An ex Army man, Hore-Belisha was a good organiser and not short of ideas. Famous, of course, for giving his name to the flashing beacons on striped poles still decorating many crossings on British high streets, Belisha also introduced the Highway Code and in mid 1935, he brought in the driving test. Later in the decade he made himself unpopular with Tory Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain by badgering for increased military spending while insisting Adolf Hitler was not to be trusted. An astute fellow indeed.

More than a little peeved at having to take the new test as I was not 17 years of age by the cut off date, I was duly obliged to present myself for scrutiny not very long after the test's introduction. After meeting the examiner at the pre-arranged spot opposite the Red Lion in town (most convenient) we toodled around for half an hour or so in Algy Tomlinson's Morris 8 until it was decided I had passed. Having been driving various of pater and grandpa's racing cars on dirt tracks on the farm since I was 12, including a number of hairy pre-war chain driven fire breathers, quite frankly I would have been somewhat miffed if I had not done so. Good job he didn't see me knock young Bob the new postman off his bicycle as I emerged hurriedly from the farm gates on my way to the test (at least it stopped his damned whistling for a few minutes).

Incidentally, I took the test in Algy's Morris as my Alfa was temporarily sidelined with a con rod through its block (bored out to the nth degree, the old girl had let go while attempting a new record for a flying lap of the far fields) and mother was in Shrewsbury for the day in her baby Austin. It was thought turning up in pater's Silver Ghost might alienate the examiner somewhat and as grandpa had nothing suitable to spare either I gave Algy a tinkle and borrowed the little brown Morris for the day. A utilitarian boneshaker of no great urge, the 8 was an ideal car for the purpose.

Actually, Algy had taken his test in the same car the week before and had passed despite not being able to find it for a while when he emerged from the Red Lion at the allotted time, Then he discovered to his horror he had left the keys in the ignition and somehow locked the driver's door. Ingress was achieved through the boot and the rest of the test passed without incident until the examiner cracked his head on the windscreen during the emergency stop procedure. I should have told Algy I fettled the brakes for him last time he called round at the farm.