Scottish Munros

William Leslie Milton

WILLIAM LESLIE MILTON  (LES)

Les was born on 3rd April 1944.  The family were resident at 11 Ivy Ave at the time.

(For many years Income Tax Relief was given for any child living as at the 5th April, so 3rd April was an excellent date for tax relief as father received the relief for the whole year even though the child was only 2 days old.)

At 4 weeks of age Les was baptised at St. Marys Church, Lytham Rd., Blackpool.

Marjorie was in her element with her new young brother

Like sister Marjorie Les became a regular Sunday School attender, receiving attendance prizes (books), and taking part in the Annual Sunday School Outings.
Again like Marjorie he attended Roseacre Junior School.

 

 

From an early age one of Les' main interests was fishing, and the contents of ponds, including tadpoles and newts etc.  Most of his spare time was devoted to that pursuit and most early trips were with Marjorie to local pits such as Stockydale and Fishers.


Like many lads one of Les' other favourite pastimes was football and he represented Roseacre regularly.

Les to the right of the ball

The Roseacre 1954/5 team.  Mr. Harris on the right. (Les to the right of Michael Andrews, the goalie). Mr Evans, a Welshman, was probably the other teacher.

On one early holiday to Millom and Barrow Les suffered from Food Poisoning, (probably from the fish he caught).  He had been out into the bay, fishing, with a relative from Dalton, after Marjorie had accompanied them on a bait finding trip for crab and mussels. 
A further trip to Millom was made when travelling the North West on a Railway Runabout ticket when around £5 would buy 4 or 5 days unlimited travel from Wigan to Carlisle, the whole of the Cumbria Coast, and the branch lines to Windermere, Lakeside and Coniston.

The annual holiday thereafter was to a Caravan on a site adjoining Fallbarrow, at Bowness-on-Windermere, where the proximity to the lake was all that Les could have asked for, and the time passed in a tangle of fishing line, and a concentration on floats and bait procurement.

On occasion an expedition onto the lake in a rowing boat would be undertaken and Dad would offer his services.

Another memorable fishing holiday was enjoyed when Les stayed at Carsluith in Dumfrieshire with the mother of one of Marjories Nursing friends, Sandy Maclean. The house was on the sea shore, but the best fishing was at Castle Douglas whose Lake gave up an incredible weight of Perch, including several which Les insists must have been close to the British Record at that time, i.e. Over 10 pound
Back home the fishing expeditions spread further afield than the local pits, with visits to the Garstang canal at Treales  (Bus to Kirkham, then walk).

 Roundabout this time Les had a passing interest in steam trains and became a "spotter" of Jubs, Pats, Winnies, Mid day Scots and Double headers, often travelling from Talbot Rd Bus Station on the Red 88 or X42 White Lady Ribble Double Decker Bus to Garstang Bus Station with Marjorie, then trekking to the Main line (L.M.S.) from Preston to Carlisle.

 

Bonfire Nights would be celebrated at the corner of Faringdon Ave, and later on spare land on Squires Gate Lane.  This area also acted as "Wembley" for the local football kickarounds.

Aged 8 or 9 Les joined the 23rd Blackpool St Marys Cub Scout Pack (Blue & White Neckers). 

One day he forgot his raincoat and this had lasting repercussions.  Sister Marjorie went down to meet him with the coat, and met Mrs. Pilkington the Cub Mistress.  Mrs Pilkington persuaded Marjorie to help with first aid tuition for the cubs, as Marjorie was a member of St.Johns Ambulance at the time.  This started of Marjorie's long connection with Scouting.  Within a few months Mrs. Pilkington ceased to be Cub Mistress and Marjorie took over at the age of 15 in 1954 aprox.  She then met Tony Shaw, who succeeded her as leader, and he in turn introduced Neville Wiseman to Scouting, and he in turn eventually met Marjorie through this connection. 

And all because of a forgotten raincoat.

Many of the Cubs were also Roseacre Scholars, and a strong Football Team was soon formed.  They won the local inter group trophy, with Les reportedly scoring 6 goals in 14 minutes in extra time, after a goal less match.  His position was centre forward.



The family home at Ivy Ave backed onto the Blackpool Borough Rugby League Football Club, and it wasn’t long before Les was knocking on the door wanting to play.  He was still at Junior School, and played in the Under 11's.  Many games were 7 a side.


