Mel,

Our time was much earlier than that, junior school, when you wore posh long trousers and I was a street urchin with the a**e hanging out of my short ones.

I remember watching you in junior school, how proud you were playing THE BIG RECORDER, whereas we were all stuck with triangles or anything else we could get to grips with. Funny how little things like that stick in your mind, when I can't remember what I had for breakfast.

We separated when you went into higher grades at the grammar school, which, if you can remember, all but one passed the 11 plus in our class.

I left there early to pursue a career in the RAF as I had been offered an apprenticeship, which my brother seemed to wangle for me, as he was already in the RAF.

When I returned to Crewe in 1980, most of my old mates had either up sticks and moved away, or were having a hard time with the recession, which was happening then. I was OK because of my engineering skills, and have never really been out of work until now, due to bad health caused by such a good time in the RAF. But at least the war pension keeps the wolves from the door. A few of them were knocked off because of silly motorcycle and car accidents, and a few have succumbed to life's usual medical problems. There are only a couple left that I now know personally.

I don't live far away from your parents old house in Underwood Lane, and I pass it most times I venture out. I am at the other end of Selworthy, on Bradfield road.

It is times like this that you remember it was well over 40 years ago that I last saw you. Some people just stick in your mind, I think it is because of your parents old house that keeps reminding me.

I suppose I had better come clean.


Bogs AKA John Moore, from Frank Bott Avenue and Broad Street Juniors.

Sorry to the rest of the clan on the site, but it isn't every day you find a person whom you knew so many years ago.