Chapter Six
'The Christmas Dance, 1964'
Each year, Mr Frank would stand the full cost of providing an evening's entertainment for his workers at one of the larger catering establishments in the area of Cleckheaton. This would always come in the form of an annual work's dance and any person's non-attendance would not be viewed sympathetically by either Mr Frank, Mr John or young Mr David.
This annual dance would be eagerly looked forward to by the mill workers and there would always be a good band provided for the evening, along with a sit-down meal for all in attendance. Indeed, to say how parsimonious that Mr Frank was known to be, in respect of the firm's annual Christmas dance, he could never have been accused of being a Scrooge. This seemed to be the one time during the year when his eyes were momentarily taken away from his bank balance as he pushed the boat out.
This annual dance would be eagerly looked forward to by the mill workers and there would always be a good band provided for the evening, along with a sit-down meal for all in attendance. Indeed, to say how parsimonious that Mr Frank was known to be, in respect of the firm's annual Christmas dance, he could never have been accused of being a Scrooge. This seemed to be the one time during the year when his eyes were momentarily taken away from his bank balance as he pushed the boat out.
Apart from their attendance, the only other expectations by the bosses of their workers were that one came properly attired and that one purchased their own alcohol. While getting quietly merry was accepted, anyone getting drunk and creating a scene would find themselves being called into Mr John's office when they next returned to work, where they'd be soundly carpeted if lucky or sacked in extreme circumstances. More often than not they would be bawled out and then be denied overtime work for a period of time that was proportionate to their offence. Having an extremely loud voice, whenever Mr John got angry, such reprimand was always heard by other workers nearby and would have travelled back to the rest of the mill before the person getting the carpeting had returned to their post.
Since Mr Frank had gone into semi retirement, the annual dance was also the only time in the year when any employee saw all three Harrison Gardner bosses together. Indeed, it was probably the only time these days when all three would sit down at the same table together. As the workers looked across at their bosses, they knew the power they had over their individual livelihoods. They operated in many ways little different than the Kennedy family in America where the real power lay in the hands of the absent dad and king maker while his older son John wore the crown.
Mr Frank, being a widower would sit next to his youngest son David at the top table in the room and Mr John would sit with his wife, Celia. Celia Harrison was in her late twenties and although two years older than Mr John, she nevertheless represented a most suitable catch for the young mill owner.
Celia looked every bit the part of 'Lady of the Manor' as she sat there delicately poised and decked in a marvellously expensive necklace of ruby emeralds; a legacy of her deceased grandma's jewellery collection. Her clear enunciation of speech and impeccable grammar identified her having been a product of a fee-paying school enjoyed by the upper classes and the children of 'new money' made from manufacturing. Celia was the daughter of the largest lemonade manufacturer in the North of England and being the only child born to an elderly father of ill health, she was destined to one day receive an inheritance large enough to ensure that her husband's firm would never be taken into receivership or lack the future funds for greater expansion if the need arose.
Celia looked every bit the part of 'Lady of the Manor' as she sat there delicately poised and decked in a marvellously expensive necklace of ruby emeralds; a legacy of her deceased grandma's jewellery collection. Her clear enunciation of speech and impeccable grammar identified her having been a product of a fee-paying school enjoyed by the upper classes and the children of 'new money' made from manufacturing. Celia was the daughter of the largest lemonade manufacturer in the North of England and being the only child born to an elderly father of ill health, she was destined to one day receive an inheritance large enough to ensure that her husband's firm would never be taken into receivership or lack the future funds for greater expansion if the need arose.
During the evening of the annual dance, the six working foreman of Harrison Gardner's would each receive a fresh turkey from Mr John for their Christmas dinner in appreciation for their past year's service. The only other employee to receive a free bird was Tony Frankson, who would wash and polish the cars of Mr John and Mr David every Friday afternoon whatever the weather, before knocking off for the day. Each year, these seven men would have their names announced at the dance and be asked to come to the head table and collect their freshly plucked Christmas turkey from Mr John's own hands. As they walked from their table to the top table to receive their festive bonus, the remainder of the workers would softly clap, more in pity than envy as they watched them collect their fowl.
Everyone observing this march of obsequious public gratitude knew that this was the only yearly bonus they would receive from the Harrisons, who'd never been known to part with a penny where a halfpenny would do! Indeed, in Mr Frank's day, it had been the custom to present the foreman with an unplucked turkey for the Christmas table. The practice of having the bird plucked in advance had been a recent modification by Mr John and this was only its second year.
