Growing Up In Govan In The 50's.

A Memory of Govan.

I have very happy memories of my childhood in Govan. I lived in an attic with my Mum, Dad and Brother. If it was wet outside everybody gathered at my close and we would run up and down the wooden stairs. The neighbours never bothered us. If it was a nice day, we would beg for money to bu coloured crepe paper and we made dancing outfits. We would send someone round the flats and ask them to bring a chair to sit on for our show. The Mums would bring biscuits and ginger for us. We got a big cheer when we finished. We would go to the Elder Park which had a library. One day we were playing at the edge of the pond and I ventured into a bit further out and promptly went to the bottom. A young man managed to pull me out. I didn't know him, but he saved my life. You see, I didn't know that round the edgeof the pond was only a few inches deep, but then the further you went the deeper you would go.

One day, we went round the back court, which had big dykes, 10ft. high. My friends and I climbed up on them, we were all taking a run to jump between dykes, they were all urging me to jump, but I was the smallest there and a bit scared. I shouted I'm just getting ready to jump, next thing I knew, I wakened up on the ground with everybody staring at me. I asked what happened and they said I was getting ready to jump and I just disappeared of the dyke. My Mother took me to the Southern General as I was in a lot of pain. Next thing this big black man came over and tried to pull my pantd of, but I held. I had never seen a black person before, and he said, I don't think she's broken anything, by the way she's kicking me, her pelvis seems to be fine. I don't remember getting to the hospital or getting home. What a day, I was glad to get to my bed.

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