South Street 1958

I am aware that this article includes some points raised in an earlier post however there is enough new material to justify it. One memory is of the night before our new school’s very first game of football [58/59 season]. I was staying at 2 South Street because my mother had been hospitalized. My mum’s ill health was very distressing just at a time when I was to captain the team against Brandon Modern. On the morning of the game I found that I had a rash all over my body; it may well have been a nervous rash, caused by both the trauma that had recently been experienced by our family, owing to mum’s health, and the fact that I was skippering the school team from centre half, a new position for me. My grandmother was quick to point out that the bed I had slept in was clean [knowing her it would have been] and my rash had nothing to do with the bed sheets! As for the game we lost 2-1 at home. It was a case of two fairly evenly matched sides. Little did I know that they would end up champions and we would be very near to the bottom. Our defence was quite strong but we lacked fire power; consequently we often lost 1-0! In the return game high flying Brandon beat us 4-3, but not until we had given them an awful fright by leading 3-1. That was the only day that our forward line really clicked and the only day we conceded more than two goals – in league games anyhow!

 Yes 2 South Street was usually spotless and always smelt nice. The clock ticked and tocked and the hourly chimes are still a vivid memory. It was a calm and orderly house; grandfather Dickie Hope would often be seen doing his ‘pit paperwork’. I suppose he was noting things like ‘wet money’ due to coal miners and describing the state of the underground pit for the benefit of the manager.

 In the dining room was to be seen the little silver cricket cup, proudly on display to mark a triumph that occurred in 1947. Not far away was the MCC book of rules. Dickie was a stickler for the rules. A cricket ball was there to be seen. He was always searching for lost cricket balls in order to save UMCC some money.

 Big brown flagons of ginger beer were to be seen on the floor by the kitchen. That ginger beer beat its modern counterparts [really?].

 When in the appropriate shift grandfather was up at 3am enjoying bacon and egg – so I am told! As for Grandmother’s blackberry pie – my goodness it really was the best, and really was supreme compared to some modern dross. Yes really!

 I have previously mentioned the joyous Christmas festivities of the 50s. Warmth from the fire and warmth between individuals was the order of the day. Uncle Tommy Carse was a lovely man with a twinkle in his eye and a smile for everyone. Uncle Arthur was equally great – he showed an interest in all of us and was a very caring man.

 WB