First day at school

Year: 1959

First day at school

The only school in Haverhill was The Cangle. The new secondary modern, now known as Castle Manor, had not yet been finished. We arrived at school very bewildered being the first of the Londoners and feeling like aliens. I made a new friend in the short while I had been in Haverhill. His name was Michael Geagon, I didn't know at the time but his family was Irish, not that that meant anything. I was shown to my classroom and it turned out to be the same classroom as my older sister, they had got it wrong, I found out later that day. That upset me because now I was really on my own. First day in the playground Michael had told everybody I was from London and that I could beat anybody up, that was news to me, so he started picking fights with the locals for me to hit them. I had never hit anybody in my short life so far but I did just the once. I don't even know who he was, fortunately I got away with that but never did it again, it scared me senseless.
On the way to school we passed the local bakery, you could smell it miles away, the one and only Ellis's, serving lovely rolls, one roll would cost you one old penny and it was buttered with real butter.
I don't think I have many bad memories of my early days in Haverhill. When I think of any more I will tell all.  
p.s. Does anybody remember me from those days? Just to let anybody know who may read this memory of mine that Ellis the baker shut their doors for good in December 2008 (sad day).