Memories Of A Childhood In Kibblesworth

A Memory of Kibblesworth.

I was born Patricia Ann Storey in Lindfield, Haywards Heath in Sussex in January 1949 and was first brought to Kibblesworth in February 1951 aged 2 after I was adopted by Thomas and Margaret Thurgood who lived in Gardiner Square. I was to live there for 25 of the most wonderful years of my life until I married in August 1976.

When I was 6 years old, my adopted mam (Maggie) died and I was taken, without my dad's consent, to a children's home in Whickham by the district nurse who was looking after my mam. My dad, who was furious, was advised to leave me there until after the funeral. In fact the people who advised him (neighbours) told him to leave me there indefinitely, but I remember him saying 'I took her out of a home and she isn't going back into one'. I was to stay there for 2 of the most horrendous weeks of my life. I can still today (I'm now 60) remember every single moment of my time there. I remember the second day there being locked in a room all day without food because someone in the next bed to me wanted to come into my bed because she said she was scared and then she wet my bed and went back into her own and I got the blame.

My dad worked at Kibblesworth Colliery as a overman and one of his friends was Amos Palmer who lived in Liddle Terrace. His wife Mary had an unmarried sister Hannah living in Low Fell and they 'fixed' my dad and Hannah up on a date in February 1956 and in May 1956 they were married and she became my new mam and the love of my dad's life. They were together for the next 23 years until he died on Boxing Day 1979. They were the best parents anyone could ever have had and there is never a day goes by where I am not grateful for my years with them. God only know what would have happened to me if I had been left in that home.

I went to Kibblesworth Junior School which is now the Millennium Centre and my best friends were Marilyn Forster and Ann Hughes. I'm still friendly with Ann Hughes and we exchange cards every Christmas. I've spoken to her recently and we plan to meet up soon after almost 35 years. I still have a picture of Jesus surrounded by little children that Marilyn Forster gave to me on my first day at school. It was Marilyn who pushed me to go out with a young lad called Joe Lawlor when I was 19 who I wasn't sure whether I wanted to see again or not, I have Marilyn to thank or perhaps not to thank as I have been married to Joe for nearly 34 years, but that's another story.

I remember my dad teaching me a song to sing on my way home from school. He said by the time I finished singing it I would be back at home. The song was called 'Show me the way to go home' and I remember getting to my back gate one night and remembering that I hadn't sung the song and I ran all the way back to the school gates to start my journey home again singing the song.

There was lots to do in Kibblesworth when I was little. Before I went to Secondary School at Birtley, we used to play tennis in the welfare, play on the swings or roller skate just outside the welfare ground as there was a black smooth tarmac area where cars used to park and it was great for skating on and my mam could see me from the back gate if she wanted me. If she couldn't see me, I believe she could always hear me as I remember hearing Mr Woodhouse the newsagent saying to my dad one day that although I was little for my age, he would never lose me as I was the little girl with the big voice.

We also used to play 'houses' with our dolls in the middle park which was in the centre of Gardiner Square. There was a lot more trees there then and we used to get some old net curtains and stretch them across the trees and make a pretend house or camp. We also played pantomines in the backyard and charge a penny.

One of the best memories I have is when it snowed. The pit bank was the best place for sledging and it was just near my house. We would hurry home from school and get change to get onto the bank before the 'big lads' got there.  

We also had great holidays every year and alway went on the club trips.  Some of the people I knew in my childhood were: Janice Briggs, Pauline Fallows (I have a photo of me and Pauline in our swimsuits in the garden) I believe she is in South Africa now. Sheila Taylor, Audrey Potts, Janet Smith, Catherine Thompson, the Wakefield family, Michael and Joseph Matthews.  

I would love to know from anyone who knows what the name of the children's home was in Whickham as I am now tracing my family history and after nearly 60 years I have found a brother in Lindfield, Sussex and he's brilliant. I have other siblings to find so if any older residents of Kibblesworth knows anything about my adoption I would love to hear from them.   

My son David and I went to meet some friends last Christmas at the Ravensworth Arms and we got there early and decided to take a look at Kibblesworth and had a drink in the Plough Inn, I loved it. It brought all the happy memories flooding back. Kibblesworth will always have a special place in my heart.

Patsy Thurgood