My Memories Of Coatbridge

A Memory of Coatbridge.

I was born in Marshall St, Old Monklands. I remember playing in the Glen and having to cross a very busy road to get there.West End park was one of my favorite haunts. Iwent to St Josephs Primary school (I think it was called that, because they changed the name). In those times they used the belt as punishment, and I remember running home to my mum after being hit very badly with the belt. My mum raced to the school and confronted the teacher and told her never to hit me with the belt ever again, and she did not. When we went to the High Street shopping our mum would take us to Dinardo's for ice-cream and sometimes the cinema, if there was enough money. I later went to St Ambrose school and thanks to an Canadian art teacher I found a love of art. I was always being hauled off to the 'beak' (headmaster) eg..smoking, messing about etc.. but the funny thing is I did well in my schoolwork. I left Coatbridge in1965 to live in Birmingham and now live in Bromsgrove which is just outside Birmingham. I have been back to Coatbridge twice in recent years to attend the funerals of my sister, Pat Carlin, and my brother Mick.