SUNNYBANK
The area to which Linda and Clive had moved was fast being developed with new housing being built close by and as it was quite a long way from where we were living in Windsor Crescent in Prestwich, we thought maybe we should move closer in order to be on hand if we were needed. At about this time our next-door neighbour in Windsor Crescent decided to emigrate to Canada. The fact that we were to lose a close friend as well as being separated from Linda and the baby, gave the idea of moving more merit. Whilst in this receptive mood we had a surprise caller who had been given the impression by someone that we wanted to sell the house. I was in the middle of decorating one of the rooms when this offer came out of the blue. The price being offered was too good to miss so we agreed to sell. The question now was, where do we go??? The natural place to look was the Sunnybank Estate near Linda. So off we went to view what was on offer. A firm of builders was developing a large area of land situated between Bury and Whitefield. Being within a five minute walk from Linda and Clive made it most attractive to us. The houses being built were very pleasing and the price was within our means. After giving the matter some thought we agreed to buy one. Number 56 Ennerdale Drive was the one we decided on. Looking back I would say that was the finest house we ever owned. Consisting of a large lounge and dining-room separated by sliding doors, so that when necessary we could open up the whole of the ground floor to accommodate a large party, a large kitchen and a square entrance hall made up the ground floor. Upstairs, three double-sized bedrooms, bathroom and toilet. The garden at the front quite small but at the back a fair sized piece of land and a built-in garage. As we did not have a car at the time when we moved in I fitted the garage up as a workshop where I carried out any necessary jobs that needed doing.
As this part of Bury was developing it became obvious that a large percentage of the people moving into the area were Jews. This meant that before very long, if the entry of members of the Jewish community into the area grew, there would be a demand for a shool (synagogue). Always aware of my Jewish heritage, although I no longer had any religious conviction, I supported the campaign to establish a synagogue as an extension of the fight for freedom of thought. There was also an element of the fight against anti-Semitism and the establishment of a strong, organised, Jewish community would be of tremendous importance. So I, along with other members of the Communist Party who lived in the area, and came from a Jewish background, joined in the movement to establish a local synagogue. One of those who got involved in this was a man who had been a member of the CP (Communist Party) since before the war and had been a close comrade and friend for many years. Aubrey Lewis was a man of high intellect who I looked on at that time as a leading Marxist, as it turned out he rejected his belief in Marxism and became a religious dogmatist. Aubrey and I joined the committee that had been set-up to bring to fruition the desire of the Jewish community for a synagogue. I was at that time influenced to a large extent by Aubrey as he had always impressed me with his ability as a speaker and being able to convince others of his way of thinking. This was about the time when the newly founded State of Israel launched what has become known as the "Six Day War". The local branch of the Communist Party, of which Aubrey Lewis was the secretary, discussed the situation and under the influence of the Secretary, took a stand that was opposed to the policy of the Party on the question of Israel. I at first agreed that the Soviet Union was wrong in its support of Egypt.
As time went on I soon came to the conclusion that Aubrey was wrong and I took a stand against his thinking on the Middle East. It became obvious to me that he was beginning to move in a rightwards direction and eventually he left the Party and set up a group calling itself the "Jewish Socialist group", consisting of about half-a-dozen members in Manchester later to be joined by a few in London. The eventual publication of his autobiography by the Jewish Telegraph entitled Zig Zag to Zionism was proof that I had been right.
It was whilst we were living in the house on the Sunnybank Estate that Judith, our younger daughter met the young man she eventually married. Linda and Clive had decided to try their hand at running a business. Clive's family on his father's side had been involved in the greengrocery business for years and Clive was brought up in the shop on Waterloo Road in Hightown not far from where I was born.
A shop became available in a row of shops on the edge of the Sunnybank estate on Parr Lane. A large shop with a flat above. Unfortunately, for a variety of reasons, the venture was not a success. Linda and Clive had problems and, as in many cases where there are financial problems, they parted. Linda and the children came to live with us in Ennerdale Drive and Clive went to stay with his mother. After about six weeks they decided to try again and Clive came to stay with us for a short time and they soon moved into a council house on what is known as the Goshen Estate. Clive had got a job as a labourer at Radcliffe Paper Mill.
Clare and I were beginning to think of selling the shop in Shude Hill. It had become obvious that we needed a change. Working as we did, getting up at 6am every morning to be able to open the shop by 7, and getting home at 6 in the evening, made it a very long day. Plus the fact that the only way we could get any time away was to call on members of the family, usually Linda, to step in and run the shop.
Linda's husband Clive had been at Radcliffe Paper Mill for a couple of years so when we eventually sold our business he suggested I apply for a job at the mill. He was earning quite a decent wage and he knew there was a job in the Quality Control Office that would suit me. So I applied.