What I Remember By Keith Schofield

(Aka Scogga)

Food stores nicking tins of pears and cooking

chocolate like Mick mentioned.

Playing football on the Blackie.

The swing bolt (banana boat).

Keith Blower falling from the top of the slide

and ending up with a speech defect.

Jumping from the swings onto the beams in the

shed area.

Being privileged to use the petrol mower and

cutting the grass on the

football pitch.

Walking to Darrington for 5

bobs worth of petrol for the

mower in a gallon can (25

pence for a gallon = 4.5 litres of petrol).

The Carleton Cowboys Mounted Police.

The Carleton community centre where we used

to go and watch plays. Billy Liar was the last

one I saw there.

Walter Sweating catching a miniature snooker

ball in his mouth thinking it was a table tennis

ball. That must have hurt.

Saturday matinee’s in the Hall.

Magic shows in the hall where I was part of the

magic act I was never destined to

be a magician I was picked out

and told the script of what to do.

T-Rex and dressing like the man I

am so glad there is no evidence.

Mick and Derek taking me out to the

Doncaster working men’s club on a couple of

occasions.

The Rookeries scary place at night but went to

some cracking feasts where a spit roast bull was

pride of place and the first slice was auctioned

off for a massive £100.

Colin Stubbs and his massive collection of Corgi

and Dinky cars in Home 1.

Geoff Everett aka Tonack

looked like a miniature Charles

Bronson Mick will remember

him.

Gary Thomas and his

red/green hair and the time he

went berserk at breakfast in

home 5. Got his cereals and proceeded to pour a

quart jug of milk over a his corn flakes and the

table and floor too then proceeded to smash the

table with his fist then Aunty Anne was

screaming for Jack to give some assistance with

the “Lunatic on the grass, got to keep the loonies

on the path”.

Uncle Jack and wife Ann the fact that they had

a baby while at the homes and some

one picked up baby Andrew and

dropped the poor chap on his head.

The time when Janet Sinton asked me out

and I said “yes” she ran away screaming.

Getting a superb black eye while playing

cricket on the field McMillan was the

bowler it bounced off the bails and hit me

in the eye. You may laugh McMillan but

it was the best shiner I had ever had. Absolute

beauty.

Having discos in the hall

European Cup Final, 1968, Manchester United V

Benfica Live on TV home 5.

George will remember that. I was a

Manchester United fan at the time

and Derek Priest converted me to

Leeds United fan with one well

placed punch to the head (joking) a severe

tongue lashing one Yorkshire man to another.

Nigel Wrightson my best mate at the time

running away.

Our drinking sessions at the Darrington Hotel

and the Spread Eagle where Nigel became an

apprentice chef with some huge bloke who

squeezed into a mini.

The fatal crash at the top of Moore lane I

remember Nigel throwing a

pillow down for the man to put

his head on. Nasty accident we

only heard the Massive “bang”

what the hell was that?

The window cleaner catching

me doing some thing in the little dorm. That was

the most embarrassing moment ever. The fact I

have aired the above is astonishing.

Pomfrecian’s rugby club and those guys who

burgled it our Bryan was look out. I think Philip

Wrightson was part of the “Wild Bunch”

involved.

Uncle Gordon teaching us how to play

football “Watch the ball lad, ah say

sithy, watch the ball”. Then he used to

give it a toe bunger over the shed roof,

how we rolled on the floor laughing.

The day Uncle Jack bought a Ford Zodiac V6

and let me drive it up

Moore lane. When he first

got it after the Reliant he

could not get it down Moore

Lane due to the size of the

thing. He had to reverse down Carleton road a

little then try again Hahaha.

Making “apple pie” beds.

The legendary pillow fight that Mick McMillan

mentioned in home 5 as I remember it was the

big dorm v the little dorm. Someone accidently

knocked the intercom on and Mr Meiningan

was woken up to the ensuing chaos. Great story

Mick. Jeff Wrightson was the

main instigator in the whole

proceedings I am sure of that he

was a rebel at times. Funny as

hell though. I remember

Meiningan coming over from the

Super’s office and entering the big dorm where

we had all switched beds as a joke and the

confusion on his face when addressing various

inmates who were hid under the covers saying

to Walter Sweeting “What’s

going on Walter?” then

Walter answering from a

different bed to the one he

was in before. It was utter

madness because we were all

seen off to bed by Mr

Meiningan earlier. We were

all left with no staff what so

ever. Holidays or sick we

were left to rule the roost.

