Esh Winning

I left Esh Winning with my family in 1963 when I was 5 or 6 for a new life in Staffordshire. We initially lived at North Terrace, which is no longer there and later 4 South Terrace. Like Ruth Hill, my father worked at Esh Winning Colliery and had to leave for greener pastures when it closed. I clearly remember the pit ponies and wondered at the time why they were made to work. They did look sad. I remember a pond with a wall around it next to the pit which we used to play in and even then knew we really shouldnt have. My father's brother (Uncle Jim) used to work as a draughtsman in the building on the right as you turned towards the road leading to North Terrace (By the Beck) and once we were let into his inner sanctum to see where he worked. Sometimes my brother and I used to call into the chip shop in the High Street next to Ellas and ask if they had any 'cold' fish. They knew we had no money but always seemed to oblige our requests. The school in Durham Road also holds many fond emotional memories for the short time I spent there. I can't remember the teachers' names but even now I can see their faces clearly. My next door neighbour attended with me and her last name was Rutter. I think her first name was Elizabeth but I'm not totally sure after the passage of so much time. Trips to Fairy Glenn up near 'The Winnies' were a real highlight, especially if it was a picnic. I once caught a very small fish from the nearby stream and bravely carried it all the way home but it wasn't big enough for tea. Visits to my Aunty Mary in Wood View were always something to look forward to. There were usually spare coppers coming our way and home-made ginger beer that was always difficult to drink at that age without screwing your face up. Some of my relations are still there and I don't visit them as often as I should but writing this has reminded me I should go there more often. RBeecham@aol.com