Everyone observing this march of obsequious public gratitude knew that this was the only yearly bonus they would receive from the Harrisons, who'd never been known to part with a penny where a halfpenny would do! Indeed, in Mr Frank's day, it had been the custom to present the foreman with an unplucked turkey for the Christmas table. The practice of having the bird plucked in advance had been a recent modification by Mr John and this was only its second year.
While every worker, apart from those who'd lost their spouses, came with a partner of the opposite sex, the only ones who kept a low profile were those having affairs behind their partner's backs and one highly suspicious male called Francis Canning. Francis was a bald-headed chap who was strongly suspected of being homosexual. He wore a flat cap at work and would never be seen with it off his head, even during more formal occasions. He claimed to have been born to white Yorkshire parents, but most work colleagues suspected his origin to have been more a mixture of Jamaican and Italian and for him to have a family background as shady as his pretend sexual status.
Francis had worked at Harrison Gardner's for seven years and if ever his workmates wrote him a message, they would deliberately misspell his name as 'Frances' as a joke. This was their way of letting him know that they accepted him for what he was, even if he chose to remain forever closeted. Francis had never declared his sexual status to any other worker and would never have been seen out with another chap in tow. Until the day came when the law would be changed and had decriminalised the sexual act between two consenting males of certain age, there was simply no way that Francis would risk imprisonment. In fact, he had a girlfriend called Patricia who'd acted as 'a front' for many years.
Francis had worked at Harrison Gardner's for seven years and if ever his workmates wrote him a message, they would deliberately misspell his name as 'Frances' as a joke. This was their way of letting him know that they accepted him for what he was, even if he chose to remain forever closeted. Francis had never declared his sexual status to any other worker and would never have been seen out with another chap in tow. Until the day came when the law would be changed and had decriminalised the sexual act between two consenting males of certain age, there was simply no way that Francis would risk imprisonment. In fact, he had a girlfriend called Patricia who'd acted as 'a front' for many years.
It was a standing joke at the mill that whenever anyone wished to declare their intention of never doing something, they would remark, "I'll do it when Francis and Patricia tie the knot!" Francis had been engaged to 'his girlfriend' for over nine years and needless to say, he was no nearer marrying her now than on the first day they'd met!
The annual dance was always held upon the closest Friday to Christmas Day and it was the only time of the year when all of the employees would see their work mates with their spouses, partners and girlfriends.
As the annual dance of Christmas 1964 approached, those single man at Harrison Gardner's who had no regular girlfriend would ask one of the unattached female workers to accompany them as dance partners to the annual do; much as American students do at their annual school proms.
One week before the dance, George Munt approached Beth one afternoon as they passed in the work's yard and caught her off guard with his request.
As the annual dance of Christmas 1964 approached, those single man at Harrison Gardner's who had no regular girlfriend would ask one of the unattached female workers to accompany them as dance partners to the annual do; much as American students do at their annual school proms.
One week before the dance, George Munt approached Beth one afternoon as they passed in the work's yard and caught her off guard with his request.
"Hi Beth," he said as he moved closer to talk." I have no partner for this year's dance and I wondered if you'd link up for the evening if you're free?"
Having been caught off guard, Beth found herself smiling at the request and before she could think twice about her response, she replied, "That would be nice, George. I'd be pleased to." If the truth be known, Beth was somewhat relieved that George had asked her as she also had no partner arranged for the evening.
George moved away as happy as a lark, with a spring of confidence in his stride that hadn't been there upon first approaching Beth. He knew that he'd achieved something that nobody else had achieved since the attractive Irish woman had started at the mill a year earlier.
Having been caught off guard, Beth found herself smiling at the request and before she could think twice about her response, she replied, "That would be nice, George. I'd be pleased to." If the truth be known, Beth was somewhat relieved that George had asked her as she also had no partner arranged for the evening.
George moved away as happy as a lark, with a spring of confidence in his stride that hadn't been there upon first approaching Beth. He knew that he'd achieved something that nobody else had achieved since the attractive Irish woman had started at the mill a year earlier.
While Beth quite liked George as an individual, it was more his perceived decency of character she was attracted to than his attractive face and pert bum, which had led her to answer his request in the affirmative. Besides, if she wasn't to stand out by failing to attend the work's dance, it was far better to go with someone presentable and trustworthy. She judged the 23-year-old George to be a man who could be trusted not to abuse the privilege of her company or to take unfair advantage.
