Silverwood Colliery
Barbara and I went on holiday the next morning, we had a week to ourselves, my Mum,Dad and Dennis were coming the following week. They had to stay behind as my grandad had died ,his funeral was the week we went away.
My Grandad had been in a nursing home for quite a while as he had Alzeimers ,he was 6.6" tall and very strong, he thought he was a child again and no one could control him. He had to go where he could be looked after properly. On several occasions I had to go and bring him home from the railway sidings which were about a half mile away, for some reason he would be alright with me but with any one else he would fight them. it was very sad he was an amazing Grandad , I was the first grandchild,we had a very special bond. I was sorry not to be going to his funeral but it was awkward as Barbara would miss her holiday so it was decided that Barb and I would go on our own, of course this was perfect for us, a week of freedom, although at that time I didn`t think I would enjoy it much, I had lost my boyfriend and my beloved Grandad.
Something I didn`t mention earlier and will make sense later. My Driver and I were doing the run to Silverwood Colliery, taking the miners to work. During the time it took the night shift to get to the surface and the new shift to get ready it meant we had a turnaround time. We spent this time approx. half an hour, in the pit canteen. We got our bacon sarnies and went to sit down, my mate saw another driver, a friend of his, so we sat with him and his conductor. The conductor seemed nice enough ,good looking, black curly hair and very muscular his name was Jackie, we all chatted for a while, he said he was a boxer(amateur). I got the feeling he was chatting me up but I wasn`t interested as at that time I was still with Mark and intended to be forever. Everywhere I went after this meeting this guy Jackie seemed to be behind me, I told him politely that I had a boyfriend and wasn`t interested in him as I was in a long term relationship. Weeks went by Jackie was persistant if nothing else, I believe he would be stalking me in this day and age, he was becoming a real pest.
Coming back from holiday I resisted getting in touch with Mark in spite of the letters I had received asking me to think again. There was no way I would go back to him, no way I would get involved with a married man and split a family. If I had any idea that he was married I wouldn`t have gone out with him in the first place.
Jackie turned up again just as I finished late shift, he asked me out again, I was a free agent now, so I said yes, he was so shocked he was stuck for words, we arranged to go to the pictures the next night. I told him about Mark being married so I had ended it. I thought we would probably go for a drink before the pictures ,when I suggested this he said he did`nt drink, just my luck he said he had signed the pledge, this made me laugh and he got quite upset that I hadn`t taken it seriously. I had never heard of such a thing, he explained it was something to do with him being a catholic. Each to their own.
In spite of this the film was good and afterwards we went for a meal, alcohol free, of course but he was good company. We had a really great time. He asked me out again and we went to a local dance had a great time again, I was really beginning to like him. He told me he was 22 yrs old, the A.B.A boxing champion of Dublin. I loved boxing my Dad and I used to sit up all night sometimes listening to the fights on the radio, we didn`t have TV`s then. He was surprised how much I knew he said other girls he had been out with just hadn`t been at all interested, so of course we had something in common.
I had been going out with Jackie for about a month, my Dad asked me to bring him to our house for a meal, all he really wanted to do was chat about boxing, plus vet him for me, at least that was what he said.
My Mum and Dad really liked him something to do with the Irish Charm. He asked my Dad if he would like to go to the boxing club where he trained . My Dad was thrilled as he never went out and to become part of the boxing fraternity, really gave him a lift.
Jackie lived in lodgings in Masbro, Rotherham he said they were really awful. He spent a lot of time at our house, one day my Mum said we had a spare room would he like to lodge with us.
I think my Mum was thinking of the extra money. I was a bit bemused as nothing had been mentioned to me about it, Jackie was thrilled to bits. He got on really well with all of us, he was a really nice guy, Dennis and he got on and were real mates, boxing,football all the things my Dad couldn`t do.
