I at last managed to get to fathers home set in the lovely Helensburgh. It is a hidden gem as the town spills into the water, and has many magnificent homes set into the hillside. Fathers childhood home was set above the town but within easy walking distance from the coastline and shops. The street the house is set on is lined with cherry trees, which by sheer good luck were in full blossom as we arrived. The area of the house is full of the larger homes of the well off and wealthy. We must remember that to be a Minister with your own church at that time was a high social standing position. Plus the fact that Baird had married well, into a shipping family helped with the finances. Bairds father seems to have paid a high price for the home at the time, but it is just a magnificent home. My brutal step father was bought up in a home set on the outskirts of the village Abridge, a feature of the home was a large red brick fireplace, a sign of wealth in those days. The strange thing is that many years later he bought a derelict house in Farnley Leeds, paying too much for it, but it did have a large red brick fireplace in the lounge. The Baird home was expensive at the time but it seemed to fit the family's needs perfectly.

Fathers connection with his parents is hard to assess from the scant knowledge that I can find. I think he was doted on by his mother and very close to her, resenting  that she went about doing good so much. For this he blamed his father who to me sounds like a pure God sent. He had a very striking good sense of humour. John Logie Baird takes time to tell us that this prevented his promotion in the church. There are few pictures of father with his parents, I think his mother died before his funds could help her in any way, and the only picture we have of father and son they are shaking hands! Father is well dressed but dad is in carpet slippers, almost as if he wanted to be an embarrassment, I think this was his humour coming into play again. Had he been asked to meet the Queen I feel sure the same slippers would suffice.  

I was totally stunned at the amount of famous people coming from Helensburgh, there was film stars who conquered Hollywood and the brainy ones who headed corporations including sadly the BBC. Being of fragile health John Logie spent time in bed  and at home, with his inquisitive mind he managed to set up a successful telephone system to his friends and he added electric light to the house. It is not reported how his father reacted to these intrusions into his house but just the very fact that John Logie did two things means that the first was accepted by his father and he was allowed to add another. The Rev seems a very tolerant man, he even managed to send the princely sum of £50 to his son, to help him, thus showing a caring faith in his offspring. At the age of twelve I was asked if I wanted to go to Great Yarmouth on holiday with the son of a worker at Stanley's place of work. David Senior was alone without ant siblings, his parents felt that having a friend on holiday with him would compensate for the lack of brothers. It was the first time I had ever been on holiday and I loved every minute. The time with David's family opened my eyes to another side of life, as David had a close relationship with his father and even borrowed his ties. Having experienced this when I read of Logie Bairds father, I instinctively knew he was a "Good Egg" as they say. He seldom cold spend time away from the business as each and every problem of setting up a TV studio was placed at his doorstep. Mother always had time off with pay whenever he went home. He would often call to collect her from Abridge on his way back to his home and the studio. Mother loved him to meet her family and to show her friends, this famous man who was at that time a world celebrity.

John Logie told mother one day that he had discovered a way to explore the spectrum and it was revealing some stunning secrets. He said that he had made some notes so that at a later date he could return to his research and peruse things that he had not time for now. The great Fibre Optics that he found would excite him as this would transmit a picture at the speed of light without any distortion. He showed mother his notebook and where it was hidden with instructions that if ever there was a fire this should be saved at all costs. Sadly the book never surfaced when he died and I wonder if it was burnt as Junk?  John Logie Baird did care about others but often being so excited about the world around him his mind would wander when having a conversation. His great friend Winston Churchill often called recognizing the importance of Television. The had long conversations about many things and it was mothers job to keep both supplied with tea and homemade cookies.

Poor Margaret Albu always knew that she was second best. her high standing in South Africa meant nothing in the halls of Europe and her playing of the piano that had so enhanced their early romance, just faded away. I often felt very sorry for his wife as it was his mistake to chase the young pianist, so the marriage ended up being for show only. Margaret now neither belonged to her South Africa or the England where she bought up her children. Father had spent some £20,000 perfecting 1000 to 1800 line colour television. The sum invested was a pittance when related to the USA spending over £75,000,000 that is seventy five million without success. In the end they waited for fathers patent to expire, then acquired it.

His health took a sudden dip and he returned to his home on the south coast. He had to take to his bed but seemed to improve. It was at this time I first met father. Mother and her boys that is myself and my half brother went from Layentonstone north London down to fathers. The moment sticks in my mind because my brother and I went everywhere togeather, secondly mother asked Bernard to stay outside and wait, then actually holding my hand, a thing she never did, she never touched me, walked into the house without knocking. I feel that again poor Margaret knew of my existance and had maybe gone shopping with her children while negotiations were in progress. Father was sat in a chair and smartly dressed. I was pushed forward by mother saying to me as she shoved "I want you to meet this man so shake hands and say hello." He stood seeming very tall to me and stooped to shake my hand and pat my blond hair. I was then pushed outside and told to wait with Bernard. Bernard was agog and asked £What was in there?" "Just some old man I replied. I think the second visit was after the house was bought in Wanstead as mother was much happier than the last time. again I was presented to him and again he patted my head. I could not understand what was being said and was happy when it was over. The sad thing is that when I returned to the Mays after my extended hospital stay Step father Stanley immediately started to beat me again. My Father had died so I was taken all over to see if one of the family would raise me in safety away from brutal Stanley. Nobody wanted me so with the help of Winston Churchill who found a place in an orphanage for me I left the Mays.

As we read all that has been written and add to it the things that mother was constantly telling me, a picture forms that after fathers marriage to Margaret he stopped seeing his soul mate. Later I feel that there was some contact as though John Logie had done everything to end the relationship, the love was a true love and abiding. When he was ill, I do question at times how well he was looked after. He sadly died in his sleep before he could sell his high definition colour television, as the BBC were again playing the fool!

John Logie Baird's death made the news and at last, the love of his life appeared to say goodbye to him. Margaret was an angel and helped her rival as best as she could. I found out that John Logies love lived until in her 90's and only after spending years without her love she was at last reunited with him in the afterlife.