When the news got out among the other workers that George Munt had managed to ensnare the hitherto untouchable Beth into accompanying him to the dance, no opportunity was lost by both men and women at the mill to tease the couple mercilessly at every opportunity.
When the news got out among the other workers that George Munt had managed to ensnare the hitherto untouchable Beth into accompanying him to the dance, no opportunity was lost by both men and women at the mill to tease the couple mercilessly at every opportunity.
As the night of the work's dance approached, Beth bought herself a new dress for the event along with a new black pair of heels. She was undoubtedly the most fetching woman there on the night and her escort and partner for the evening, along with all the rest of the assembly, couldn't take their eyes off her. She looked simply beautiful in her long and luscious locks of black hair that swept half way down her back.
George was a perfect partner and the couple danced a good few dances throughout the evening and talked quite a bit. George did most of the talking and Beth, for the most part played the role of enthralled listener. It was during the last dance of the night when George and Beth became daring enough to loosen the reins of their declared affection. A slow number was being played and a majority of the couples on the dance floor suddenly relaxed their arms around their partners necks and stared to smooch.
George was a perfect partner and the couple danced a good few dances throughout the evening and talked quite a bit. George did most of the talking and Beth, for the most part played the role of enthralled listener. It was during the last dance of the night when George and Beth became daring enough to loosen the reins of their declared affection. A slow number was being played and a majority of the couples on the dance floor suddenly relaxed their arms around their partners necks and stared to smooch.
George and Beth followed suit. During the dance they kissed fully on the lips and seemed oblivious to being seen or being gossipped about after the Christmas break. Both obviously enjoyed the experience of their kiss; enough to prolong their public embrace. Being somewhat unaccustomed to drink, Beth was slightly inebriated. She had undoubtedly drunk one too many and was in a party mood. This was the first occasion in many years that the lips of any man had come close enough to her mouth to make her feel amorous and produce feelings of abandonment down below.
As George walked her home to her apartment in Cleckheaton, he had his arm around Beth and she seemed very happy with this, along with the nature of their conversation.
"This is where I live, George," Beth said coyly as they approached the door to the building in which her flat was housed. The couple kissed again.
"Don't I get.............Are you not going to invite me in for a coffee before I walk all the way back up the New Road to Hightown?" George pleaded. "It's freezing out and I'll have to walk if I can't get a taxi at this hour!"
"This is where I live, George," Beth said coyly as they approached the door to the building in which her flat was housed. The couple kissed again.
"Don't I get.............Are you not going to invite me in for a coffee before I walk all the way back up the New Road to Hightown?" George pleaded. "It's freezing out and I'll have to walk if I can't get a taxi at this hour!"
Beth looked at her companion and taking pity on him, she invited him inside. After she'd given George a hot drink and had turned on three bars of the electric fire, the couple looked at each other. It was that kind of look that neither required words nor any other gesture in order to fully understand the mutuality of their desire. Minutes later George and Beth were locked in a passionate embrace and were in her bedroom. She had partly been disrobed and George was also in a state of undress.
After kissing for a matter of minutes, George place his right hand on the knee of Beth and as he looked to her for some manner of approval, he continued to French kiss her as he raised up the hem of her dress and slid his hand up her thigh towards the rim of her knickers. Feeling the stocking suspenders she was wearing, he unclasped one and then the other. Meanwhile Beth continued to kiss George and started to feel more aroused.
After kissing for a matter of minutes, George place his right hand on the knee of Beth and as he looked to her for some manner of approval, he continued to French kiss her as he raised up the hem of her dress and slid his hand up her thigh towards the rim of her knickers. Feeling the stocking suspenders she was wearing, he unclasped one and then the other. Meanwhile Beth continued to kiss George and started to feel more aroused.
The couple slumped down on the bed in a passionate embrace and rolled over as though they were auditioning for the screen test of the 1953 film 'From here to Eternity'. As they rolled back and forth in ecstasy as did Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr in the longest film kiss ever screened, their passions rose in equal measure, Beth's dress was now removed and as she lay there in the white knickers she was wearing, the amorous George now on heat took the colour white to symbolise the colour of her 'surrender'.
George started to ease down her knickers, but as he did so, Beth's mood suddenly changed. She realised that he intended to make love without the use of any protection and became fearful of the possible consequences of an unwanted pregnancy. In a matter of moments, she saw herself out of control in her life again and the risk of having her freedom constrained was akin to a butterfly no longer able to flutter from field to field in open meadow.
