Happy Estate kid
A Personal Memory
By Colin Hardaway
Hi
After finding this site all my old memories came flooding back.
I moved from Balham in 1955 to live with my nan in Pipewell Rd and started my school life at Green Wrythe Lane juniors. I remember having to cross the road to the Nissan hut canteen for our lunch, and having lots of friends who lived in the prefabs opposite the school.
In 1960 i started at Welbeck Road school and remember being very nervous as both my uncles had been there in the late forties and filled me with tales of the teachers caning them for the smallest misdemeanor.
I recall spending many happy summer days having lessons in the Theatre, as i remember this was a copse the other side of the games field, hidden from view.
I also played football for the school team throughout my years there, as said by another contributer we played in red/black and always reached the St Helier Schools cup final, where our opponents were usually Garth Rd school.
Also i have fond memories of our yearly schools sports day held at the sports track opposite Tweeddale school.
In 1964 my final year at school was also Welbecks final year as the school underwent a building transformation, before being renamed Gainsford and opening in 1965 as a mixed seniors school, with the Green wrythe lane girls moving across.
The headmaster during my time was Mr Renshaw, who was famous among us boys for carrying a cane up the arm of his cape. Needless to say i was a frequent recipient, as anyone caught outside their classroom for misbehaving got 6 of the best.
Just a couple more fond memories, firstly i too remember the yearly coach trips to Littlehampton, there were loads of coaches with kids from all over St Helier going off to the seaside.
I also remember being a scout at St Michaels church pack in Bishopsford rd, and all going off to summer camp in the back of a furniture van to somewhere in Hampshire, great fun that was.
Lastly l can remember many happy days spent playing in Poulters Park off Peterborough Rd, and on one occasion in 1964 while playing football in the Wandle sports club at the Bishopsford rd end of the park, where in those days it was the Chelsea training ground, the Swinging Blue Jeans group pulled up and asked the way to the Odean Morden, their record Hippy Hippy Shake was at top of the hit parade.
I finally moved away from the estate when i got married in 1974, and have lived happily in Somerset for many years, but still fondly remember my happy childhood on St Heliers estate.
Colin Hardaway