I first wrote A Mellor Boyhood as a book in 1975, but only a typescript and two copies were made. It was circulated amongst my family and a few acquaintances, but never published in a formal manner. In 1990, having retired and become the proud possessor of a word-processor, I re-wrote the book to take account of the changes that had taken place in the intervening years, and corrected the errors which its readers had indicated. In 1994, with the simple word-processor replaced by a PC, I was able to produce a more presentable version.
In the past few years, whilst researching my family history, I have found that the contributors to the various genealogical lists on the Internet are interested in learning about life as it was lived by their ancestors. Born in 1924, I am old enough to be classed as an ‘ancestor’ by at least two generations, and so I am now taking the step of publishing my memoirs (revised yet again!) on the Internet for all to read. No doubt some errors still remain; memory plays strange tricks, and I must crave the indulgence of those who remember things differently.
This is a story about real places and real people. I trust that what I have said about them will not cause offence, but rather that this reminiscence will contain for them, as it does for me, only happy memories.
W Geoffrey Heath
Mellor, 2003