In due course it was time to move on to Senior School and Les sat and passed the scholarship (11+) to enable him to attend a Grammar School.  Normally this would have meant Blackpool Grammar, but his parents preferred he went to the more convenient Private School "Arnold" on Lytham Rd.  His exam success entitled him to do this.

He now moved from Cubs to Scouts, but after a Summer Camp at which his group did not see eye to eye with "Skip" Crellin, he left.

For a short period Les followed in his fathers (and sisters) footsteps, and joined the St. Johns Ambulance Brigade, meeting in a hut by Waterloo School at Spen Corner, Blackpool.

 

Cadets from Blackpool South Division under Supt S. Hoyle (left) leaving South Station for a Rally and Inspection by Princess Margaret at Southport.

 

St John's certificate gained at age 11


At. St. Marys Church he joined the Youth Club, and picked up his first experience of the noble art of Snooker.

On the Rugby scene a promise had to be given to the head (Holgate) that under no circumstances would Les play Rugby League again.  The two Codes were as chalk and cheese.  His early experiences with Blackpool Borough gave him a head start over newcomers to the game, and he maintained his interest throughout school, representing Arnold at all age groups against such opposition as 'Holy Jo's" (St. Joseph's), Stoneyhurst, Sedbergh, Kirkham Grammar, Bolton Grammar etc.  His prime position was 'Fly Half'.

Fishing continued unabated (or should that be bated ?).
Central Angling Club was joined and prizes were won regularly at the Xmas competition, adding welcome fare to the Christmas table in the form of tins of biscuits, or a chicken.

Seafishing from the Central Pier involved perching precariously on the railings as giant waves swept the jetty.  Visits to the beach were made to dig for lugworms.  Later still Les would sell the fish he caught to neighbours and use the coppers to buy more bait. The main species caught were Cod, Whiting, Dabs & Flounders.  To his parents concern Nightlines were sometimes set, to be inspected at the crack of dawn.  Ogdens Fishing Shop on Waterloo Rd had a regular visitor with his eye glued to the window.  Paternosters Reels and Floats were the subject of serious discussion.

 

As a member of the School C.C.F. (Combined Cadet Force), the art of marching, stripping a Bren gun, and rifle shooting were explored, and Les became a proficient shot. The C.C.F. Annual Camp at Cultybraggan near Crieff in Perthshire proved easier than expected as Les had sustained a broken finger and was excused most duties.  By now he was sporting stripes!
Having collected a goodly number of 'O' Levels it was time to move up to the Arnold 6th Form.

 

 

His Rugby prowess had earned him a regular place with Fylde Wanderers.

Fishing continued, and now included occasional trips out to sea near Rossall Point in a small boat with an outboard motor, owned by a local butcher.

Learning to ride a scooter on Marjories Orange 150cc Lambretta, led to the acquisition of a Blue Vespa 125, his first 'wheels'.  A visit to Jersey with friend Stewart Ackers ended with a scooterless return, as the passengers took a bend and the scooter didn’t, leaving the scooter to head seawards.

After gaining 'A' Levels in Biology, Chemistry, Maths, Physics and General Knowledge a career had to be considered.  Initial thoughts were towards becoming a Marine Biologist but a school staff member pointed out the poor income earning potential.  A decision was reached to pursue Pharmacy, and a year out was taken, to work for 'Boots the Chemist' on Waterloo Rd., Blackpool.  A fellow worker was Mary Caroli, daughter of the internationally famous Blackpool Tower Circus Clown, 'Charlie Caroli'.  The year's experience counted towards a Pharmacy qualification.

To upgrade the Physics 'A' Level a nightschool course was attended, although if this clashed with a snooker match for the 'Half Way House' Public House the snooker match generally claimed Les' presence.

On 23rd October 1963 the local Blackpool evening paper 'The Evening Gazette' headlined "Old Arnoldians first chance for Fylde," after some impressive performances for the Fylde 'Wanderers'.  The match was against Broughton Park and Fylde ran out victors 17-9 and the report records" Quarmby went over for a perfectly good try from a superb break by Milton, but the referee disallowed it."

The next three weeks brought matches against Roundhay, Sale and Nuneaton when a cracked shoulder bone put him out of action for three months when he returned to Fylde Firsts as Standoff against Sale.

