HAPPY 101ST BIRTHDAY DEAR LARRY (LAWRENCE) MORGAN

 

I am indebted to many of my interviewees (now my friends) over the last 25 years, most of whom appeared in some of my early books. Larry and Jean Morgan were always happy for me to interview them for their fabulous memories of living and working in Brentwood.

Also, with thanks to Blesma (The Limbless Veterans), I have many more recent recollections of this lovely couple who still live in Brentwood and Larry, who is 101 today, still enjoys life with his friends and family. Here is a little about Larry, who is a lifelong West Ham fan and is probably one of Blesma’s longest standing members.

 During The Blitz in 1941, Larry and his family were bombed out of their home in Plaistow, London’s East End. He was re-homed and worked as a builder but was soon called up and trained as a signaller attached to the 8th Battalion Suffolk Regiment. Larry was involved in a jungle warfare offensive against Japanese forces that had conquered Burma. The fight was relentless. The Japanese launched a bayonet attack and each side “threw grenades like cricket balls.” 

In one of my earlier books entitled Brentwood Voices, Larry recalled: 

'People usually chose special occasions to have their photograph taken and would usually attend at the studio for a ‘sitting’, dressed in their best Sunday clothes.  Because of the long exposure time, their smiles became a little jaded and stiff, but people were usually pleased with the results and the photos were carefully placed in family albums.

'When I eventually returned home to Brentwood after my war service, I joined the established photographer Fred Hudson who had set up in the town.  “Fred had these wooden half plate cameras and I recollect how cumbersome it was to set up the camera on a wooden tripod, black cloth over my hand (to help fine focusing on a ground glass viewing plate.'

Alongside his commercial work, Larry won a contract with Warley Barracks where he had earlier trained for the infantry during the war. He regularly photographed full platoons of soldiers and the regimental silver, now in Chelmsford. In 1946 Larry became sole owner of the firm and and ran a very successful business in Kings Road for more than 40 years covering every aspect of local life.

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Once again - wonderful memories and our best birthday wishes to you and the lovely Jean.  x