Summer Days

A Memory of Etwall.

It was a happy childhood, I was born in Etwall in 1954 and our council house in Windmill Road is still our family home. Some of my fondest memories are the simple pleasures of life as a young lad in the 1950/60s.
Always keen to get home from Etwall Primary School (though teachers Miss Smith, Mrs Sanders, Mr Tomlin, Miss Cracksford were all so kind and friendly) we would run home in the hope we might be allowed 'up the rec' for a game of footie. At about the age of 10 or 11 (1965) we would be up the rec oggy, Anthony Rowland, Pete Thomas, Phil Gibbins, the twins Pat and Chris Baker were among the regulars. Those of us that had them would bring our younger brothers along to put as goalies. On a balmy summer's evening we could easily get ourselves 11 per side but often without one ball between us. We would knock on the door of Alice and Frank Wickham (school caretaker), and Mr Wickham would let us borrow a school ball - "But don't tell Mr Clarke!". The girls were always getting in the way playing rounders.
Then came the summer hols from school.
I do not believe it EVER rained in school hols, every day we would be out playing and every evening planning the next day's adventure. We would plan our own 'treasure hunts' making a list of things to find on our journey, a magpie's feather, a piece of sring, hair from a cow, anything that could make the walk more exciting, but in fact we had usually forgotten all about the lists as we challanged each other to jump the brook, or throw a stone the furthest or chase the cows.
In trouble again for being late home! How was I to know that this evening is the evening the Morris Men are dancing outside the spread. I had a wash, Dad checked behind our ears, Mum licked her palms and gave our hair a parting and off we went to see the Morris Men perform.
These were special nights, Dad would let us play at the back of the Hawk n Buckle, sit on the steps at the stables and we would have limey lemonade and some crisps. We would always sleep well those nights.
I left home when I was 9! It was not fair, my two older brothers Cliff and Ken were both allowed to go and watch Etwall footie team play, down past the old railway station, but because Dad wasn't going it was deemed unsafe for me at night to cross "that road". The summer league was always at evening time so that the farmers  and shopkeepers could play (thats what I was told). How could they not let me go, didn't they understand it was a cup match or sommat?! I did go and it was rubbish. I was allowed to play outside so I wandered further and further and when I was sure that Mum was busy elsewhere I legged it to the match, not one of my mates was there, no one to have a kick about with and none of the grown ups talked to me much, my two older brothers weren't even there! By half time I wanted to go home ... but I had left home, hadn't I. About half past eight my brother Cliff came to fetch me,  oh boy was he cross, I think he would rather have been doing something else because my sister had been sent to fetch him home to go find me. Then I had to face my mum. "You need not think you are going to visit Barry and Michael (James) in Radbourne with the rest of them tomorrow!". With this bombshell ringing in my ears I was sent off to wash and go to bed. Deep down I knew, yes I knew, that if they were going to Radbourne (turn at the garage, get ready for the big jump ... yes the road had a massive hump back then, somewhere before Marsh Cottage) then I would be going too, hope we go mushrooming, and climb that tree that Cliff fell out of that other year ... and ... and ... happy days.
Days gone but never forgotten. Thanks Dave Ogden, Phil Gibbins, Shane Mowsley, Paul Warner, Peter Thomas, Anthony Rowland, Kevin Williamson, Peter Cutts, Dave Stretton, Tony Hart and many, many more Etwall boys.

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