Lovely Summer Sundays

A Memory of Doncaster.

I lived just outside Hexthorpe Flats, next to the shop called the Dell Chocolate Box. I remember that sometimes on a Sunday they had a talent show in the Dell. All those who had entered were taken into the bandstand to wait for their turn to go 'on stage'. The weather always seemed to be sunny and warm and everyone enjoyed the flowers in the Dell. We were allowed to sit on the grass over the little bit of water seperating it from the bandstand. My turn came, I was about eight years old, and I took the stage and I remember it as if it was yesterday. I sang 'D' ya ken John Peel' with all the gusto I could muster and guess what - I won! I was thrilled to win a baby rabbit. My mum and Dad were not as keen as me, but Dad built a hutch and the little rabbit lasted for a number of years. Those were the days and I feel so sorry that the children these days have missed out on so much of the simpler things which we thought were great, and they were. When I got older, into my teens, I could still walk through the flats and feel safe. I would watch the rowing boats leaving the boat house on the River Don and sometimes go on one with my cousin Cynthia. We laughed all of the time we were on the boat, neither of us were good rowers. We used to go and sit on 'Plum Pudding Hill' hoping to attract the attention of some lovely looking lad. We were't that lucky, but we enjoyed it all the same. Bring back the lazy hazy days of summer, as they were then. I have lovely memories of those days.