Zambia World Wide

As the months passed by and the birth of our first child grew closer we became excited and yet apprehensive, it would be a big moment in our lives. The nursery was finished and we had all of the things we thought we would need. We kept waiting and waiting but after the baby became two weeks overdue, still no sign of the baby being born, Jan was taken into Hospital where they decided to induce her “whatever that means”. The staff were very good and the baby was finally born, it was a very difficult birth and I stayed with Jan all evening, I then had to go home. Early next morning before I had a chance to phone the Hospital (in those times not many people had phones at home, we used phone boxes which stood on the corner of most streets) the police came to the house. They explained that Jan had given birth during the early hours of the morning and that we had a boy but unfortunately there had been complications and the baby was not expected to live. They then asked if we had a named the baby, they could not ask Jan as she was still sedated and didn’t know how critical the baby was. I said yes one of the names we were thinking of for a boy was Gary, naturally I felt like I had been kicked in the teeth and was totally disorientated, almost in a daze. The date was 27^th September 1971. Jan was told she could remain in the Hospital and care for Gary as he was now called. When I arrived at the Hospital Gary was in an incubator and would be so for some days. The next ten days were a worrying time for us both, I would go to see them every lunchtime and also every evening. Every day we could see an improvement and after ten days the Hospital decided Gary could come home. It was such a happy and emotional time I need mention it no further.

The next few weeks were quite hectic as like any young couple you think that you can cope. Unfortunately very few things go to plan particularly where children are concerned. The next few months passed very quickly, we had gone through the winter and it was now summer. The summer of 1971 was one of the best ever, the sun seemed to shine every day. Jan and Gary would be out almost every day, walking the country lanes or walking into town, Gary in the pram, Jan doing the walking. At weekends we would on a Sunday find somewhere to go, there are so many broads and beaches in the area where we live. One of the places we visited quite often was the Kessingland Wildlife Park which is just through Lowestoft. The park was an ideal place to spend a day out, there were so many animals and birds, plus there were also country walks through the estate. In the centre there was a picnic area, café and souvenir shop. We had a great summer but all too soon it was over. Unfortunately nothing in life remains the same and the Winds of Change had already started, although at the time they went unnoticed. A month before Gary was born, Jan had to stop work we then had to live on my wage which was not that good “Jan had quite a good job as she was the area window dressing supervisor for the Paige Group in East Anglia. The area she covered included Ipswich, Norwich, Lowestoft, Great Yarmouth and Beccles, very busy young lady”. The only way we could manage was by me taking on extra work.

It was at this time that Politics were about to play a part in the path we would take and the cause of the way our life would be in the future. In 1972 we realised if conditions did not improve by the end of the year we would have spent our savings and also would probably have to sell our home. Something had to be done if we were not to lose all that we had worked for. We came up with various ideas but it became clear that we had to move overseas and start again or I would have to find work at a much higher rate of pay. At this time the oil and gas industry was beginning to take off, this appeared to be the only better paid work in this area at the time. We were a young family so decided if possible I would avoid offshore work. Over the next few months it appeared that the offshore industry was the only option. We checked newspaper adverts both national and local and finally found an alternative, reading through one of the national papers we came across an advert for the South African Navy for staff to work in the Naval Dockyard in Simonstown. This job offered assisted passage and rented accommodation until such time we would be in a position to rent or buy our own property. I applied for the position and was sent an application form after some weeks had passed. In the meantime we came across an advert for electricians needed by a power company in Zambia. The company in Zambia were offering free passage, company housing, private schooling, private health care and part payment of wages in UK a much better deal. Also it was a three year contract, renewable so we had no need to burn our bridges. It had to be better than emigrating, which would have meant selling up.