Viv Nicholson- rip

aye, also got on cover of a smiths single

Utterly unremarkable non-entity.

Did her first husband not get killed in a car crash on the way to Beverley races shortly after she won the money?

At least there was some logic with the Pools. Pity the Lottery has killed it off.

A terrifying conspiracy which I suspect goes to the very heart of the JFK Assassination.

No-one was left to testify.

You knew you were a shrewdie when you used a pools collector rather than pay the postage.

Of course, there was also the small matter of the firms keeping about 60% of the pool as "expenses and commission", but we didn't understand what that meant and, like Nicholson, we were happy in our ignorance.

How many firms can you name?

Littlewoods, the big 'un at a whopping penny a line, and funded an empire for the Moores and a shopping spree for Viv Nicholson, very possibly in the Moores family stores;

Vernons, also from Liverpool, but something like a farthing a line, so still worthwhile divis, and funded Sangster's racing empire, which led to N American bloodstock ruling the world;

Zetters, for the real cheapskates like my family at 1/20p a line. This enabled you to devise the most outrageously complicated plans and perms, usually involving about 40 selections, with a guarantee that something like 20 correct draws would guarantee you a line with 6 correct, which still didn't guarantee a divi on this pool. Zetters also funded a racing empire, that of Carries Zetter, whose blue colours usually featured at Fontwell rather than Royal Ascot;

Soccer, Empire of Blackpool and Copes were all variations on the Zetters low-cost model. Copes was also a bookmaker.

They lived next door to one of my best pals brother with him and his parents behind them,they were the only 3 houses on the site,just reading the obit this morning its described as sprawling with a swimming pool,they had long gone when I used to visit my pal but I don't recall any swimmimg pool and while it will have been pretty decent for the time unless its had a massive revamp I'd guess it at around 400k today.
My pal did tell me that his brothers wife who could hold her own in the talking stakes used to have massive rows with Viv over the parties etc.
Think the husband got killed on his way back from catterick races.

What do you mean Jack?

How would they know they had won. Do you mean thought they could have won?

I used the special stamp, and often had it over where the ball was meant to be and, with the tiny crosses being so close together, should have been in with a chance but so were thousands of others.

Being naive I never thought about the collector being bent!

Aunty, I meant they had won the pools rather than spot the ball.  Sorry if not clear.

did you marry Miss Boycott ?

... chased him down the street with a cricket bat.

Howzat?