Castle School Stanhope

A Memory of Stanhope.

Well, I have been reading some articles posted on this website, about Castle School in Stanhope from the late 1970s to the early 1980s. Well, I was in Castle School from 1958 - 1962. I was in because I was a badden, lol, just like those who have posted messages on here. When I was driven up the driveway to the main entrance, I looked, and thought "This is not a school, it's Colditz". Reading some of the letters posted on here from various people, it sounds as though it was a tough place, well believe me it hasn't changed since I was in. I was in Crawley House, all the houses were named after hills around Stanhope. I did 3 and a half years before I got to go home back to Doncaster, but don't think i could have coped with 6 years, as someone had said in their letter they posted.
I did do a great escape once from the school, didn't get far, ended up in a back street, and one of the cooks saw me, so I went back. I got into trouble for that. Back then, if you got into trouble, you were made to polish the wooden floors on your hands and knees, I was dong that one time, and I stopped for a rest. When one of the teachers caught me, he told the head, who hit me with a walking stick. So yes, I agree with some of you, they would have been prosecuted if it wasn't in back then. Yes we went camping to Whitby back then, we were in a field just up from the cemetery, and when it was foggy, you got the foghorn going off.
My parents only visited me once whilst I was there. My Uncle John came with them, he brought me a fishng rod and we went into the River Wear, trying to catch little fish. The day came when I was sent home, and a Mr McTavish, one of the teachers, took me home to Doncaster.
Well I went to see Castle School today, Saturday 20 June 2009. It's all flats now, and you can't see the big field from the top, because all of the trees and shrubbery have grown to a great height. I looked into the courtyard where we played, and it brought back memories straight away. The toilet block burnt down last year, but Stanhope hasn't changed much, except for the tourist information centre and cafe across the road from the school. But I must admit, my time in there changed me. I had a few jobs when I got back home, then joined the Army in 1968 for 12 years. But it was nice to see the old school again. If anyone was in Castle school way, way, way back then and would like to share messages on-line feel free to email me at  dave2948h@hotmail.com.