Tuesday, 23 June 2009
Having sandwiches in Dad’s hut …….. 2
One dank and miserable day, we had been indoors most of the day, Dad going in and out seeing ‘to things’ and I had been doing my usual ‘things’ and it had been very quiet and almost boring (I had my books). The day became foggy as the evening drew on so, when I went round with Dad to lock up, I really had to watch where I was going. So holding on to Dad’s hand and watching the ground I trundled round with him. The mist got gradually thicker and it was quite frightening. We locked the top gate and started to walk alongside the hedge down towards Manor Road Gate. Suddenly I saw something on the ground and picked it up – it was folded up and was a £10 pound note!!! My Dad scowled at me (as he often did!!) and told me not to be foolish but I put it in my pocket so that when we got back to his hut I could prove it was not just a sweet wrapper. So we continued the routine of locking up, but when we returned to the hut I left the paper in my pocket and then we set off home. Once we reached the house there was no holding me as I ran up the entry, into the kitchen and told Mam all about what had happened, she was astonished as Dad, didn’t believe it either. I pulled the paper out of my pocket and there it was – a £10 pound note!!! It was like finding a £50 note in today’s money. I had to put it straight into my money box, a special one that had to be opened at the bank and the money paid into my bank account. I was thrilled to think I had all that money in my bank but I can’t for the life of me remember what I spent it on!!
Sunday, 21 June 2009
Having sandwiches in Dad’s hut
This was sharing to the utmost!!! It was always such a private moment between Dad and me; but then he always shared his food with me, especially the bones off his chops, and the tripe out of his Tripe and Onions. It was through this sharing of bones that I learnt how to strip them ….. if I moved away from him then there would be no more from that meal!!!!
Mam always used to moan but Dad ignored her and I know now that she didn’t mind really, she was just being a mom. I was the last child born after the war finished so when I reached the interesting stage – 2years old – Dad had left the army and was trying to find work, along with hundreds of other ex-service people. Dad must have spent a lot of time at home but it was before I was old enough to really appreciate this.
My earliest memory as I have said previously was when I was three and I broke my leg. My next memories are of school so I wasn’t aware that Mam and Dad’s relationship was any different to when my brother and sister were small – they were just there!!! Dad did not have a lot to do with my siblings as children because, although before the war Mam was in married quarters usually on the base, unfortunately the war was on and he was away during the best times to get to know them.
Dad was the centre of my universe, I always felt that I had a special relationship with him but was not aware that I was ‘spoilt’. During the school holidays I spent a lot of time with him, me and Frieda – although she was not privy to a lot of what went on as she would stay in the street playing with the other children, using her own home as a base. I opened up the park with him on the days that Mam worked and closed it again at night, if it was before my bedtime or around that time. Mam would make sandwiches for us both for breakfast, mostly jam. Dad would pick up a loaf of bread and something for us to have for lunch from the shop for lunch and maybe tea. Sometimes Dad opened the top of the oven and toasted the bread, my job being to spread the marg and jam. We couldn’t always do this as the fire was not hot enough, some days it always seemed to just smoke which filled the hut very quickly. Dad always sent me into the other room and told me to shut the door and stay there till he told me to come out. I didn’t mind as I had my book and I could look out of the window. The window looked onto the Manor Road gate so I could watch the people going to and fro and also those in their gardens. On Toasty days we saved the sandwiches for tea! They were always slightly mashed and bent, with the jam running into the bread – unless you have taken jam sandwiches on a picnic - you have no idea of the taste. For lunch we would have sausage or bacon sandwiches or such like, always followed by a piece of Mam’s apple pie. Mam would make a bacon and egg pie which we would have for lunch, this was delicious although I was not always keen on the soggy bits!!! Alternatively she could make us some soup or stew and Dad would warm this up on the stove and we would have it with bread. Dad’s table was a small fold up one, may have been a card table I am not sure as there was nearly always a plastic cloth over it. I don’t recall where he kept the cutlery and plates etc or the bowl for washing, I think that the only cupboard as I remember was a single wardrobe like one in the other room. He kept his paperwork, small tools and things in there. I had a hook on the back of the door at my height for me to hang my coat and bag (always brought the bag with my books, colouring and writing stuff, sewing, sometimes a jigsaw). The days were long, quite boring at times, although in the summer I could escape out into the park, but always where Dad could see me. Having to stay close to the hut, I found that I could collect leaves and flowers and ‘explore’ round the changing rooms hut. I even had a vase for my picked flowers although the garden that I made just outside the hut never came to anything!! Dad superior, Mr Douggan, came on a Friday at some time to give him his wage packet and I always, always had to be out of the way when he came. I met him once or twice when I was ill, probably tonsillitis from which I suffered a lot. The Superintendent was another ex army officer and Dad would make him a cup of tea and they would sit and chat. I had to be invisible on these visits, I didn’t know then why but now I realise that Dad could have lost his job if it was known that he was looking after me while he was at work.
