Old Splott Boy

I grew up in Splott, went to St Albans then Splott Road High. My dad had a hardware shop in Carlile Stret opposite Orsolinis the grocers. In 1970 we moved to Llanishen. In 1974 I moved back to Splott but boy how it had changed, the old school had gone, most of my mates had moved, Clive Cusack, Booty, Derek Price, Paul Wootton, we used to hang around outside St Saviour's Hall listening to bands and recall the good times we had in school and the jobs we would get, in Willows High our new school Bob Ord our careers master lined me up for Pickfords removals, 5 pounds a week office boy, got the job but had to sign Official Secrets Act, lost the job. We had lovely teachers in St Albans, Mr Reddy, Mr Harrington, and in Splott Mr Owen, Mr Vincent, Mr Ord. We had good and bad times but I remember mostly the good... Janet's Pantry, 6 pence a pasty, trainspotting in Railway Street, marching to school dinners down Carlile Street, Gunslinger coming in the school yard and we would all run, Splott swimming pool, walking in the Corpus Christi for the first time, I was shattered but proud, our first sneaky pint, 1 and 6 pence. mitching school to go to Barry Island with half a crown.. I don't see any of my old pals as I live in the valleys but I remember them all and am glad I'm an old Splott boy.