The the Good Companions Major was bought in June 1960 when I was 19 yrs. old, so it is now 55 years old.
The cost was £13.17s.6d. plus £2.5s.0d. for external angle poles, and £3.11s.6d. for a sewn-in ground sheet, along with an Optimus Paraffin stove for £2.18s.6d
As an impecunious employee I had to resort to hire-purchase incurring charges of 8s.6d. and six monthly payments of £2.18s.0d.
Our motley crew of climbers would go off to The Lakes, or the Sheffield edges and other venues at weekends and mine was the biggest tent. In bad weather there would be half a dozen of us crammed in there.
Other memorable trips amongst many saw that cherished tent on Sky, Arran, Rum and various other Scottish locations, Wales, the Ring of Kerry, and a motoring trip through France to Spain and back through France to Amsterdam, and later used as a play-tent in the garden by son and daughter and their friends; it certainly had a lot of use.
I was interested to see how the old friend had fared after years of storage so it came on the Liverpool trip. I was surprised to find out how big, and heavy its packed size was, and also pleasantly reminded that it is possible to stand up in the middle. I felt as though I was sleeping on the floor of St. Paul's Cathedral.
The material is cotton and still holding out fairly well, but I don't think it would stand much of a storm.
Happy memories.
Click to enlarge to see deatals of printed documents.
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| Not very well pitched,. The flysheet is crooked and I had not squeezed the a-poles up tight enough, but it was only for one night and the weather was fair, and we wanted to be off to see the Gormley statues. |
Details of cost from the multi-page hire-purchase agreement which was signed over a sixpenny stamp. All typed - no word processors in those days
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| Completion letter for hire-purchase agreement. The language is almost Victorian (enlargement below) |
