I have occasionally wondered what happened to young Michael of 1958-60 vintage. He lived about two or three doors up from the house opposite 31 Whitehouse Court. He was a very studious lad but also loved sport, in particular Newcastle United. I know that in about 1963 he won the Ushaw Moor cricket club second team best fielding award. Then the trail went cold for many years but I may have located him.
If I have got it right he won a National Coal Board scholarship to read politics at Nottingham university and spent twenty five years in the UK coal mining industry. Eventually he led a management consultancy company in Nottingham. He had a high powered career and not that long ago received an honorary degree from Nottingham university.
WB
very unusual twins The Fergusons as Eric was a couple of years older than Norman
ReplyDeleteBut not impossible. Thank you Frank for pointing out my error, which I have corrected [in the piece about dancing bears and cricket bats rather than Michael Macnamara].
ReplyDeleteFrank Clarke - quick to chide but not to bless? Just a quip Frank, I don't mean it.
bless you my child
ReplyDeleteI am that same Michael McNamara and still for my sins support Newcastle United! We lived in Bracken Court but moved to Nottinghamshire in 1966 when my father transferred to the Nottinghamshire coalfield. Certainly started my love of cricket with Ushaw Moor cricket club - great times there in the then new club house.
ReplyDeleteI spent most of my working life in the coal industry but mainly on the Industrial Relations side, finally helping to privatise the industry in 1995/1996. Graduated from Nottingham University in 1971 with first degree in politics; an MA from Warwick in 1972 and an Honorary Doctorate from Nottingham in 2011.
I still have an aunt and cousins in Brandon, as well as other relatives in the North East. Both of our sons were at University in the Region, Jonny in Newcastle and Simon at Hatfield College in Durham, where I am still involved as a Trustee of the Hatfield Trust.
Intrigued to learn who/what brought about this blog!!
Mike McNamara
Hello Mike. Being an innocent 'memories' page you cropped up just like scores and scores of other people.I was a pal of yours for a couple of years and can even recall our visit to Durham to see a film about Napoleon and Waterloo; he lost, again, thanks to overnight rain and a little help from our friends.
ReplyDeleteWe went to see Leeds United at Newcastle United and the Magpies won comfortably on a sweltering day in front of 63,000. I was, and am, a follower of Derby County, not Nottingham Forest! I think you would have been quite a good goalkeeper had you been a bit taller.
If you do not remember me, owing to my alleged lack of charisma, not to worry. They were cheap and cheerful days with a lot of youthful fun.
Wilf Bell
There was another brother called John, both Eric and Norman played cricket for Ushaw Moor.
ReplyDeleteHi Michael, I can remember when we first came to live in Nott's, 1966 in Hardwick ave, think you were mates with John Beech,can remember your Dad very well,my Dad and yours whent to school together also with Harry kirby our neighbour at the time & worked at Bearpark colliery, there were three loads of furniture in one pickfords removable lorrys then, one was ours,then Mr Jack Seeds, i think it was yours, not to sure,hope you & your family ar keeping well, John M.
ReplyDeleteI seem to remember playing cricket with you and others on those grass squares near to our house? Certainly went to most Newcastle home matches between 1957/58 and Feb.1966 when we moved to Mansfield.
ReplyDeleteGrass squares? To those of us with semi-developed minds those squares, as you put it,were either Trent Bridge or the Baseball Ground - depending on the time of year. Mike, looking at your CV I'm really pleased that you grasped the nettle and achieved so much in your life, not that the whistle has blown yet. I managed to find a worthwhile career that suited my qualities, and met a cross section of society in doing so, but calling myself a high flyer would be pushing it!
ReplyDeleteAll the very best to you and yours.
Hi Jon
ReplyDeleteI remember it all too well, even from almost 40 years ago, with the McNays,Mawsons, Kirbys and McNamaras all together in that row of 4 houses at the top of Hardwick Avenue.
My parents had been long time friends with both Harry/ Ena Kirby as well as Jack/Peggy Seed. They all decided together to move to Rainworth, when Bearpark colliery looked like it might close in 1966 (it didn't) but all three men loved working in the thick coal seams of Nottinghamshire after a lifetime in the thin seams of West Durham - the much better pay and bonuses helped too!
It was my brother John (7 years younger than me) who was friendly with John Beech, while I 'palled'up with Kenneth Atkinson and Melvin Kirby initially, before going off to University in 1968. I never really returned to Rainworth other than during the Uni. vacations.
We are well and having moved around the country with the NCB have settled in Southwell since 1988. We unfortunately lost our younger son Simon five years ago, which was and still is difficult to cope with, but two grandchildren in London are a massive bonus.
Hope all is well with you too?
Mike
Ian , were you at Brandon Juniors school by any chance?
ReplyDeleteNo I went to School in Ushaw Moor, I used to be the scorer with the Cricket team
ReplyDelete