An Idyllic Childhood

A Memory of Stretton under Fosse.

I enjoyed reading your piece Jane, I remember you so well.

I lived at Newbold Revel, Stretton-Under-Fosse from 1953 - 1977, together with my siblings - Christopher, Angela and Nicholas O'Sullivan. We lived in a cottage in the grounds of St. Paul's Teacher Training College. Our father was in charge of the grounds there. It was an idyllic place to grow up, we were so fortunate. I remember enjoyable times spent wandering through the woods, making camps, walking by the lake, scrumping apples from the college garden, and, as Jane mentioned, fishing in the Smite Brook with jam jars.

At the age of 3 - 4 (1954 - 1955), my brother, Chris, and I attended the 'Playroom' at St. Paul's. The trainee teachers supervised us in activities such as: creating things from sand, dressing up, having pretend tea parties etc. We had social interaction with other children. I especially remember Jennifer Killey being there.

The families I remember from Stretton include: The Dowsons, The Waudbys, The Alcocks, The Wigners, The Bradfords, The Rhodes, The Emerys, The Angraves, The Cockerills, The Osbournes, The Tredwells, The Kenworthys, The Parnells, The O'Briens, The Watsons, The Burns, The Jefferies, the list goes on.

I would love to hear from anyone from those days.
Teresa O'Sullivan
22nd April 2021

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