Welfare Gang

A Memory of Featherstone.

I grew up and played around the Welfare Hall,r ows of pit houses were situated behind it, Pretoria Street, Earle Street, Kimberly Street. We would watch the shows in the Welfare put on by the Featherstone ADS, and I attended the youth club there. We would play cricket and rugby on the "reza" at the top of Pretoria Street, we played on the pit stacks and around Ackton, there were lovely walks to Old Snydale. I attended North Featherstone Gorden Street school, and I enjoyed every day at school. I remember Mr Kearsley the maths teacher, but I preferred his wife Mrs Kearsley the art teacher, they lived at Old Snydale. Fev Rovers were always good to watch, the wash house fish and chips were great, the dance nights at the old scout hut on Green Lane were lively. Featherstone for me was a great place to be raised up, it was full of wonderful and friendly people, who were full of character and life. I worked at Acktonhall colliery when I left school (1968) until it closed after the strike, I enjoyed every minute there also, and have many a tale to tell, but that's for later. Writing this piece has awakened more memories for me but I have not got the time at this moment to write them down, maybe later. If anyone remembers the Welfare area of Featherstone, or me, I would love to hear from you.

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