The Castle School

A Memory of Stanhope.

I was at the Castle School in Stanhope from 1975-77, I was in Bewdley House and in Big Raby dorm, to me I have no good memories about the place to be honest. I thought it was an evil place, if the law was then as it is today many of the staff would have got a prison sentence after the violence went on there, I am only being honest. At the age of 14 I arrived at the Castle School at about 6pm, had some food, I think it was food, and then I was put straight to work polishing floors, the floor polish was put on so thick it was difficult to polish as you would be on hands and knees, if you stopped the staff would walkacross the front line and stand on your fingers. I remember one boy who hated Cauliflower Cheese and was made to eat it and he was sick, then he was made to eat his own vomit. I was feeling unwell and finding it difficult to move, I was clouted across my head and ended up with a perforated eardrum. I remember a freezing January evening, getting a shower before bed, the shower water was freezing and I found it difficult to get in the shower, I was hit several times across my back with carbolic soap wrapped up in a towel until I was in the shower. I was at this school for my own protection from my step-father's abuse by Social Services and this is what I had to face. Today the memories are still there and I feel anger over this place. I recieved split head stitches in my head, broken nose, black eyes, cracked ribs and this was done just from the staff there,  , and what really went on there when there were young boys from the age of 9 years old up to 16 years old. not mension staff names those who were there will remember. (NOT A GOOD PLACE TO BE.)
Ian Lambert.