Mam always used to moan but Dad ignored her and I know now that she didn’t mind really, she was just being a mom. I was the last child born after the war finished so when I reached the interesting stage – 2years old – Dad had left the army and was trying to find work, along with hundreds of other ex-service people. Dad must have spent a lot of time at home but it was before I was old enough to really appreciate this.
My earliest memory as I have said previously was when I was three and I broke my leg. My next memories are of school so I wasn’t aware that Mam and Dad’s relationship was any different to when my brother and sister were small – they were just there!!! Dad did not have a lot to do with my siblings as children because, although before the war Mam was in married quarters usually on the base, unfortunately the war was on and he was away during the best times to get to know them.
Dad was the centre of my universe, I always felt that I had a special relationship with him but was not aware that I was ‘spoilt’. During the school holidays I spent a lot of time with him, me and Frieda – although she was not privy to a lot of what went on as she would stay in the street playing with the other children, using her own home as a base. I opened up the park with him on the days that Mam worked and closed it again at night, if it was before my bedtime or around that time. Mam would make sandwiches for us both for breakfast, mostly jam. Dad would pick up a loaf of bread and something for us to have for lunch from the shop for lunch and maybe tea. Sometimes Dad opened the top of the oven and toasted the bread, my job being to spread the marg and jam. We couldn’t always do this as the fire was not hot enough, some days it always seemed to just smoke which filled the hut very quickly. Dad always sent me into the other room and told me to shut the door and stay there till he told me to come out. I didn’t mind as I had my book and I could look out of the window. The window looked onto the Manor Road gate so I could watch the people going to and fro and also those in their gardens. On Toasty days we saved the sandwiches for tea! They were always slightly mashed and bent, with the jam running into the bread – unless you have taken jam sandwiches on a picnic - you have no idea of the taste. For lunch we would have sausage or bacon sandwiches or such like, always followed by a piece of Mam’s apple pie. Mam would make a bacon and egg pie which we would have for lunch, this was delicious although I was not always keen on the soggy bits!!! Alternatively she could make us some soup or stew and Dad would warm this up on the stove and we would have it with bread. Dad’s table was a small fold up one, may have been a card table I am not sure as there was nearly always a plastic cloth over it. I don’t recall where he kept the cutlery and plates etc or the bowl for washing, I think that the only cupboard as I remember was a single wardrobe like one in the other room. He kept his paperwork, small tools and things in there. I had a hook on the back of the door at my height for me to hang my coat and bag (always brought the bag with my books, colouring and writing stuff, sewing, sometimes a jigsaw). The days were long, quite boring at times, although in the summer I could escape out into the park, but always where Dad could see me. Having to stay close to the hut, I found that I could collect leaves and flowers and ‘explore’ round the changing rooms hut. I even had a vase for my picked flowers although the garden that I made just outside the hut never came to anything!! Dad superior, Mr Douggan, came on a Friday at some time to give him his wage packet and I always, always had to be out of the way when he came. I met him once or twice when I was ill, probably tonsillitis from which I suffered a lot. The Superintendent was another ex army officer and Dad would make him a cup of tea and they would sit and chat. I had to be invisible on these visits, I didn’t know then why but now I realise that Dad could have lost his job if it was known that he was looking after me while he was at work.
Thursday, 18 June 2009
Manor Road Recreation Ground........Playing games
Sometimes for reasons best known to himself, Dad would not allow me to play down the bottom end so then decisions had to be made, whether the others wanted to play down there without me or up top with me. Invariably, if Sarah M was with them, then they would play down the bottom and I would play by myself up top. This didn’t always bother me because I was on my own a lot, many of the children hung about the bakery and the railway and in the street so, me being in the park, I was on my own!!
Dad’s hut and the changing rooms were built into a dip in the land at the top of the hill. A flat area had been dug out to contain these two buildings with three little narrow steps cut into the side so that the rest of the top park (which was basically football and/or cricket pitches) could be accessed. This ‘drop’ was only about 3ft and could be jumped quite easily so us children could access anywhere on this area as there was an (we called it a gulley) access area all round these buildings. Quite a neat area to play in, with plenty of hiding places although it was sooo exposed.
Dad’s hut
Two changing rooms / toilets
SHOULD BE A MAP - DARN IT!!!!! I'LL DO IT ONE DAY!!!! :-)
So long as we kept the noise down Dad didn’t mind us playing here and I think he quite enjoyed watching us although, if he came out to go ‘on patrol’, he would never let on that he knew where any of us were hiding!! We usually played out non-cowboy films here as the grass was quite short, so we had to use the buildings as ‘protection’. It was great fun but very limited, there is only so much you can do in such a small area and only so many times you can run round buildings!!
