Morgan, Dave – Time Machine man’s impressive record

David Morgan (b1949)

BORN in Manchester, David James Morgan’s family moved to Ropsley when he was only five.

He went to the village school and was in the first intake at the newly-opened Charles Read School, Corby Glen.

He showed an interest in music at an early age and learned to play lead guitar. His first group was a Sleaford-based blues band Evil Mein in the early 1960s.

This was followed by a middle-of-the road combo, Swallowhole Farm. Named after the barn at Saltby where they rehearsed.

This included Vaughan Hardy, Jim Hardy, Tom Lane, Gordon Tyler, and Peter Bailey. This was followed by Yorkie.

On leaving school, he joined first prineters Lynes, then after less than a year joined the Grantham Journal as an apprentice photo-engraver. He continued there until printing ceased and joined Illustrated County Magazines at Radcliffe, working on such prestigious titles as Tatler.

Then one night, in the Black Dog, an encounter with Pete Mitchum was to change his life.

Pete was looking for someone to manage his shop, Grantham Record and Disco Centre, in Castlegate. He bought it in 1978 and moved across the road with Airwaves Music.

Dave spent a couple of years in Columbia (you can only live on a diet of steak for so long) and in 1986 opened Time Machine in the former Fox & Hounds pub, Wide Westgate, by then a cutting room for Hilary Morgan outworkers.

And there he remains, selling rare CDs and vinyls.

In his spare time he likes to dabble in antiques and a spot of model making.

He began with a model of the Granada based on the cinema in 1957, followed by the Picture House.

Dave became carried away and built the St Peter’s Hill shops in between and it can now be seen in Grantham Museum.