The "LIFE of BRIAN" Part 2

BLOG 290107 - The “LIFE of BRIAN “ - Part 2 of 10

Our “Queen of Villages” could NOT boast as having an Airport or Bus Station In fact, throughout the full 20+ years I lived in the “Queen of Villages” I NEVER once saw an aircraft pass overhead - I did once hear the Luftwaffe though, I think it was 1942, flying over to drop their load of bombs on the numerous Steel Works in the Sheffield/Rotherham area, - it was during some dark, dismal and dank night, I remember getting under the lounge table - none of the families used the brick built Anderson Air Raid Shelters built for our communal protection they were damp, filthy and smelly. Oh! I should add that the local bus service did pass by our front garden ( a 10ft x 10foot patch of grass descried as lawn when the need to impress prevailed) ,it passed by twice each hour, every hour in both directions from about 6.00am in the mornings to 10.00pm at night (at 20 minutes to and 10 minutes passed the hour, in one direction and 10 minutes to and 20 minutes passed the hour, the other way), six days a week - on Sundays it was a reduced service which did not start until mid-day and finished about 6.00pm. I should have added that we did have a 2 Bus Stops within 20 paces ( crafty measurement … yes? ) -that’s 20 child’s paces of our front door. No cars, or taxis service though. Shanks Pony was the only alternative - very few pushbikes also ( War effort I suppose)

The “Queen of Villages” could boast an Infants and Junior School - Victoria School - (5 Bus Stops away) This was my school where I had my early education, walking there most days - 30 to 45 minutes in each direction ( all weathers). I also had my own “personal coat hook” in the school cloak room- designated with a dangling coloured cardboard cut out, of a grey elephant - this was my own personal coat hook and I was very proud of it ( as retaining in my memory obviously substantiates). There were separate Girls and Boys outside Loo s - the Boys Loos were really Bogs and were open aired and exposed to the elements, (I don’t know if this was true for the girls also - I never went near them). Oh! and sometimes I had a sleep in the afternoons - on a camp bed in the School Hall/Class Room. In fact all the class were supposed to have a sleep - dont know why, probably because they thought the possibility of nightly bombing raids by the Germans would depriveus of our rest and keep us awake.

I went to church every Sunday - to St James’ ( cant remember from what age). In later years I did play the Church Organ there, and occasionally (less than discretely I should add) I “pepped” up the music with jazz and boogie - that was until “Skip - the Scoutmaster” heard me one time and suggested it was not the thing to do to illustrate my talent, and that if I was not careful he may consider demoting me as the Patrol Leader of the my beloved “Peewits“ Patrol - only recently I learned that both Billy Connelly and Bernard Cribbens were also Peewit Patrol Leaders - such exalted company . What a disgrace that would have been - too great to handle, I guess, I would have left the 12th Don and Dearne St James Scout Troop - with a Sherwood Green (edged with Yellow) Neckerchief, held in place with a woggle - such a disgrace if that had happened thankfully it did not.. . ..