Roger Eagles
I left school and went to the Tech which was just of the Pool road for about 6 months to do a business course. During this time the Police approached me in college and asked if I would like to join as at that time Police Officers were leaving the force in their droves. I went up to the Police Station and took an entrance exam which seemed very easy and passed. I went up there again when they requested measurements. Apperently there were minimum requirements. I was 6’ tall that was ok. The minimum weight was 11 stone, I was 9stone. The sergeant put his foot on the scale until it went up to 11 . That’s ok he said. Minimum chest measurement 38’ I was 34’ he just extended the tape measure until it read 38 and said that’s near enough. My waist was 28’ I cant remember what he said about that. So I had passed my exam and physical all I had to do was have a chest x ray and an interview in Carmarthen and I was in the Police. I remember saying to the sarge don’t you think they are going to notice that I am not as big as I should be. Don’t worry they will never notice. Guess what they didn’t. Iwas now in the Dyfed Powys Police cadets just before my eighteenth birthday. It was six weeks before I had any sort of uniform that just didn’t drop off me, still they didn’t notice. I was then in Carmarthen for a few months and came back to Newtown until I was 18 and a half when I joined the regular Police and went to Chantmarle in Dorset for 10 weeks to do my training.
I was then stationed in Brecon for two years. During this time I came home for a weekend off and three mates and I decided to go to a dance in Llanfyllin. When we got there it had been cancelled. One of the boys, Ray Brown said there was a dance in the Astral Rooms in Welshpool so we went there. I met a young girl called Janet Williams and started going out with her. I left Brecon and went to Crickhowell and then to Hay-on-Wye. I was in digs there for twelve months . During this time I got engaged to Jan and got married in September 1978 and moved into a Police house. I was stationed in Hay for eleven years during which time we had three fantastic kids Aaron who is now 27 Rachel is now 25 and Naomi who is 20. All were born in Hereford.
I then transferred to Llanfair Caereinion in January 1988. After being in a very busy station Llanfair was like a holiday camp so I had a rest for six years. For the next eleven years I had quite a busy time in Welshpool where I stayed until I retired on the 1st July 2005. I still live in Llanfair with Jan and my son Aaron, Rachel lives with her boyfriend in Newcastle upon tyne. She graduated from Durham university with a degree in French and German a few years ago. My youngest Naomi is doing a history of art degree at Warwick. A bit strange this as when my daughters used to show my Dad their reports which were very good and then show mine which weren’t so good Rachel used to ask Dad if he thought they would be good enough for her to go to university. His reply was “the only way an Eagles would get into university would be if they were a burglar”. He always said good looks and brains always skipped a generation in the Eagles family. Yes it skipped me.
Now I am enjoying my retirement by working at Newtown High School as a Social Inclusion coordinator. I still live in Llanfair, (for my sins). Over the years I have enjoyed fly fishing and have represented the Welsh Police on many occasions. I am currently the chairman of the Welshpool Festival of Transport and Area Commissioner for Scouting in Montgomeryshire and enjoy being a member of Welshpool Rotary Club. During my time in the Police I have been heavily involved in local community groups and organisations so its now nice to take a bit of a back seat.
I also like travelling abroad and have recently discovered Italy. I do enjoy Europe as a week away at a time is long enough for me. It was lovely to see all the old faces at the football club and I really enjoyed speaking to people that I have known a while and those that I had not spoken to for over thirty years. I was amazed how some had changed totally and some hadn’t seemed to have changed. It was interesting standing by the door as we all came in.
I look forward to seeing you all in the future.
Regards
Roger
