Mervyn J Futter - Singer - Songwriter - Compere and Good Looking Half of a Country Music Duo.
My Childhood
I was one of five children, two bothers, David & Colin and two Sisters Daphne & Glenda,
I was the baby of the family. Dad worked on a local farm and grew vegetables on his
allotment which he sold to make extra money. I used to help him on his allotment, he really
loved his garden and was very good at it.
I have very few photo's of me as a child. I was born at the hospital in King's Lynn
and lived at Wiggenhall St Mary's, Just down the road from where we are now.
| A very young wee Merv
One of the earliest pictures I have of me as a child, I think I was about 3 years old. What a little cutie I was. Strangely I seem to remember that Cardigan, it's funny how some things stick in your mind. |
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 Which one is me. |
I really have no idea where this was taken, it was probably on a trip to the seaside and I would guess I was somewhere around two years old. I hope it was a stuffed goat.
This must be the earliest picture I have. |
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Animals played a big part in my childhood. here I am with our faithful dog Rover. He was an adorable old thing and was always very patient with me. We spent many happy hours together. The whole family saw Rover as their dog, owned by no one in particular, he was just ours. We also had a cat called Tiddles. |
 Come on Rover, Smile |
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Again I have no idea when or where this picture was taken. It's faded giving it an appealing antique's road show look. As you can see I was and am, still knock knee'd. I have a feeling it might have been Gt Yarmouth or Clacton as we did have one or two day trips there. My recollection of childhood is a happy time, I might not look it here but I was happy honest, and a day trip would have been a very exciting special treat. |
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A very shy little Merv |
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 A day trip to Wroxham I loved my Duffle Coat |
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| Me and my beloved cat Patch. | ||
This is a highly treasured picture of mine and as I study this, memories come flooding back. I was around nine years old, Mum & Dad said I could go and choose a kitten from a litter that dad's friends cat had just had. I can still remember every detail, how excited I was as I walked around a mile to the shed on the allotment where the kittens were. They were all beautiful but he just stood out, he was mine from the moment I saw him, a special cat in every way. I carried him all the way home and we became inseparable, he really was so intelligent, almost human at times. He would wait at the bottom of our road every night when I came home from school, he'd run to meet me and I'd reach down to pick him up or sometimes he'd run beside me. We spent so much time together, he used to leap from the floor directly on to my shoulder, which I thought was very clever and we used to show every one our trick. I say he was special because as I reflect I realise just how much I learnt from him. We had complete and unwavering trust in each other. If things weren't going well we still always had each other. Sadly Patch died before his time, a victim of poison that some farmer had put down we believe. Yet another lesson that he taught me. How to come to terms with an unbearable feeling of loss and emptiness. Grief is such a powerful emotion and this was my first taste of how destructive and powerful it can be. It took a long while to get over him but his memory has lasted me a life time. I hope that every child is lucky enough to find something as special as we had together. The name Patch came from his black marking over his right eye. |
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Looking like James Dean This must be my favourite childhood photograph. My brother Colin took this and I still remember him standing me against the door and arranging my shirt collar just so. He'd got himself a new camera and was trying out his skills. I think I was around eleven years old at the time. With the natural shadows it looks quite dramatic doesn't it. Oh to be so young again and know what I know now. How often have you heard that said. |
Contact:
Merv & Maria
Islington
King's Lynn
Norfolk
PE34 3BH
Tel: 01553 617546
