Mindy's Family Photos » ron hayler

Ron Hayler as a young boy

admin — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 20:25:41 +0000

Ron Hayler spent most of his early childhood in Stroud, a village just outside Petersfield in Hampshire, where he was evacuated during the Second World War. He lived with his aunt and uncle, May and Bert Heath, whom he loved dearly. Click on each of the photos to see a larger version.

Early 1940s

Ron with Rose Hayler & May Heath, early 1940s

Early to mid 1940s

Mid-1940s

Ron with Tom Draper (his maternal grandfather), taken late 1940s at the back of Rigault Road, Fulham

Ron Hayler and his bikes

admin — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 20:40:34 +0000

Ron Hayler used to cycle at weekends from Fulham to Petersfield (near Portsmouth) to visit his Aunt May and Uncle Bert. He had been evacuated there in the Second World War. Ron then progressed to motorbikes, his favourite being the Norton. Click on each of the photos to see a larger version.

Ron on his bicycle. Taken early 1950s.

with his Norton, Rigault Road, mid-1950s.

Ron Hayler, National Service, 1956-58

admin — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 19:41:36 +0000

In 1956, at the age of eighteen, Ron Hayler was called up for National Service.

National Service was a peacetime conscription that was brought in by the National Service Act 1948. This stated that “every healthy man between 17 and 21 was expected to serve in the armed forces for 18 months, and remain on the reserve list for four years, with a liability to be recalled to their units for up to twenty days service or training on not more than three occasions in the four years.” Men were exempt from National Service if they worked in three essential services: coal mining, farming and the merchant navy. National Service formally ended on 31 December 1960.

As Ron had butchery experience, he was sent to Aldershot to join the Army Catering Corps. His two years of army life were fairly uneventful…the Suez Crisis was over and Ron never left British shores.

Click on a photo to see a larger version

He did, however, embark on a mission to perfect the art of making meringues, whether he ever achieved this is unknown… what he did do was waste thousands of pounds of the taxpayers money on eggs in his quest to do it!

Not to mention his trip home at Christmas on the pillion of a friend’s motorbike, complete with two large suitcases…..containing two equally large turkeys purloined from the kitchens. The two were stopped and questioned but informed the police officer they were going home on leave…omitting to inform him of their two passengers!

Jean and Ron Hayler’s Wedding, 1964

admin — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 17:42:54 +0000

Jean and Ron were married at All Saints’ Church, Durrington (near Salisbury) on 1st August 1964. Click on each of the photos to see a larger version

Ron and Jean Hayler

Front Row: Joyce, Edwin and Marion Norton, Great Nan Kelly, John, Ron and Jean Hayler, David, Marion and Bill Kelly, Sue, ?, Bert Heath. Back Row: Michael, ?, Rose and Bert Hayler, ?, ?, ?, ?, Bob Sims and Joe

Rosemary Sims (my Nan Hayler's cousin), Edwin Norton, Bob Sims (Rosemary's husband), David Kelly, Marion Kelly, Sue Kelly and John Kelly.

Marion Norton, Marion Kelly, David and John Kelly, at the wedding reception

Bill Kelly, at the wedding reception

Ron Hayler as a baby

admin — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 16:47:42 +0000

Ron Hayler was born on 19th January 1938 in Fulham. His full name was Herbert Ronald Hayler. Click on each of the photos to see a larger version

Bert Hayler holding Ron, 1938, at the back of Rigault Road, Fulham

May Heath and Rose Hayler holding Ron, August 1938

Doing a John Travolta impression! Probably taken 1939 or 1940

Ron Hayler at the butcher’s, 1950s

admin — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 22:38:55 +0000

Ron Hayler left school at the age of 15 to train as a butcher. He started as a delivery boy and worked his way up to be a butcher. The picture below was taken about 1954 when Ron was about 15 or 16 years old. He’s the one right at the back with the big grin. Click on the photo to see a larger version.

Delivery Boy

Butcher (Fulham High Street)

Ron returned to butchery after completing his National Service. He stayed in the trade until the 1970s.

The photo on the left was taken in 1959 when Ron was 21 years of age.

The photo below is an edited version of the same photo.

You can click on each of the photos to see a larger version.

Edited version