Growing Up In Local Avenue

A Memory of Sherburn Hill.

Hi I am Michael Johnson, some of you may remember Tommy and Brenda Johnson who lived in Sherburn Hill for most of their lives. Tommy worked for Alfie Law who had the Post Office and Grocery shop on the 'Hill'. Tommy worked around the villages of Sherburn, Sherburn House, Pittington. Littletown and all the farms. He had a travelling grocery van and that was his life until he retired in 1983. He was also a layreader at St Cuthberts Church Shadforth. I was a choir boy there until my voice broke. I remember watching the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth 2nd on Mr Law's television...the only one almost in the village!!! I played on the Rec and put pennies on the colliery railway line when 'Monty' the engine came along. I went to the Tin School until I passed the 11 plus when I went off to the newly opened Johnston Grammar at Durham. My mates were Brian Danby, the Haywood brothers, Keith Hutchinson, Gordon Spedding and Billy Tate. Billy still had the shop and newsagency on the Hill until recently. The girls included Katherine Patrickson and her friends. When I was 11 we moved up to the Hill and into the shop next to the Crispin Arms. Nellie was the Landlady and Jack Crosby the village policeman. Boy did we have fun!!!! It seems that all the summers were warm and sunny and we played over the moor and down to the beck at the bottom. Fabulous. Happy days.

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