I have all that I lost
and I go carrying my childhood
like a favourite flower
that perfumes my hand.
MICHAEL Victor Biddulph, or Mikey as he is known by some, was born on April 22 in 1944.
Often referred to as one of “one-and-a-half babies” by his loving mum Mary, he spent most of his childhood in Wolverhampton.
After he was born, Mary wrote to a friend with news of her first child. Her friend wrote back listing famous birthdays – April 21, Princess Elizabeth, April 22 Michael Victor Biddulph, April 23 Adolf Hitler.
A few months later, Michael's Dad Victor came home on leave from the war.
Mum Mary said: “He looked through the window at us all, he was in his captain's uniform including a hat, and his first sight of his new son was to see Michael howling in fright at the apparition at the window. Take your hat off, we all yelled.”
When he was 16, Mary's brother Hal bought Michael a motorbike – to Mary and Victor's absolute horror. When they had regained their composure they came up with a cunning plan to get Michael off two wheels and onto four.
Victor said: “We were horrified because while I had been riding bikes for years I didn't want him to. As soon as we could afford it we bought him an old Morris Minor with a split window and I taught him to drive in a disused air field. We had a great time there.”
