Tinshill Crescent

A Memory of Cookridge.

I was born in 1951 at Tinshill Crescent. I had an older brother Rodney (b 1946). I attended old Cookridge School (as previously described by Paul Leavett). It also had 2 prefab classrooms as well as the wooden hut. I remember one on my teachers called Mr. Still, a very tall & strict but enthusiastic teacher. This teacher followed us to the new Cookridge School (not the present new one, but built on the same site) in 1960. Back to the old school: I remember the old outside toilets & an old air raid shelter between the school & water tower that we used to play in. I did spend a short time at Ireland Wood School (Mrs Jeavon's class), when the old school was condemned & they hadn't completed the new Cookridge School yet. I remember the first day at the brand new school. The headmistress was Mrs Bray & she had 2 children (I think one had walking difficulties & wore calipers). She had a German car, a Borgward I think. Our next door neighbour Mr & Mrs Thompson in Tinshill Crescent had a German car also (Mercedes). There was no housing estate at the end of Tinshill Crescent then, & I could walk from the end of the road up the field into my Gran & Grandad's long garden & walk down to their house (Hillcrest Rise), Colin & Ivy Lockwood. Lots more memories of the area, especially playing with Martin Kemp, my best childhood pal (also Tinshill Crescent) & the occasional messes & tight situations we got ourselves into. I also remember Doctor Currie, who's surgery was at the top of Tinshill Lane, opposite Webster's sweet shop. I blasted every penny of my pocket money in that shop!

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