A Happy Childhood

A Memory of Newton Burgoland.

I lived in Jubilee Cottages in Nethercote with mum and dad. My dad, Charlie Wilson, collected milk from the farms in the area, his lorry being based at Swepstone Dairy. Mum, Florence, worked in the dairy making Stilton cheese. I spent many happy hours travelling in the lorry and walking round the factory watching the making of cheese from milk to lovely blue stilton! Unfortunately dad died from a heart attack at 56 in 1958. Mum was later diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease , and she lived in Newton until she died in 1966, having seen me complete my first year at City of Leeds College of Education. Despite the sadness I have fond memories of the Primary School. Miss Pothecary was the infant teacher. I still have a Christmas card, letter and birthday card from her (26th Dec). Miss Chauner was the Junior School teacher and she had been in the forces in the war. I remember her shiny brown brogue shoes. She gave us lessons on how to clean shoes!! The school served me very well and Kevin Speight and I both passed our 11+ the same year. I went to Ashby Girl's Grammar School. I used to enjoy sneaking off to the swings on the 'raggy' to play when I should have been home. Every year I used to win the wild flower competitions because mum was so interested. We would look for the first coltsfoot, primrose, daisy regularly walking down to Shackerstone to my Aunty Ede's via the canal, collecting flowers on the way. I retained that interest in the natural world and hopefully have passed some of my enthusiasm to some of the pupils who have been in my care over the years!!