The cobbles and the tarmac

We lived in an end of terrace house. From the top of the street to our house the road was covered in tarmac and from our house downwards it was cobbled. My mother said it was because it was three different parishes but secretly I thought it was because  our house was very important

I like the cobbles because there was tar in between them and in the hot weather the tar would melt and we could pick it up and play with it.

In the summer we wore bathing suits.Sunburn was not regarded as bad

There was still quite a lot of TB and also polio. So sunshine was healthy although we often used to get burnt backs. Not to mention damage to our faces.

1953 was a hot year and my father was dying. I was outside playing on the cobblestones or playing with my skipping rope etc

I think we have the coronation as I remember a party at the bottom of the street where the cobbled part of the road met the main road going to St Helen’s.

None of my siblings came with me so I felt lonely not knowing what a coronation meant in practical terms apart from the Queen being crowned

Now the brickfield and the clay quarry has been filled in and they’ve built new house is over it

They used to be allotments prices were some men kept hens

Then as people got cars they closed the allotments and built ugly garages them

The convent and  the school that I went to closed and now this is a housing estate so my sister told me. She was very happy that the school was knocked down. So was I