What A Place To Send Anybody

A Memory of Stanhope.

Crawley House, not a very nice place. There were four houses, all the same, all horror houses full of angry young lads. I was 12 when I went there and felt 30 when I left but was only 16. What a hole that place was. I ended up in DC and Borstal and that was while I was still there. The beatings I could take and did, but watching other lads getting beatings, that is what sticks in my mind. The staff made these young lads fight each other for their own fun, what a bunch of a..holes. Mr Hall was the only decent one I remember, I am not very good at remembering names, sorry. I ran away at every chance, not because I was afraid but after just 6 months of being in there I thought to myself "I am going to give them as much back and give them the right runaround at 12". I feel for every single lad that went through those doors, and the ones that say they have nowt but good memories are the ones that did all the beating for the staff. I like to think we have all put it all behind us but every so often it hits me and I start feeling that little bit bitter again. Hope all the boys that went to Stanhope Approved School (ha ha) are all ok and doing well, best of luck to you all, we need it most of all, lol.

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