Penhill

A Memory of Swindon.

Born in 1951, I lived in Lechlade,Ledbury, Highworth, Oldtown, Cunningham Road and I lived on Penhill Drive in the late 1950s, I went to the infants and junior school. In the infants we learned to count by using small stones kept in a tobacco tin (I kid you not), our classrooms were in portakabins with steps leading up to them. Long since gone!

I remember going to the Penhill library, where I saw my first moving picture.

I went to first aid lessons with the Red Cross, the only thing I can remember is a greenstick fracture, which is a partial fracture of a bone.

I used to go to the “dumps” to play, I remember using the roundabout in the children's area, that's where I discovered I didn't like going round and round! The place is now a high rise area now!


The Secondary Modern school was on 621, Cricklade Road (it's called St Lukes Special School now). I also went to temporarily to another secondary modern school in Gorse Hill, on the way to town, while ours was having building work done, the roof had fallen in apparently! (I only found that out on a recent trip to Swindon.)

Then I had to leave (in 1962) to go and live in a foreign country (called Wales).  That's another story.


Looking at Google street view, it doesnt look as if Penhill has changed that much. I still recognised it when I visited in 2006 (and in October 2010) our old house is still there.

However when I visited Cunningham Rd, I had a "funny turn" just as I turned into the road, my thanks to 2 very kind ladies who gave me a cup of tea to steady my nerves.

It amazing what memories can do to the mind, as I hadnt been back there since I left in the 50s.

Because I have lived in so many places (22 since leaving Swindon), and attended seven schools altogether (2 infants, 1 junior and 3 sec moderns), I am kinda trying to discover my roots!

I have also travelled overseas quite extensively, I wonder why!

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