Parkgate As A Child

A Memory of Rawmarsh.

I used to live in Victoria Road and went to Netherfield Lane School, now a block of flats, opposite was a large hut building and I used to go there one evening a week for pirates when we could afford itm I loved it! And does anyone remember coming out of school and all crowding in the old cobbler's shop opposite to shake his hand on our way home, I don't know why we did this but it is something you will not see today's kids doing. And everybody went to Victoria? Park in the holidays, it was packed, the bandstand, Punch and Judy, and paddling pool, everything you could want as a child, why do some things have to change? Oh! and all those lovely bird aviaries and beautiful peacocks, what a magnificent park, no going abroad then! I have been back and as parks go it's nice but not one reminder of the past, nothing but ghosts, so sad.
Life was very hard but some of my best memories are of growing up in Rawmarsh. I also went to a dance on Saturdays, I think I was only about six or seven, which also doubled as a swimming pool and across the road further down (the hill) was the old cinema, further down the hill opposite was my church, still there! It seemed really high up the steps, and across the road was the rectory where we had church open days with free ice cream and games! Down at the bottom of the hill was all the shops and pubs and good old Woolworths, the turning down the side of Woolworths took me and my brothers to places like Mangum, Aldryke etc., we would go for miles and be gone from early morning until tea-time and come home starving, another thing you won't see kids doing today! Well, I could go on. If anybody out there wants to hear more, or can share any of these memories, I would love to hear them, thanx.