The 81st Entry
RAF Halton Aircraft Apprentices
Sept 1955 - July 1958

ISSUE No.9 - NOVEMBER 2006
81st ENTRY NEWSLETTER
Editor: Mike Stanley

The Grim Shearer by Ned Kelly Armourer

An entry in' The Gallery of Halton Characters' follows (Ed)

Here I am again with another recollection of those days in our youth. This one however is not of fond memories but more of fear.

Can you remember that sinister person who frequented our workshops? He was small, thin and to me he looked and resembled a major player on the opposite side of the Allies in WW2. I think he also wore a hearing aid. When you were sent, dragged, ordered, frog-marched to meet this person, all hope vanished. You were virtually sentenced to 3 or 4 weeks of wearing a hood or cowl. You were no longer a "Brylcreem Boy".

Yes it was "Sweeney Todd" the Barber, aka The Butcher.

After a visit to him you confined yourself to camp as no one would care to be in your company. Especially the young ladies of Aylesbury and surrounds.

When word went round that "Sweeney" was in residence all the instructors knew they had a trump card to play. Any problems and you were dispatched to the dreaded theatre. Some instructors accompanied you there to ensure the evil man could hear the design that you were to have. I even bribed him once with a box of Manx Kippers that I had sent to me after pleading with my folks in the Isle of Man. It did the trick for that sitting, but alas not only was he hard of hearing, but also had a convenient bad memory on the next sentence you endured.

I understand this person had more "kindly threats" than any other.

I guess he must be at least 110yrs. of age now.

That man helped to shape my hairstyle forever, but I still feel slightly worried when in a Gent's Hairdresser