Mel's Web Pages .................................................

George Henry Crossland (Harry)
Note: This Information Provided by Mel Ashton - to be updated when G.H.C. gets confident with his 'confuser' !! George seems to have given up with PC - Mel October,2006 George's son Geoff: http://www.brantz.co.uk/html/english/index.html
Personal & Present Details
	Now living in Wales
Isherwood's Period
	Service Manager for some 10 years ?
Further Information
	Part Time Lecturer at Wakefield College & Kitson College (Leeds) Lecturer at Harrogate Army Apprentice College
Other Interests
	To be continued .....
A 'Queen's Jubilee Story' for a Welsh Museum Article (by G.H.C.)
	I've always been a wirelessman - ever since that day, as a boy, when I got my first crystal wireless set working. When I left school, I was a signed-up Apprentice Wireless Repairer with a family firm in West Yorkshire (The West Riding of Yorkshire). I was then called up at 18 into the R.E.M.E. as a Wireless Mechanic. Then Demob and a job with another Wakefield Wireless Business. I became their FIRST Television Repair Man ! We sold TV sets to receive the BBC Birmingham Television Transmissions. This transmitter was some 80 miles away and took some getting. There was only one program - a few hours at night only ! We had to install & repair TV sets using the test transmissions during the day. I still remember those test programmes - I should do as I saw them 1000's of times a day ! Most of them I can repeat - word for word - today. THEN .... On the 12th October, 1951, the Yorkshire Transmitter at Holme Moss, (near Huddersfield), came on the air. Our screens lit up bright and clear ! The problem was keeping the picture out. It was so strong - rock steady without all those spots. THEN came .... QUEEN ELIZABETH's CORONATION Broadcast LIVE on BBC Television. I didn't have a television set myself - in those days garage mechanics didn't have a motor car, refrigeration mechanics didn't have a fridge and Post Office Telephone Engineers didn't have a telephone ! However, we had a kind boss and he let me borrow a brand new set from the showroom especially to watch the Coronation ! The TV set was a beauty - English Electric - 15" round tube (called the 'tin tube' because the bowl was made of steel instead of glass). Our old terrace house was crammed with neighbours to watch the Queen's Coronation and all went perfectly. Soon after the Coronation, one of our local Rugby League Teams - Featherstone Rovers - went down to Wembley for the weekend (it needed a second coach for the beer !). I was given the job of installing 20 of our biggest and best Television Sets in the Featherstone Village Hall for the 'Deserted Women Folk' to watch the match. Alas, I was young and innocent in those days - now I'm just innocent !!!! Well, that's my story so it's Goodbye from George Crossland. (Address & Telephone No. available 'by appointment' - Mel Ashton).
Pictures
	Click Here if you wish to view recent & past pictures.
Your Information
	Please let me have some present and past information - particularly the Isherwood's period - which I can include in the 'Isherwood's section' of this 'Ashton' website.. I would prefer you to use email or mail form, but if you wish, you can telephone me: (01924) 826 687 home (07740) 282 567 mobile. Or use 'snail mail' to my home address (obtainable by email or telephone).