Bygone Days - the 30's
			The 30's "when the "Big Girls School" was being built, we were caught sliding down the builders planks, by the Policeman. There was about 15 of us, we were taken to Castle Eden Court in front of the JP, given a stiff talking to and threatened with the birch if we did it again. We were terrified" " We were sent to the pit-heaps and the railway lines to pick coal for the fire when our fathers were on strike. If we were caught the police would take us to Castle Eden Magistrate Court where we were warned. This used to frighten us, but if we had no coal we were sent out again. "One Sunday after chapel I went to Wingate Duck Pond beside the pit heap in my Sunday Best Clothes. It was wintertime and the Duck Pond was frozen so my friend and I went sliding on the ice, when some boys threw a big stone in the pond and broke the ice. I fell through into the water. I was terrified, not of drowning but of what my mother would say for getting my best clothes dirty my older brother came to my rescue and pulled me out. I have been afraid of water ever since" "My dad was trainer for the men's football team in the 30's. I went with him and had to massage the lads legs before and after the match with liniment. I also took a bucket full of Camp coffee for half-time" "I remember 3rd September, 1939, I was at Sunday School when the vicar, Rev. Casey announced that England and Germany were at war and we had to go straight home. We ran along the Front Street and the people in Alexander Terrace were putting strips of brown sticky tape on their windows. It was my seventh birthday" …."Our food was very wholesome because a lot of the men had gardens growing vegetables and rearing rabbits, hens and pits. There was a lot of sharing . Mothers would then have baking days, bread - pies- cakes- broth- suet puddings food that stuck to your ribs, maybe frowned upon today. This also was shared with neighbours. This was all done with coal fires which was also used for heating, cooking, heating water for washing and bathing. The kitchen fire was where most activity happened in our house.
	Bygone Days