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John Blake had stayed on in Kenya running his deep sea fishing business in Mombassa. Life for Jack and Pat, in Jamaica was enjoyable even though the work side was not so good. Jack’s early travels abroad were to the West Indies spending three years in Trinidad and Tobago. Two of his girls went to schools there They found it very different, Corral was not very happy she couldn’t adjust to the local teaching he enjoyed Jamaica with it’s wonderful beaches. Motty also came out to Kenya. Jack rejoined the company for his last five years as a member of the permanent staff to the firm on Brockley Hill who build the M1

They had two projects for him, one at Aberdabi in the Middle East, the other in Nigeria. At the time there was complete confusion with the ordering and purchase of materials. There were for hundred ships standing off the coast near Lagos, it was like a shoreline of continuous lights out there. They spent so much money on projects but very little got off the ground. They gave out jobs to consultants like laying fifty miles of road, then another for relaying the whole three thousand miles of railway track and changing it to standard gauge. The money was coming from the oil revenue. So many people were involved in ordering cement that there was no co-ordination and chaos ensued.

While staying in Victoria Island there attempted coup accrued. The Head of State was killed and shooting was breaking out as Jack was setting off for town. He was advised not to go so stayed on the Island. A colleague who was doing an aerial survey was right in the midst of it and had to shelter in his office keeping his head down. The Coup failed but there was a curfew for some weeks after.

Pat was due out to join her husband but couldn’t because of the curfew. At the time he was staying in an annex of the half-built Holiday Inn. When Pat arrived she was badly treated by the entry officials at immigration. By the time she met Jack she was ready to return home on the next plane. Jack talked her round and she stayed helping Jack with the office work. They only stayed for a short contract and returned to England expecting to return to the Gulf, but in 1976 Jack suffer had a minor stroke.               

Jack had been asked to attend the Road Conference in Abidjan on the Ivory Coast, staying in a huge and wonderful hotel. A minister was supposed to have been there but failed to arrive so the trip was a complete waste of time. Jack hadn’t been feeling very well, and had suffered with high blood pressure following a few days of flu. The Doctor had seen him and prescribed medication, but that was clearly a signal. He had been back only a few days and was staying with Corral. It was a very cold morning and he got up to find his arm was just swinging about out of control, he also found he could not talk properly for a few minutes. He went sent into hospital and monitored for twelve days after which he was put on medication. It was probably a combination of the cold weather, circulation and the difficulties of working in Nigeria.

In April 1976, Jack went out to the Gulf, on a scheme for a big military town with hospitals, accommodation and shops. Pakistani consultants had been working on it. Company surveyors and engineers were drawn in to help

Jack stayed in Dubai with his representative. And they travelled to Abudhabi for general preliminary talks about the job. He had had a few days break here for it was their prophet’s birthday. They travelled to the Indian Ocean side staying at Padua where there was a very nice beach. The area was very pleasant and he was sure Pat would love to come out though these areas are not so good for women.

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