeston, we were under the eagle eye of Mr Day - known to us as "Doody" although woe betide any one who was overheard calling him by this name. Doody was good at teaching basic joints, etc but did not have much artistic imagination. However, I once again had a very good grounding in the correct use of hand tools.