She found a tension suddenly appear in that area which is prone to opening up wider during moments of intense passion. Instead of easing her legs ever wider, she found herself instinctively closing them tight together. Her two legs became locked tight in dread and her very next thought was of getting George to withdraw his advance.
Beth suddenly came to her senses and stopped George in his tracks. It wasn't that she didn't want George to make love to her there and then, as she clearly had done moments earlier. It was a sudden surge of panic that seized her and essentially froze her in the middle of their action. This seemed to be the only automatic act at her disposal to avoid the mounting fear of penetration. To Beth, penetration represented unwanted pregnancy, not pleasure! The next minute a red-faced Beth was on her feet and having quickly pulled up her knickers and rearranged her clothing she asked George politely to leave with the words, "I'm sorry, George I shouldn't have .............let you go so far. Please.............it's not you. It's me that's not quite ready. I hope that I haven't spoiled your night and left you thinking badly of me, because I like you.............Really, I do. I like you a lot, George."
She found a tension suddenly appear in that area which is prone to opening up wider during moments of intense passion. Instead of easing her legs ever wider, she found herself instinctively closing them tight together. Her two legs became locked tight in dread and her very next thought was of getting George to withdraw his advance.
Beth suddenly came to her senses and stopped George in his tracks. It wasn't that she didn't want George to make love to her there and then, as she clearly had done moments earlier. It was a sudden surge of panic that seized her and essentially froze her in the middle of their action. This seemed to be the only automatic act at her disposal to avoid the mounting fear of penetration. To Beth, penetration represented unwanted pregnancy, not pleasure! The next minute a red-faced Beth was on her feet and having quickly pulled up her knickers and rearranged her clothing she asked George politely to leave with the words, "I'm sorry, George I shouldn't have .............let you go so far. Please.............it's not you. It's me that's not quite ready. I hope that I haven't spoiled your night and left you thinking badly of me, because I like you.............Really, I do. I like you a lot, George."
Being an understanding person for a young single man of his age and despite being in a position of heightened sexual arousal, George indicated to Beth that it was okay and that she hadn't spoiled his night which he'd thoroughly enjoyed. Beth saw him to the door, kissed him on the lips and said, "I'll see you after the holidays, George. Have a good Christmas and put tonight's unsatisfactory ending down to me. You are a good catch for any woman, but at the moment, I'm not that woman for you or any other man, George. Merry Christmas, George."
Beth had tried to keep her end-of-the-night kiss no more than a soft kiss, but George seemed intent on kissing her more fulsomely to which she decided to acquiesce instead of ruining the young man's night any further.
Beth had tried to keep her end-of-the-night kiss no more than a soft kiss, but George seemed intent on kissing her more fulsomely to which she decided to acquiesce instead of ruining the young man's night any further.
"Merry Christmas, Beth," George replied as he started to make his way back home. He couldn't help feeling disappointed having been so close to his goal and yet having failed to reach fourth base. Whatever Beth had said by way of explanation, George couldn't help but fear that it was something he'd said or done that had brought about such a sudden change of heart in her.
George couldn't have been farther from the truth had he but known. The simple fact was that Beth's desires had led her into the bedroom with a man who she fancied the pants off. However, when the moment of truth came, her overriding thought had been her fear of an unwanted pregnancy. During this moment of indecision, her body involuntarily bottled out as images of the past began to flood her senses; images of having been pawed and raped by Martin Meggins at the age of thirteen years which came streaming back into the forefront of her mind.
Beth started to feel dirty all over again and immediately ran herself a bath, and despite the water being cold she immersed herself in it. Half an hour later she was still scrubbing her body with a bath brush and had rubbed her soft skin so roughly that she created abrasions and bleeding.
Beth started to feel dirty all over again and immediately ran herself a bath, and despite the water being cold she immersed herself in it. Half an hour later she was still scrubbing her body with a bath brush and had rubbed her soft skin so roughly that she created abrasions and bleeding.
The very next day, Beth still felt her body to be dirty and contaminated so she took herself off to the nearest hairdressers. This was a place that was normally patronised by male customers, not women. Beth deliberately went to a barber's shop who cut the hair of men instead of the local women's hairdressers. She knew that it would be the barber who'd be more acquainted with the style she wanted. Upon arrival, she was pleased to see the shop empty. The older of the two barbers present was sweeping up the floor before the arrival of his next customer and the younger barber in his twenties was reading a newspaper. Beth took a deep breath and asked him to cut her hair off as short as he could without shaving the scalp. Initially the older barber refused to spoil such a beautiful head of hair on an attractive woman and told Beth that she'd have to go elsewhere.
