Peter Marshall 58 To 65
A Memory of Glenfield.
I'm as sure as I can be, that the little boy in the picture with the black coat is me. I would have been three to four years old (depending what time of year the picture was taken). I was the youngest at the home at that time, and left in 1965. I certainly remember the little black coat, of which I was very proud. My name then was Peter Marshall, known as 'pudding' or 'mop-head' - I still have the hair. I was adopted in 1965 and became Peter Anthony. I remember the posts and the marking-out being done for the (then) proposed new buildings. I remember the superintendant at the home at that time was Mr Padbury, a rather fearsome but kindly man, he later left and the Garbet family took over, (Mr & Mrs) probably around 1963. They had a daughter called Miriam, and she and I planned to marry (I'm still waiting). I remember helping the gardener (Ralph, I think) water the plants in the greenhouse pictured, and helping in the orchard. At the time this picture was taken I was restricted, due to my age, to playing within sight of the house, but later could roam throughout the ten or so acres of grounds which included kitchen gardens and an orchard with geese in it.
It was idylic in many ways. I remember a Mr Metcalf who worked there, Mrs Haines who was the cook and aunty Anne, a staff member who was probably a young girl of eighteen/nineteen. We had summer fates most years, on the rear lawns. One year a marching band came and another year a group called the Saints of Leicester came and played. The house itself was slightly dark and brooding, lots of oak pannelling and large grand staircase, which I fell down at least twice - and still have a faint scar above my eyebrow. I have a vauge recollection of antlers hanging in the hallway, but I may have imagined that. The dormitories had six to eight boys in. This picture has brought back so many memories, some happy and some sad. I remember all of us filing down to the church in the village on Sunday mornings with a penny for the collection, the more daring used to keep it and spend it, I never dared. I longed to sing in the choir, I now sing professionally in Southwell Minster choir. There was a scout troop which met in one of the out-buildings and I joined the cubs there at five years of age. I can still smell and feel the itchy uniform. There was a boot room and laundry room with wooded slatted floor, always busy and full of steam with copper hot tubs and mangles. I can still see the sheets running through them (there was a lot of bedwetting to cope with) and a large boiler house where it was cosy in the winter. I remember boys trying to run up the mound of coke before it slid them back down in a avalance. These were all within a courtyard on the other side of the house on the opposite gable to the greenhouse. Most of the staff were marvellous, but inevitably in these environments there was the odd person attracted to it for the wrong reasons, but there was a strong sense of community amongst the boys and we all knew who to avoid. I was devasted to be taken away having dreamt all my life of a family. When the time actually came I realised that this was home for me. I am and I will always be grateful for the wonderful start in life this place afforded to me.
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Comments & Feedback
My name was Andrew Cureton I have just read your memories of Glenfield. It was like reading something from my own childhood.
As you might have gathered I was also at Dr Bernardo's I think at the same time as you. I remember the change over from Mr Padbury to Mr & Mrs Garbbet I also remember Miriam we also played together (Doctors and Nurses on one occasion) I would have married her too in fact we got married in the hallway. Unfortunately we were only kids and the next day she married someone else. Just a though I might have been you?
You mentioned the grounds, do you remember an old shed? I think it was either tin or wooden. I used to play in there, formed a band with three other guys( out of bits of tin for drums) and whatever else we could make a noise with. You may also recall a huge tree we used to climb up and swing from the branches?
You may also remember there was old fashioned copper bed warmers on long poles in the hallway on long black poles.
I also used to help the gardener his name was Mr Renalds or Renolds nor sure he used to live in the grounds I think, with his wife and I think kids.
He also taught me how to mow straight lines and let me use the Allan cutter once twice he let me water the geraniums by plugging them in a huge trough.
Do you remember the Garbets dog a yellow Labrador trying to remember its name however I can remembered he bit me once. I deserved it I was pulling his tail.
Did you ever build a den? I did with a guy can’t remember his name but we dug two holes in the ground and covered it over with an old door or something we also used an old hose pipe to talk to each other.
I think there was an aunty Joyce there as well she was quite hard and used to punish us severely. I think she left when the Garbets arrived.
I note you mentioned Mr Metcalfe in fact his name was Ian Metcalfe a name I'll never forget. I am not sure if you are referring to him when you said “Most of the staff were marvellous, but inevitably in these environments there was the odd person attracted to it for the wrong reasons”
Well I had a real bad experience with this guy and my life was never the same again I won’t go into detail as it is very horrible and has haunted me all my life. I know some guys had a great time there and in fact I did until I had this experience. I'm not sure if you will understand this but from then on my life went downhill. Its no fair if I spoil your memories so I wont go into detail so far as to say if you want me to talk to you some more about what happened let me know. I would greatly appreciate it if you want to chat even if just by email.
Anyway my life is good now I’ve been married for 32 years (great train robbers got less) have a son and granddaughter and a grandson on the way. My wife Jean has two kids and I count them as mine they have 4 kids between them so that’s another 4 grandchildren. One is in the Police she’s stationed in Watford and was married to Keith Bristow QPM who is the first and current Director-General of the National Crime Agency. They are now divorced and she is with a great guy.
My other step daughter is a horse riding instructor and no lives in the same road as us with her husband Andy. Yes another Andy.
I owned my own business for 10 years a windscreen replacement company and we had 35 depots across the UK . I sold it to Qwik-Fit around 25 years ago. Unfortunately they sold their business to Ford (if only I kept my shares)
I went into IT and travel the world selling IT systems to large corporates. Now semi-retired due to poor health. But my life with my family is great and full of love.
I hope you get in touch because you have brought back some great memories as well as some bad ones but all in all life has been generous to me. I really happy you got adopted and life may have been different for me if I had been but my experience with Mr Metcalf changed me.
I did meet the Garbets again when I used to work in a wholesalers in Birmingham ( Bell Nicolson and Lunt) he asked me how I was doing and we had a chat. He also told me Miriam was at collage or something. I hope you still monitor this site and look forward to hearing from you. Andy