Thorne As I Remember

A Memory of Thorne.

So much and so little time; Green Top Primary School, happy days before the big move up to the Grammar School or North Eastern Road Secondary Boys. Mr Morris for metal work, Mr Snow for woodwork. Mr Colin Ella for religious studies, Mr Harrison, deputy headmaster. Music with Mr Mule, was he really ex-para? Roy Clark for science, went on to write for television 'Last of the Summer Wine. Cross country trailing down to the football field by ICI as it was, swimming at Stainforth - always cold but a great morning out. Singing in the church choir, St Nicholas, delivering newspapers for Listers in Finkle Street, Doug Machins shoe shop next door to Jimmy Moxons fish shop, Chappels farm, Old Ma Bakers for catty elastic airgun pellets and my mother's second-hand shop. Many a person were glad of my mother's bags of clothes for two shilling a time. J.W Hirst and Sons on the corner of the green and Pids butchers, Gilsons fish shop at South End and swimming in the canal, diving off the cat walk pipeline and the railway bridge. Watching ships launched at Dunstons sideways into the canal, the Scout hut by the church and the old workhouse and sea cadets, are times really any better now? The old swing bridge where my uncle Fred Cresswell worked as lock-keeper. Mr Smith, Queen Street drove the dustbin lorry, a big, big man or so it seemed to a young boy. Myuncle Norman (Simon) a bin man and bookies friend - 2nd favourite please. Roses orchard and swimming across the canal to scrump his fruit trees it don't seem so bad now. Cliff Clarke at the motorcycle shop in the green sold British and Yamaha across the road from Bob Alport and Honda. Dickie Holland's pie shop on the corner - I can taste them now and that smell ......take care, Thorne.

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