Harcourt used to go with his mates to play music in various pubs (he played the accordion).

Six of them used to travel in a little Austin 7, and Harcourt’s job -  sitting in the middle on a plank across the gap in the seats next to the driver - was to shift the gearstick as required by the driver, who smoked a pipe and was quite a heavy drinker…

“They were funny old days…”