Happy Childhood Late 50s Early 60s

I was born and raised in London, but I spent the entire period of every school holiday in Boldon, staying with my Uncle Jack and Aunt Sally Bell at 1 Wilfred Street along with my cousins Jean and Yvonne. I knew your grandmother Mrs Chistlow, in fact I was in love with Jean Christlow who sadly died in her early to mid teens. Of course I also knew Joe Lee, but he was only a young lad then, and his father Joe Lee was a lorry and/or taxi driver. I remember him calling in to see my parents at our London home one evening prior to driving north overnight to Boldon. After I'd cajoled my mother into allowing me to, I joined Joe in the cab of his truck so as to spend a weekend on the Colliery. My mother was a born and bred Londoner, whereas my father Fred was the fourth child of my grandparents Eva and Jimmy Cook who lived at 20 John Street. Dad, a locally well known sportsman joined the army at the age of 16-17 and served with the South Staffs for 12 years, 9 in Madras India, 3 years back in the UK with the colours. Dad played football and hockey for the regiment and on leaving the army had offers of pro terms to play for Newcastle United, Sunderland and Sheffield Wednesday...but he chose to play for Usworth Colliery for one season, then he never played again. On either side of of my grandparents lived my uncle and aunt Frank and Bella Cook, also aunt Eva and uncle Billy Robson. In Charles and Arnold Street's lived my uncle George and aunt Ethel Cook and my cousins Freddie and Jean Bell. My uncle Joe and aunt Nan lived in Byron Avenue. Although I can't remember cobbles on the back lanes I do recall the central drainage, plus I adored going to The Ranch four nights a week. I remember many people and friends on the Colliery including Tom, Dennis and Florence Smith, Veronica Jenkinson, Valerie Elliott, George Belamey, Marlene Saunders, Joan and Brenda Erskine and many more. There was the very talented singer Muriel Trainer who I adored. And I'm not forgetting shops such as Smiths, The chippies Smurthwaites and Bottoms, Marriots, Dixons etc etc. I even went 'down the pit' one Sunday morning and on another occasion rode on the footplate of the shunting tank engine at the pit-head.

Born and Bred in Boldon lived above deputrons on north road when i was little then moved to Shelly avenue the moved to Wilton gardens the prefabs when i was 11 when my dad died he used to drive the bin motor i can remember jumping diggers infact i broke my leg in two places doing just that and had to explain to my mam what i was doing while i was supposed to be at school (playing the nick) One of my best mates left the colliery when he was about 7 and we met up again a couple of years ago and we keep in contact Eric Smith and his late brother Barry how time passes its strange when they left the colliery his mother kissed me on the cheek and said u'll see his again that was in the 50s never seen her again or his dad but Barry came to our house in the 70s and that was the last time i saw him but Eric comes up every year for a holiday and wew meet up and have a meal.It was through Francis Frith that we met up again by a comment he made about the colliery my mam and dad I worked at the pit doing a few jobs and ended up on no 1 winder, when the pit shut i worked at Wearmouth on the winders till my redundancy in 1991 i now live in Whitburn with my wife Margaret.