My Grandad had been in a nursing home for quite a while as he had Alzeimers ,he was 6.6" tall and very strong, he thought he was a child again and no one could control him. He had to go where he could be looked after properly. On several occasions I had to go and bring him home from the railway sidings which were about a half mile away, for some reason he would be alright with me but with any one else he would fight them. it was very sad he was an amazing Grandad , I was the first grandchild,we had a very special bond. I was sorry not to be going to his funeral but it was awkward as Barbara would miss her holiday so it was decided that Barb and I would go on our own, of course this was perfect for us, a week of freedom, although at that time I didn`t think I would enjoy it much, I had lost my boyfriend and my beloved Grandad.
Something I didn`t mention earlier and will make sense later. My Driver and I were doing the run to Silverwood Colliery, taking the miners to work. During the time it took the night shift to get to the surface and the new shift to get ready it meant we had a turnaround time. We spent this time approx. half an hour, in the pit canteen. We got our bacon sarnies and went to sit down, my mate saw another driver, a friend of his, so we sat with him and his conductor. The conductor seemed nice enough ,good looking, black curly hair and very muscular his name was Jackie, we all chatted for a while, he said he was a boxer(amateur). I got the feeling he was chatting me up but I wasn`t interested as at that time I was still with Mark and intended to be forever. Everywhere I went after this meeting this guy Jackie seemed to be behind me, I told him politely that I had a boyfriend and wasn`t interested in him as I was in a long term relationship. Weeks went by Jackie was persistant if nothing else, I believe he would be stalking me in this day and age, he was becoming a real pest.
Coming back from holiday I resisted getting in touch with Mark in spite of the letters I had received asking me to think again. There was no way I would go back to him, no way I would get involved with a married man and split a family. If I had any idea that he was married I wouldn`t have gone out with him in the first place.
Jackie turned up again just as I finished late shift, he asked me out again, I was a free agent now, so I said yes, he was so shocked he was stuck for words, we arranged to go to the pictures the next night. I told him about Mark being married so I had ended it. I thought we would probably go for a drink before the pictures ,when I suggested this he said he did`nt drink, just my luck he said he had signed the pledge, this made me laugh and he got quite upset that I hadn`t taken it seriously. I had never heard of such a thing, he explained it was something to do with him being a catholic. Each to their own.
In spite of this the film was good and afterwards we went for a meal, alcohol free, of course but he was good company. We had a really great time. He asked me out again and we went to a local dance had a great time again, I was really beginning to like him. He told me he was 22 yrs old, the A.B.A boxing champion of Dublin. I loved boxing my Dad and I used to sit up all night sometimes listening to the fights on the radio, we didn`t have TV`s then. He was surprised how much I knew he said other girls he had been out with just hadn`t been at all interested, so of course we had something in common.
I had been going out with Jackie for about a month, my Dad asked me to bring him to our house for a meal, all he really wanted to do was chat about boxing, plus vet him for me, at least that was what he said.
My Mum and Dad really liked him something to do with the Irish Charm. He asked my Dad if he would like to go to the boxing club where he trained . My Dad was thrilled as he never went out and to become part of the boxing fraternity, really gave him a lift.
Jackie lived in lodgings in Masbro, Rotherham he said they were really awful. He spent a lot of time at our house, one day my Mum said we had a spare room would he like to lodge with us.
I think my Mum was thinking of the extra money. I was a bit bemused as nothing had been mentioned to me about it, Jackie was thrilled to bits. He got on really well with all of us, he was a really nice guy, Dennis and he got on and were real mates, boxing,football all the things my Dad couldn`t do.
5 comments:
Hi Sheila!
Just wanted to let you know how much I am enjoying reading your blog.
I can hardly wait for the next installment.
Take care and GB!
Wow, just heard about your blog from your daughter and read from beginning to end in one sitting. Very interesting! I can't wait to read the next page!
Hi, Ihave read all your blog and really enjoy it,I can Identifi with small bits of it although I was'nt born until'42, can't wait for next episode!
Looking forward to the next installment! I'm finally all caught up.
Thank you for your comments, glad you are enjoying it. Very much appreciated
Sheila
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