As Beth was about to leave the shop, the younger barber of the two said, "If that's what tha' wants and are prepared to pay the price, sit theesen down here and I'll do it!"
As Beth was about to leave the shop, the younger barber of the two said, "If that's what tha' wants and are prepared to pay the price, sit theesen down here and I'll do it!"
Beth sat down in the barber's chair and half an hour later rose from it and paid her price. As she opened her purse, her beautiful locks of shorn hair rested on the floor, awaiting sweeping up. Apart from being in good health and with eye shadow and make up on, Beth would have passed for a beautiful inmate being introduced to one of the concentration camps of the Second World War. From the back she might have passed for a man and it was only when you saw her face, female breasts and women's clothes that you knew that it was a woman beneath that severe and harsh cut that now adorned her head.
That Christmas was the very first Christmas time that Beth deliberately kept herself apart from everyone and anything that might remind her of the festivity of the occasion. She spent Christmas Day alone and had not one card of greeting to celebrate her twenty second birthday. Indeed, she had been a teenager when she had last received a birthday card. No doubt that she would have been given many a birthday card this year by her work mates had they known it was her birthday and that Christmas Day was a day in her life for double celebration. However, Beth had told nobody.
For the four days holidays before the time came when the work force were expected back at their machines, Beth stayed inside her flat and lived over the entire Christmas period on only five tins of beans, toast and one kipper. Not only did she now look like a concentration camp inmate, she felt as though she actually was one. Everything and everyone she'd ever loved as a child had either died or had been taken from her as though her tree of life had been transformed into the heritage trunk of a living tomb.
For the four days holidays before the time came when the work force were expected back at their machines, Beth stayed inside her flat and lived over the entire Christmas period on only five tins of beans, toast and one kipper. Not only did she now look like a concentration camp inmate, she felt as though she actually was one. Everything and everyone she'd ever loved as a child had either died or had been taken from her as though her tree of life had been transformed into the heritage trunk of a living tomb.
XXXXX
When Beth returned to the mill after the Christmas, everyone who passed her didn't realise that it was her until they'd taken a second glance. Not only had Beth had her head shorn in the crew cut of some American man, but she also wore a pair of trousers with a waistcoat on top instead of a skirt.
There was much speculation as to what had brought about such a big change in so short a time that would turn the bonniest woman at the mill into someone who now resembled a creature that was neither man nor woman!
As for poor George Munt who was also flabbergasted to see the change in Beth's appearance, the women at Harrison Gardner's blamed his date with Beth as being wholly responsible for the state she now found herself in.
As for poor George Munt who was also flabbergasted to see the change in Beth's appearance, the women at Harrison Gardner's blamed his date with Beth as being wholly responsible for the state she now found herself in.
"I know we always teased Beth for being too coy with the boys, George, but who would have thought that just one night out with you would have turned her completely to bat for the other team," Liz Perkings remarked.
Liz was a woman from the hanking department who spent almost all of her dinner breaks chatting up the lorry drivers, and though she wasn't the best looking of women, she was single, earthy in her comments and didn't mind losing her virginity over and over again in exchange for a laugh and a few Babychams on a night out.
Although Beth's hair started to grow back in time, she seemed determined to leave it short cut like that of a man's for over one year before allowing it to grow back into a pony tail. Over many of her remaining years that she worked at the mill of Harrison Gardner's, she was rarely seen in either dress or skirt, either at work or outside her job at nights and weekends.
Liz was a woman from the hanking department who spent almost all of her dinner breaks chatting up the lorry drivers, and though she wasn't the best looking of women, she was single, earthy in her comments and didn't mind losing her virginity over and over again in exchange for a laugh and a few Babychams on a night out.
Although Beth's hair started to grow back in time, she seemed determined to leave it short cut like that of a man's for over one year before allowing it to grow back into a pony tail. Over many of her remaining years that she worked at the mill of Harrison Gardner's, she was rarely seen in either dress or skirt, either at work or outside her job at nights and weekends.
Over the year that followed, a strange thing happened in her dealings with the men at the mill. It was as though they had come to regard Beth as being more one of them as opposed of being just another woman employee. This changed perception of Beth was welcomed by her and during the immediate months ahead, it was to act to her advantage in securing the overwhelming vote of the mill men in their annual ballot for shop steward.