 

Les was well protected at Fylde by a "heavy gang" who gave short thrift to anyone giving Les rough treatment.

 Hughie Thomas, Alex Mekoe and Kevin Chappell were but three of the Fylde team members with whom a long term friendship was struck.

Difficulty was experienced in getting time off for games as, with his employer "Boots", Les was required to work Saturday afternoons

Les moved on from scooters to cars, and a girlfriends mother taught him to drive in a Morris Minor.  It was around know that Les became friendly with "Harry", a second hand car dealer, and a character, who operated from Station Rd.

The years work experience with Boots having finished Les took up a place at Manchester University, taking a BSc in Pharmacy.  Boots made a generous contribution towards the cost of his first course text books.
One of the first people he met there was Peter Chatterton who was to become a lifelong friend.
The course itself was intense, far more so than the normal University Courses.  The bright spot was that the landlady of Les' digs regarded herself as a second mother, and provided two first class meals each day, breakfast and evening dinner.  The accommodation was close to Manchester City Football ground at Maine rd., Manchester.

Graduation day was proudly attended by mother Alice and sister Marjorie.

WILLIAM LESLIE MILTON BSc., M.P.S.






University was followed by a year at Manchesters New Business School, when Les became the first Pharmacist in the UK to attend such an establishment.  This was a Post Graduate course, and a Diploma was obtained at the age of 22..

Second hand cars were taken to College on sale or return from Harry, and Les invariable sold these, making a few pounds profit on each deal.
The first real vehicle he regards as having been his own was a white Austin Healy Sprite.  In this he went to France with Harry.  Flames devoured the dashboard at Abbeyville, and Les' schoolboy French procured fresh wire whilst Harrys magic touch rewired the whole car with little more than a screwdriver and a pair of pliers. (The holiday continued, even if the indicators did work the wrong way round).

A continental holiday was taken each summer, sometimes hitch hiking, sometimes by train, and sometimes by car. 
On one occasion Les recalls syphoning off petrol from a Jaguar in Lloret-de-mar to donate to boys they had met who had promised a lift.  A loan from a stranger at Paris' Gare du Nord, and a night sleeping on the beach at Dover saw him home.

At business school


Another sideline of the University/Business School era was that Les acted as Agent to a five man RHYTHM & BLUES Group who practiced in a cellar on Waterloo Rd.. Apart from arranging the gigs, and collecting his percentage, Les drove the Van, and sorted out replacements and any problems.  One of the stand-ins was called Ian Anderson ? and this individual later distinguished himself as a Pop Flautist under the name of 'Jethro Tull'.  Roll models of the day were such stars as "Elvis Presley", "Chuck Berry", "Little Richard" and the "Beatles".

One way or another Les was home most weekends, and Rugby for Fylde and Manchester University was still a feature.  Home was now Holbeck Ave., Blackpool after a short stay at Rangeway.

On finishing at Business School Les spent two months working as a Dispensing Chemist at St. Helier, Jersey, dispensing under both French and English Charters.  On returning to the mainland he started his first employment for 'Warners' at Southampton where he received 8 weeks training prior to commencing as a 'Rep' in Liverpool.  Renting a flat in Southport Les was here introduced to the love/hate sport of Golf, playing on Southport Municipal as his first Course.  It would be many years and many 19th holes later that he attained a handicap of 2.
Before 12 months were up a call was received to return to headquarters at Southampton, and it was now that the first marketing opportunity really presented itself with the product 'Anusol'.  The company became Parke Davis and Les moved on to Crookes Anestan (Later bought by Boots), and another national product dealt with was 'Femme Fresh'.

These were the first experiences in what was to be an interesting, varied, nail biting career, which was to cumulate in a Stock Exchange Flotation….but that was to be 30 years later.

The gap is left for Les to fill and included a spell in Johannesburg, South Africa, and the setting up of M & S Marketing Services, and later, Milton Marketing.

A MILTON BECOMES A WISEMAN

Les giving away sister Marjorie 19th Nov 1966

Les and Sarah Milton

The most important date to recount in recent Milton Family History is 23rd September 1988 when William Leslie Milton  married Sarah Tester at Maidenhead, a union that was to produce yet another generation of Miltons.

 

 

 

Sarah Milton (nee Tester)

 

 

William Jack Milton