The Rec

A Memory of Earl Shilton.

The "Rec" was the place to be in the 1970's when you lived on the Cedar Rd Estate. We lived just round the corner on Elmdale Rd and had a garden which backed on the Rec. This was a good short cut into the Rec. Lived there as a young lad until we moved in about 1978 or so. Played with Tim Fletcher, Mark Reynolds, Harold Maples, Colin "Mapsy" Maples and John Cooper to name a few. Still see Harold in town from time to time - Mapsy is very ill. A good crowd, always played football/cricket - led by some of the dads - Joanne Oldham's dad was one and Jim was another. Girls even visited sometimes - Alison Bent / Louise Patterson / Tonia Nettleton to name some.
A good walk to the school - Wood St Infant School where Mrs Massey was the head teacher and we also had Miss White (lovely) / Miss Weightman (strict !! but good) - before going up to Weavers Close Junior (now that was a really long walk!!). Mr Dowdeswell 1st year Welsh chap who lived on our street and got home before we did on his bike !! 2nd year "Ron" Butler - very trendy; Mrs Jackson 3rd Year - lovely lady and Sara's mum. Mr Saddington 4th year (best teacher I have ever had ever) - really good at getting the best out of kids to achieve potential. Still see him around sometimes - still with a bike - but he is looking old now. Remember Headmaster Mr Martin and Deputy Head Mr Griffiths (who can forget Griffo's Grumble Hour on a Thursday assembly - also he had a new Rover 2000 TC very classy at the time). Does anyone remember Miss Fletcher the sexy music teacher with the amazing orange sporty car of some time - alas I had the buck tooth Mrs Mason for my recorder lessons who was lovely but no oil painting !!
School dinners - I always liked the cheese pie and also an odd mixture of hard boiled egg with cheese sauce which I like to this day. As for puddings, well the pink custard and sponge was sublime as was the rice pudding/semolina.
Football in Earl Shilton was at the Doctors Fields Stadium as I called it - home of Earl Shilton Albion. Who can forget the trendy yellow/green stripes of the West Brom Away kit which was the ESA strip and very smart it looked too. The player/manager at the time was len Glover (ex Leicester) who gave a right telling off at a local derby with Hinckley Town for being cheeky after they had let a 1-0 lead slip to lose 2-1. Thats the nearest we got to crowd disturbance in those days.
Cricket - Alson Bent's dad played - a giant of a man. Her mum worked in the library - very nice and helpful.
Top End kids - we didn't come across them until Junior school and they didn't really come down our end to play in the Rec. Fond memories of Darren Staniforth (God bless him), Stepehn Johnson (the only person I ever met with a trombone); Craig Statham. Girls included Sam Short, Julie Randell, Deb White, Deb York, Lynn Smith and Lisa Stokes.
Remember a new lad joined from somewhere - Mark Daines - a really good lad who lived in a big house down Breach Lane. I wonder whaterver happened to him.
Also who can forget Andrew "the brain " Mackley. His mum was lovely and sadly died. He was and remains one of the gentlest and brainest chaps I have ever come across. Saw him the other year - he married Mandy from Cedar Rd.
Earl Shilton will certainly never win any medals for being a very sophisticated or stylish place to live but it did always have a good heart and a good spirit within the community.

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