yesteryear

But in these days of clean air, and gas and electrical 
central heating, it is rare to 
see a man delivering sacks of coal.

Sid Brown would load his lorry at Dunstable North railway station.

He would then set off on back-breaking rounds of Dunstable households.

It was always hot and dirty work, but particularly so during the heatwave in June 1957 when a sympathetic photographer took this picture of Sid at work.

The photograph of Sid pressing on with his deliveries, despite the searing temperature, was used in 
the Gazette with an ironic caption joking about “carrying coals to Newcastle” and a headline saying: “This is for the winter”.

> Yesteryear is compiled by John Buckledee, chairman of Dunstable and District Local History Society.