Benfieldside School
A Memory of Consett.
Hello, my name is John William Penrose and I was born in Bridgehill and attended Benfieldside School. When I first went to school I had leg irons on both legs; I was living with my uncle John and auntie Joyce and my nan Agnes and we later moved to Leadgate to live. My nan died when I was 12 years old and my dad, Edward Wilfred Bell Penrose, did not want his brother to look after me anymore so he came up from London where he was living to my nan's funeral. After the funeral he just said, 'get packed you are coming to London with me'. I cried a lot as I did not want to go with him as I only saw him about once a year and hardly knew him. I only saw my mother once when I came back to Consett for a holiday and my auntie Agnes said my mother wants to see you. All the neighbours were out in the street watching me arrive, it was really embarrassing, she gave me up at birth to my nan to look after, her name was Evelyn Steele. I often wonder how things would of worked out if I was allowed to stay in Consett. I tried a few websites to get a yearbook picture where I was included but no luck.
thank you.
John William Penrose.
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Comments & Feedback
Rather like yourself,though in very different circumstances,disruption occurred when my parents moved from Bridgehill/Blackhill to the Isle of Wight in 1963.
At the time,it was devastating to a 14 year old and two younger brothers...all we had ever known was going to be lost!
Dad had been with Consett Iron Company since leaving the Royal Navy..he can be seen in videos on YouTube from clips of Men of Consett...Alan Bell,who sadly died last year,aged 91.....a Leadgate man born and bred.
There is far too much life-story and history to be recalled in one small space here but nonetheless,it is lovely that Francis Frith have enabled a facility where others can reminisce,even if they are strangers but whose home roots somehow connect them.
At times simply remembering the smallest things from Consett,Bridgehill,Blackhill and Shotley Bridge..The Grove and Moorside can bring on the greatest emotional heartache,even though I've been gone longer now than I ever was there but I truly believe your childhood memories and place of your birth forever stay within you as being the "real you" no matter where you go on the globe.
I hope you are well and happy and it was nice to find someone from my "home"...we never lose our birth roots,do we,John?,wherever we end up.
Warm Wishes,
Karen.