NextBackThe Saturday morning childrens' programme showed a cartoon like Tom and Jerry. There followed a main film such as a cowboy which we all enjoyed. It was fun seeing Roy Rogers rescuing the stage coach and shooting Indians one after another. Nobody ever loaded their guns despite firing off shot after shot. Roy Rogers had a side kick called Gabby Hayes who was in charge of the Chuck Wagon. Cowboys of the day usually had a partner, but not in the same concept as we know today! The Lone Ranger was another goodie cowboy with a partner, namely Tonto. As the Lone Ranger always wore a mask, it is not unreasonable to assume that he was related to the 'Stig' of Top Gear fame, especially as his horse appeared supercharged. In these films, all Baddies wore black hats and shirts, all goodies, including Hopalong Cassidy, wore white ones. We spent the rest of the week recreating his adventures, killing each other many times over. There was also another serial involving a big gorilla in a Zoological Garden but I can't remember what it was called. Flash Gordon filled the role of a serial which always finished at a crucial moment, to be continued next week. Emperor Ming and his evil daughter tried their utmost to destroy Flash and Jane Arden but with the help of Dr Zarkov were always thwarted. Laurel and hardy were also popular and regularly appeared, as did Pathe Pictorial news.
We came out into the bright sunshine with thrupence left and made our way up Mount Pleasant to Mrs Laighty's sweet shop opposite Beaufort Street, where a handful of sweets could be obtained for a penny or tuppence, leaving a penny for the rest of the week.