Chaos ensued. We were never left alone again.

That was the best pillow fight ever.

The time Billy Bremner from Leeds United came

to Eastwell Lodge and I missed it.

A day out with Uncle Jack to watch a pre

season friendly Leeds United v Doncaster

Rovers in Donny.

Walter had his scarf hanging out of the window

and the wind took it. Jack had to do a U-Turn

on the A1 to retrieve it.

The snooker table in home 5 with the fish tank

at the side.

The first day I smoked in front of Uncle Jack in

home 5. How stupid was I and the fact that we

were allowed to smoke when of age.

Birthday party in Home 2. I am somewhere in

those pictures but do

not recognise myself. I

was sat next to Susan

Goodwin.

A teacher called Mr

Branch who used to

hit you with the edge

of the ruler and

drawing pins under your hand in case you

moved.

The time it was some one’s birthday in home 5

and they chose to have their party outside in

the Garden. I remember Jeff Wrightson

complaining as he thought it was a silly idea so

when he was asked “when it is your birthday

Jeff you can pick where you want your party

OK” Jeff’s reply was a

pure classic. He said

“OK then so I can have

my party where ever I

want to” A short pause

then the Aunty said “Yes Jeff any where you

want” “Right” said Jeff “I think I will have my

party at the bottom of a swimming pool” that

was the trigger for me just to laugh so much I

nearly passed out.

Uncle Jack standing as guarantor on my first

bicycle bought for £25, 10 bob a week for 18

months. It was a Carlton with

Shimano gears.

Brylcreem for our hair.

The first pair of wrangler jeans from

Mod Coply.

The girlfriends I shared some time with, good or

bad the memory’s still remain.

James Smales and the pictures he drew of

matchstick men playing football little pictures of

grave stones and asking how old you were and

me replying “350 yrs old James” and the fact

that he believed every word. Proceeding to

draw the headstone with my name on it, “died

350 yrs old”.

Gary Thomas and his obsession

with the bullworker. He Jack

Gowen, Walter Sweating and

myself in Home 5 working the

bullworker.

The day I nearly killed Malcolm Wild with a

home made spear.

The day that Mick

McMillan gave me a

massive bollie. It was

huge and I took it to

school. Laugh my arse

off, some kids were

playing marbles and I

just had to play. With what would be considered

in the marble world as a weapon of mass

destruction. They would not let me play. They

were still oblivious of what I had. So I thought

sod it I’m playing and rolled this monster ball

bearing towards the pile of marbles I missed the

marbles and broke this kid’s ankle. Oh shit I’m in

trouble again.

The swop shop in Ponty my nickname at one

time was Swop Shop.

The car that I stole and took Philip Wrightson

and some of his friends on a joy ride. I asked

them to help me as it was stuck down a ditch

some where up Bag Hill. Then I slammed on the

brakes as Janet Sinton was there. Thanks for

that forgotten memory Phil.

My first love and the day that Lynn Allington

categorised, stamped and placed me in the

juvenile delinquent class. She was a fantastic

girl. I was a complete and utter arse.

My motor cycle a Triton 700 with a featherbed

frame with Dunstall Mega exhaust pipes

Norton 5 speed

gearbox and a over

bored Triumph

Bonneville 650

cylinder head and

block. With a pair of

Amyl carburettors. I remember Mr Wooten

asking the size of the bike and I told him it was

a 250cc.

The day that John Wooten took me to Whitwood

tech in his Jag. I pretended it was my dad when

asked who it was.

The day at Brid when Nigel took the biggest

drag of a Cigar ever, and

collapsed under hails of

laughter from me and

Walter Sweating.

Priceless.

An old woman dying and

attending her funeral she

was a cleaner at the homes and was buried at

Carleton Church. I still remember the exact plot.

She was known as Aunty Sheila. She was really

nice. She had no relatives as I remember.

I was an altar boy

at Carleton Church

like Mick I never

threw the wine

down the sink. I

and the others drank it. No wonder God hates

me.

The awesome holiday at Rhyl.

Fishing at Brid harbour and catching a seagull.

Going sea fishing with Uncle Jack.

All these one liners I could expand into

paragraphs, but I don’t want to bore you with

the ramblings’ of a middle aged old man. Thanks

to all who were involved. It’s been one hell of a

journey.

Many Thanks

Keith Schofield aka Scogga

PS if anyone would like me to expand a certain

memory then just ask. Thanks

I should write a book entitled:-

My Life through the Eye’s of A Stranger

By

Keith Schofield