Birds nesting was a favourite in the spring; terrible to think about it now, taking birds eggs. Another favourite was after the swan had had her young there was always a couple of addled eggs left in the nest and we used to put them on the railway line. Can you imagine the stench when they took the train back to the shed to clean it at night! Nick Chandler b 1937
Tag Archives: Nick Chandler
Nick Chandler: Early Days in Ommanney Road
Ommanney Road
There were some interesting people lived in Ommanney Road when I was growing up. Next door to me was old Bill Smith, the Foreman Ganger building the Railway down here; next door to him was Captain Chambers who was a Tea Clipper Captain. He was only a little old chap, lovely little old chap. Opposite was Mr Penny the postman, he was in the Home Guard. The times he tore out the house and then went back again because he had forgotten his rifle! Next door to him was a chap called Albert Fenton who used to sit on the front doorstep all day playing the penny whistle.
Have you heard of Alf Plumbley lived up at Yew Trees? He saved old Mr Higginbotham’s life in the First World War. Mr Higginbotham had his leg blown off and he was left for dead. Alf Plumbley found him, saw to him, and dragged him in, saved his life.
Nick Chandler b 1937
Nick Chandler: School discipline
I remember Miss Chambers who lived down by the Mill. If you swore she used to wash your mouth with soap and water. She used to grab hold of you with a cup of soap and water, and put it in your mouth. She kept her handkerchief tucked in her knickers, the old long bloomers. She was a good old gal though. She made sure that what she taught, you knew; taught you to read.
Then there was Mrs Barton, she could be a bit severe at times. I remember once Mick and Barry got the cane, which they didn’t like. Come lunchtime, in the classroom was this fish tank that had tadpoles and stuff in it. What did they do? They both peed in it and killed all the tadpoles – we saw them do it.
Nick Chandler b 1937
Nick Chandler: School days
I started school in 1942 with Derek Jacobs. I remember he wasn’t going to go into school and he sat on the gate hollering and shouting, and his mother was saying, ‘You will go into school!’
Nick Chandler b 1937