When I was on my own I tended to play in the area behind the changing rooms; the grass was short, as this small piece of land was lumpy, so there were various games that could be played by oneself. Sometimes when on the opening walk with Dad I would collect leaves and flowers, then sew small garments for the fairies which I would leave out in appropriate places i.e. under the shelter of the hut or in a dip in the ground. Other times I would run up or down the dips, lie on my back just watching the clouds overhead and listening to the skylarks. I would imagine I went to sleep during these times as it was very relaxing to just lie there, watching and listening. There were several patches of weeds growing there and around the bases of the huts so sometimes I would pick bunches of flowers for Dad’s hut. Quite often when Dad went out ‘on patrol’ and I was left alone in there, I would pretend it was my house and clean it up and sweep it out – loving every minute of it.
Dad used to go out ‘on patrol’ every couple of hours or so, walking round the full perimeter of the park, checking gates, chatting to people walking the dog, watching out for ‘trouble’ i.e. flashers, suspicious looking characters and courting couples.
Now there is another subject – Courting couples!
Dad was well known locally for being quite strict with goings on in his park. If he saw any couples strolling across the bottom half of the park, he would keep and eye on them as they moved, or stopped – as the case may be. As soon as they were seen to be lying down in the long grass, my Dad was out of that hut and down to them whereupon he would be heard to say “Oi! If you’re stopping here then one lies down and one sits up!” it was quite a joke in the area but there was also respect as they always complied. I think that Dad needed to know that they were ok and while one head was visible he could rest easy.
Dad kept watch over the park and if he thought someone was up to ‘no good’ like a single man hovering near the children, older teenagers throwing stones or looking as though they were bullying younger ones, he was out of that hut and moving very fast!! Gradually it became well known in the area that the park was a very safe place for people and children to be. Dad cared about that park, so much so that he regularly mowed and marked out the pitches for the football and cricket teams, marking all the lines with a white wash of lime.
Dad’s hut and the changing rooms were built into a dip in the land at the top of the hill. A flat area had been dug out to contain these two buildings with three little narrow steps cut into the side so that the rest of the top park (which was basically football and/or cricket pitches) could be accessed. This ‘drop’ was only about 3ft and could be jumped quite easily so us children could access anywhere on this area as there was an (we called it a gulley) access area all round these buildings. Quite a neat area to play in, with plenty of hiding places although it was sooo exposed.
Dad’s hut
Two changing rooms / toilets
SHOULD BE A MAP - DARN IT!!!!! I'LL DO IT ONE DAY!!!! :-)
So long as we kept the noise down Dad didn’t mind us playing here and I think he quite enjoyed watching us although, if he came out to go ‘on patrol’, he would never let on that he knew where any of us were hiding!! We usually played out non-cowboy films here as the grass was quite short, so we had to use the buildings as ‘protection’. It was great fun but very limited, there is only so much you can do in such a small area and only so many times you can run round buildings!!
When I was on my own I tended to play in the area behind the changing rooms; the grass was short, as this small piece of land was lumpy, so there were various games that could be played by oneself. Sometimes when on the opening walk with Dad I would collect leaves and flowers, then sew small garments for the fairies which I would leave out in appropriate places i.e. under the shelter of the hut or in a dip in the ground. Other times I would run up or down the dips, lie on my back just watching the clouds overhead and listening to the skylarks. I would imagine I went to sleep during these times as it was very relaxing to just lie there, watching and listening. There were several patches of weeds growing there and around the bases of the huts so sometimes I would pick bunches of flowers for Dad’s hut. Quite often when Dad went out ‘on patrol’ and I was left alone in there, I would pretend it was my house and clean it up and sweep it out – loving every minute of it.
Dad used to go out ‘on patrol’ every couple of hours or so, walking round the full perimeter of the park, checking gates, chatting to people walking the dog, watching out for ‘trouble’ i.e. flashers, suspicious looking characters and courting couples.
Now there is another subject – Courting couples!
Dad was well known locally for being quite strict with goings on in his park. If he saw any couples strolling across the bottom half of the park, he would keep and eye on them as they moved, or stopped – as the case may be. As soon as they were seen to be lying down in the long grass, my Dad was out of that hut and down to them whereupon he would be heard to say “Oi! If you’re stopping here then one lies down and one sits up!” it was quite a joke in the area but there was also respect as they always complied. I think that Dad needed to know that they were ok and while one head was visible he could rest easy.
Dad kept watch over the park and if he thought someone was up to ‘no good’ like a single man hovering near the children, older teenagers throwing stones or looking as though they were bullying younger ones, he was out of that hut and moving very fast!! Gradually it became well known in the area that the park was a very safe place for people and children to be. Dad cared about that park, so much so that he regularly mowed and marked out the pitches for the football and cricket teams, marking all the lines with a white wash of lime.
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