Northfield Ymca c.1964

A Memory of Northfield.

My family, mum, dad and 2 brothers, moved to Northfield from Whitehaven in 1964. My dad was General Secretary of the Northfield YMCA. The "club" building was still under construction at the time with it's distictive Hyperbolic Parabaloid roof.
The "hostel" as it was known then, was accomodation for 60 men plus 3 flats for overseas families. The first Christmas, we had "Happy Christmas" written in 17 different languages representing all the countries people had travelled from. It was a huge privilage to meet people from all over the world as an 11 year old.
One rather naughty resident, who owed lots of rent, went and robbed the Post Office in Cotteridge. The complete story is too long for here but suffice to say, he was arrested on the same day after trying to pay dad the rent he owed and 3 months in advance - dad immediately smelled a rat!
I attended Dame Elizabeth Cadbury School in Bournville whilst my two brothers went to King's Norton Grammar School for boys.
I was a member of 1st King's Norton Sea Scouts with people like Mark & Ian Robertson and Nigel Savory. I still have my uniform and it still fits!
I did a paper round for Slater's in Hay Green Lane and latterly played in a band called Metamorphic Sausage, with Andy Slater and others.
After school, I became a Carpenter & Joiner then to teach Design & Technology in Secondary Schools and both brothers went on to be journalists.
Dad and mum moved to London in the 1970's.
Plenty more memories of Northfield...maybe i'll share them over the next few months.

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