INSPIRED by ‘a very full life’ Redditch man Roger Henry Lippett has written a book on his life which began living on the Batchley Estate. He went on to serve in the Royal Navy and wants to share his story.
He was born on January 30 1939 on the council estate, with his dad’s name Henry, being given to him as his middle name.
Here he sheds light on his life family and friends as a social record of sorts that may be of interest to his children, grandchildren and the people of Redditch.
Although he said he had never achieved great wealth or fame he felt his life had moments worth recounting.
In his words: “I now live in the beautiful city of Plymouth in Devon but I will always be a Batchley boy.
“Far have I traveled, and much have I seen and this is my story, serialised in the Redditch Standard.”
Chapter 28
THE results were posted on June 24 and I had passed with high marks for a B.Ed degree.
My grades in all areas of study were such that I was invited to stay on for a further year in order to study for an honours degree but I declined the offer.
I had a wife and children to support and needed to start earning money.
The college term ended on June 30, 1983, and so ended another chapter in my life.
On Wednesday, July 6, we drove to Manchester to attend Susanne’s degree ceremony at Manchester University and, 10 days later, we drove to Exeter University for my graduation ceremony on July 15.
So, from 11-plus failure and leaving school with no qualifications, I felt I had done a Batchley boy (which I will always be) proud.
I now had my probationary period to serve and was invited to teach at the nearby Eggbuckland comprehensive school for one term, which was later extended to one year so I could complete my probationary year.
It was soon after the start of term, on September 8, that I received the sad news that my dad had died.
Rose and I travelled up to Redditch for the funeral and we stayed at Downsell House, which was a retirement home but had a room where relatives could stay.
The funeral service was a sad affair, as funerals inevitably are, and we said our last goodbyes to a lovely dad.
Later, we all met together for a family reunion at Martyn’s house.
I loved my dad and miss him to this day. He would often talk to me on the phone and he used to say to me “Rog, you should write a book”, which I am now having a go at.
We drove back to Plymouth shortly after and I resumed my probationary year. On completion, I was invited to stay on for a year in a temporary post, which I accepted.
It was during this second year at Eggbuckland that I ran an adult training class one evening per week. I can’t remember how it came about but I had permission from the school to use the premises and the workshops and I found myself teaching a small group of enthusiastic adults on the use of hand tools and basic workshop machinery, which I found quite enjoyable.
The pupils made a wide range of things and I just advised and gave help and instruction when asked for.
At the end of the year, this temporary post was then advertised nationally and I was in the position of having to apply for my own job.
I later came to understand that this was normal practice in ‘civvy street’ but I, being unused to the ways of the civilian world, took it personally and could not bring myself to apply, so now I found myself looking elsewhere for another teaching post.
On July 8 of 1985 I was invited for an interview for a part-time post at Knowles Hill School, in the town of Newton Abbot.
One of the other candidates was a highly educated aeronautical engineer who also spoke fluent Swedish, and I didn`t rate my chances too highly.
My turn came around and I was called in to face the interview. That’s when it all went wrong. Or possibly right!
As I entered the room, I tripped and almost fell head first into the interviewing panel.
We looked at each other and I couldn’t help laughing. I said: “Whoops, shall I go out and come in again?”
They looked amused and said “No, stay now you’re here”.
From there on, the interview went well and, after a short spell of waiting, I was called in to be told I had the job.
What a wonderful feeling that was.
