In the Shadow of Claude

This, the third volume about Claude Banks’ life, edited and embellished by daughter Penny. Two features characterise this work: the discovery of a file of unpublished stories and of Claude’s farming diaries 1953-2017. All handwritten. The diaries are mini tutorials documenting farming trends, changes, crop rotations, financial crashes, weather extremes, housing arrangements and so many other aspects. Claude opines that the ‘best years for farming’ were …the 1980s.

WW2 had a huge impact on Claude’s life. Imagine being a young schoolboy around the time of Dunkirk when your history master says ‘No history lesson today boys as history is being made at this moment- we will have to see how things go’. Social Changes happening during those turbulent times included lectures by the ARP, creation of the Dad’s Army, rationing, the arrival of evacuees from London.

Perhaps the greatest social change resulted from the sudden appearance of USA forces. The local girls struck up many an acquaintance at local dance halls. Claude actually attended the VE celebrations in London, and it seemed to be continuous rounds of nocturnal parties and dances.

We are also garnished with stories about sport, shooting, bawdy songs and local characters. We learn about the long-lost location of Kimbolton Racecourse and the amazing properties of the Chadwell Spring and much more All in all we are provided with a smorgasbord of stories some of which are ‘simply genius’