A Long Time Ago in a far away place called the Combe of the Templars, in the Vale of Blackmore was borne Graham Richard Budden to Eric and Bettie of the Combe. Eric and Bettie were amazed to see three wise women had been waiting in anticipation for his arrival. In his eagerness to be on time for the 25th he arrived a day early on Christmas Eve dashing the hopes of a second coming, his first words were said to be "I didn't want to miss breakfast, or second breakfast". The wise women had carried gifts from far and wide of "Lard" from the Port of Milborne, "LittleSense" from Henstridge and Mere (later exchanged for a side of Gammon from Denmark). Much to Graham's delight the wise women didnt have receipts for their gifts and handed them over. It seemed to do wonders to Graham's growth as he shot up like a golden beanstalk.

Bettie and Graham

Eric had to take leave to Belgium in his tank to fight the evil Mr Hitler and he won. Meanwhile, in the Combe, Bettie and her sisters Ruth, Rae & Mary instructed Graham in the magical ways of the Combe and told him of its secrets. Bettie knew people who nobody else could remember and places that they'd never heard of like the daughter of "so and so" and his wife y'know of Templemarsh Lane. It was all quite wonderous for Graham as he sat in his pram listening to the wise ladies as Hitler's bombs landed all around them.

With Hitler out of the way and Eric back home it was safe to come out of the pram, it was just as well as brother John had arrived and there wasn't rooom for two of them in there. Graham took himself across the road from the shop run by Eric and Bettie to the Combe school where he stayed keeping and eye on his brother John until he was 15. At 15 it was time to enter a new world known as Grocerland.

Graham and John

Fair Maiden Mary

Grocerland (left) was made up of the operatives of Co-Operation, Budgetshire and the Warner Land of the Mason. After a 9 month stint of co-operation Graham went to work in the Budgetshire which was stacked full of all the foods from the forests of the land and to his delight, Graham soon found himself in the realm of the Peach Halves. It was here that he first caught a glimpse of the fair maiden Mary with whom he fell in Love. Aged 21 Graham and Mary married and moved into their enchanted flat above the Combe House. The flat came with a magical cat "Tinker" that would hover on the magic carpet that rose above the floor whenever the North wind did blow.

Wedding Day Mary & Graham

Times were hard, as Graham went football training and played twice at the weekend for Rovers of the Combe and struggled to maintain his visits to the pub as Mary washed his clothes by hand.

Rovers of the Combe

Manor of the Close

Shortly after Graham and Mary moved to their new brand new bungalow in Close of the Manor, Eric sadly departed. A year or so later Graham and Mary brought Mark into the World. Now Graham really found it hard to keep up his football and switched to the more time consuming pastime of golf.

Around this time the land of Warner and the Mason crumbled and in it's place came the Land of The Viking Bacon Makers. Graham ventured to the Bristolian Aerial in his Ford Cortina only to be mistaken for Eddie of the Shoestring. With no ideal what to do Eddie stopped his radio show and Graham ventured south to Exeter (but he would return).

Graham v Shoestring

Brother John married Rosemary and a few years later Jon was borne; Bettie had found new names for us all, Graham was "John Jon Jonathan Graham", John was "Graham Mark Jonathan John", Jonathan was "Graham John Jonathan" and Mark was "Graham John Jonathan Mark". Meanwhile, Graham became head football coach to Mark. Mark took up cricket.

Jon Graham Mark