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One of the tasks I had inherited was to run a fortnightly
furniture auction. This was held in a dilapidated corrugated iron shed in Church
Street. It made no money and created an enormous amount of hassle. I campaigned
for several years before I managed to get the firm to agree to close it. From
my days in the auction room is born my dislike of victorian. Countless suites
of furniture would come in comprising a chaise longe together with matching
chairs. Again and again I would ask a shilling and more often than not there
was no response. The occasional suite might make as much as five shillings if
it was an exceptional quality and perhaps inlaid. Gems did turn up occasionally
and Frank and John Bly the antique dealers from Tring were always very helpful
in giving guidance as to any object that needed special treatment.
In his capacity as Sheriffs Officer, Hugh Dix had to seize various goods in security for judgement debts and, if not paid, then sell the goods. I remember he once sold a Spitfire Fighter for eleven thousand pounds. On another occasion two engines for formula one racing cars sat in our offices for about two months until the debt was cleared. That particular racing firm still exists and is now prominent in the field of Formula 1 motor racing.