In a Looking Back Special on October 25, Andrew Smith, aged 38, from Little Lever wrote about mother Pamela’s family. Today he looks at the other side of the family, in particular, his grandfather Harry. The first Harry Smith in my family was born in Bolton in 1844. Since then there has been six more.

The first Harry worked as a saddler with his step-brother John and, apparently, did quite well as he had a servant.

But the popularity of his trade changed with the advent of the electric tram.

The next Harry, born in 1876, worked in his father’s tripe business. His father, Charles, set up the business in Bury Road in the 1870s.

Charles had 12 children and traded for 64 years, surviving two world wars, the Depression of the 1920s and stiff competition from many other traders.

Harry’s older brother Charles junior, took over after their father’s death in 1928.

Charles jnr had a flair for business and was soon selling wholesale to many shops. The Smith’s motto of “It’s in everybody’s mouth — Smith’s tripe, absolutely the best” could be seen on the side of their wagons and hawkers carts.

Charles was also Conservative MP for Tonge with Haulgh for a number of years. He apparently used to “give” people tripe if they voted for him.

He became chairman of the Bolton markets committee and helped redesign the main market place ready for its grand reopening in 1938.

Having come from a family with 11 siblings, Harry Smith had only one child in 1901 and named him — Harry, who became a messenger and a window cleaner. He lived in Morton Street.

In 1921, Harry had a son — Harry, again — who was my granddad. He lived at 36 Denvale Avenue, Tonge Moor.

My granddad learned to ride horses, often bareback, on farms. He was bitten on the face by a horse once and permanently lost the feeling in his cheek, but his love of horses remained.

He joined the Territorial Army aged 15 years and six months on June 3 1937. He was enlisted under paragraph 188 Territorial Army regs as a signaller in the Royal Regiment of Artillery, 53rd Territorial Field Regiment/210 East Lancashire Battery. He was very proud of the fact he was the youngest person in Bolton to do so.

Standing 5ft 5in and weighing eight stone, granddad was ready to do his bit.

In February, 1941, while home on leave, my granddad married Emma Sarah Dixon, and decided to unofficially extend his leave. He was eventually escorted back to barracks by two burly military policemen and given 14 days detention — he said it was worth it.

In June, 1944, my granddad arrived at Normandy six days after D-Day and played his part in pushing the Germans back to Berlin.

In Germany, an officer was asking if anyone could ride a horse to round up German soldiers dressed as civilians. My granddad volunteered and was soon riding at breakneck speed through the Black Forest.

He also went to the concentration camp Belsen. He said it was the only thing that upset him during his entire time as a soldier — he never spoke of it in detail.

Harry and Emma lived in Horwich and had four children — one called Harry.

He worked at Horwich Loco works. It was hard, physical work and it aggravated a wartime back injury.

Despite failing health, he always made me laugh and my lovely grandma would call him “army barmy” when he was telling his stories.

From riding a bike with a candle in a jam jar for a light down Tanners Brew, to riding a horse through the Black Forest chasing German soldiers, my granddad was a wonderful man who still inspires me to this day.

l My thanks to Marjory Houlihan, author of Tales Of The Lancashire Tripe Trade.