One winter in the 1980s, Ernie Mason was at a loose end, so he bought a notebook and began to write his autobiography. This story encapsulates a working-class man’s journey through life over the course of the twentieth century, documenting the many changes that took place in the local environment and in social conditions.
Born in 1906, Ernie lived all his life in Hove, except for a short period spent in the Navy in the Second World War. Ernie recalls vivid memories of growing up in Hove, of street traders, long-lost cinemas, shops and pubs, school life and Brighton and Hove at the time of the First World War. Ernie started his working life at the age of 11 and his narrative not only provides a unique personal history, but also depicts a largely forgotten way of life in a bygone era.
A Working Man is now out of print but is available as a PDF download of the original text on a pay-what-you-like basis. You can download it by clicking here. To make a donation for this booklet, please click on the button below.
