15 March 1958  Joyce and I were married at King's Road Baptist Church, Brentwood, by Rev Gauldie Smith. Our 'official' wedding photographs were taken by Larry Morgan, our favourite photographer just down Kings Road, and they are of course monochrome. He sited his camera in the middle of Kings Road to take the large family group.  He was right in the path of a double decker bus coming down the road, but the driver didn't mind a bit!  My best man Jim Spearing took these with his colour camera, which was the latest thing at the time.  Many thanks, Jim!

 

We had a great Reception with friends and family in the Kings Hall, and then left by train for our Honeymoon in Cromer.  This photo was taken by Larry Morgan at the Reception, and the picture behind us is a copy of a well-known painting of Jesus looking at the Apostle Peter at the time just before His crucifixion.  We could have removed it, but decided to keep it in our wedding photograph, as a sign that we wanted to have Jesus in the centre of our future life together.  We always tried to follow that principle throughout the 44 years we were able to spend together, and He never let us down.

After our honeymoon, we came to live in our first home, at 19 Rose Glen, a brand-new semi-detached house on the Moulsham Lodge Estate in Chelmsford.

  This was convenient for me, as I worked in Chelmsford, so there was no need for me to travel, as I did before we were married.  Also. houses in Brentwood were more expensive than Chelmsford, so this helped us make the decision where we should live. We were blessed to be able to afford this at the start of our married life, thinking of the huge difficulties young couples have today to start on the housing ladder.  We had the basic furniture for kitchen, dining room and bedroom, but no fridge, hoover or carpet on the stairs, items that would be considered basic today!  But we were happy, and grateful to have our own home and permanent work to bring home just enough money each month.

October 1957  By this time I was working on a research project which had reached the stage of overall  system testing.  I had moved on to looking after the radar turning servo at Bempton Radar Station (no longer in existence since 1972). Earlier subsystem tests had been done at Bushey Hill, near Chelmsford using the radar there. I slept in a caravan in a nearby field, working shifts with Bernard Whitehead, another young engineer.  By October I was in Bempton, staying at the Expanse Hotel, Bridlington,

  So although Joyce and I were engaged, I was away, firstly at Bushey Hill, and then at Bempton!  I have the letters I sent her, plus a postcard of the hotel, which Joyce had kept.  I'm sorry to say I didn't keep her replies!    

 July 1955 I started back at the Marconi Research Laboratories the following Monday.  I was working in Section C under Roger Shipway, alongside such worthies as Ben Starksfield, Len Whitaker and Ron Ward, and also Arthur Young. We were designing a 21 inch PPI radar display, to be mounted horizontally, in conference mode.  I remember I had a lash-up chassis I was working on, which was mounted rather precariously. Arthur came to see how I was getting on, and was a bit scared by the 400 volts potential which he thought was a bit dangerous!  

I don't remember having any problem settling back to civilian life.  I was living with my parents and sister Jean at 19 Warley-Wood Crescent, Crescent Road, Brentwood. 

I walked to the Railway Station each morning, caught a bus to Chelmsford, then another bus to West Hanningfield Road, Great Baddow, to the Research Laboratories. I went to the Baptist Church on Sundays, and to the Mid-week Prayer Meeting, which was normal in those days.  I was Secretary of the Christian Endeavour Society, and soon got elected to the Diaconate.  I think at one time my father Victor Lancaster and I were Deacons at the same time - two trouble-makers together!

I was soon thinking seriously about courting, and, after a couple of false starts, by 1957 I was engaged to be married to Joyce Church.  That was the best decision I ever made, and we were married by Rev Gauldie Smith at the Baptist Church on 15th. March 1958 

 JULY 23 1955  I finally finished my National Service on 23 July 1955.  This was a great relief, but looking back I realise I met some good Christian friends, including a retired Brigadier and his wife who lived in Shinfield near Arborfield.  They used to hold Bible studies at their home - these were for either officers or 'other ranks' - there was no distinction.  So the experience wasn't all bad, and I did learn to iron a shirt - which has come in useful in recent years! I got a letter from Personnel at Marconi saying that I was being offered my old job back at Marconi Research Great Baddow, at the magnificent salary of £610.00 per annum! not a bad offer at the time, as my starting salary two years previously had been £500.00.  So I dutifully reported back for duty the next Monday! 

I was living at 19 Warleywood Crescent with my parents and sister during this time,

 I then moved to Arborfield in Berkshire, to Hazebrouck Barracks, initially at No. 3 Battalion, but then to No. 5 Battalion to do the Leading Artificer Sergeant (LAS) 6 Course (Control Equipment) which lasted for about six months, and ended with a six weeks Regimental Course at Bordon Hants, at the end of which I got my Sergeant's stripes.  Then I was posted in to No.5 Battalion as a lecturer on Servos.

 Following my two weeks' basic training (square bashing!) at Blandford, I transferred to Honiton in Devon, to take the Officer Training Course. This was a pretty tough course, and by September 1953, I had been deemed not to be suitable Officer material!

Here I am at No.1 Training Battalion R.E.M.E. at Blandford in July 1953, with Corporal Hyde. He made sure we were smart enough to be part of the British Army, and that our marching abilities were up to the appropriate standard!
 

 23 JULY 1953  I travelled by train to No.1 Training Battalion. Blandford, Dorset, to sign on for 2 years National Service with the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME).  My Dad came up to Waterloo Station and wished me goodbye, with the advice 'Keep the Flag flying.'  I knew what he meant! I had completed a 5 year apprenticeship with Marconi's Wireless Telegraph Co on my 21st birthday, and had deferment from National Service due to the work I was doing.  But there was no guarantee the deferment would continue indefinitely, so I chose to join up!  I had joined SASRA, the Soldiers and Airmen's Scripture Readers Association, so I was assured of Christian friends, and sure enough I was met by a Christian as I went to the stores to collect my uniform!