My Childhood

Stranton Church 1886
Enlarge photo |  More about this photo

My parents were married at Stranton, and I was baptised there. We lived in a neighbouring street, Bower Street, in what would now be regarded as a slum property, with outside toilet and a single tap that was also outside. My lifelong hobby, ringing church bells, also began here. The vicar at the time was Canon Hancock, who later became vicar of Sedgefield, and whose son John also became a vicar in the diocese. The organist and choir master was Alf Peacock, a real character. He tricked me into joining the choir, telling me that I would then get a chance to join the bellringers when I was 14. However, it all rebounded on him, as my voice was terrible, and I only lasted 3 weeks! In the 1950s the church was one of the most active and well-off in the town. The ringers consisted almost entirely of the Maughan family. Brothers Bill and Jack also ran the Boys' Brigade and were active in the Sunday School.