Hi Trevor and Kenny, and indeed anyone else interested.
I came from a small village of two ups and two downs that was built in 1861 and completely demolished in 1978, although we left in 1952 for the luxuries of a council estate.
My education was at a primary school which was quite brilliant in teaching me the basics of spelling, mathematics and a love of books. The war intervened a bit and the 11 plus was limited to 4 boys selected from the 15 or so who passed in alphabetical order. I was the fifth! While looking forward to leaving school at 14, the Government changed it to 15, but the Headmaster found me a place to continue my education and off `I went as a scholarship boy to a rather selective private school where my primary school education was a bit derided by some and praised by others when I won the annual Prize day prize persistently for General Proficiency. I also was the only one in my year that passed all subjects taken in both O and A levels.
During that period I worked in Market Gardens and farms, before becoming a teacher, in which job I lasted two terms before resigning and going to work as a farm labourer, which I found rather rewarding.
I have done jobs which the little lovies would have jibbed at, and with that attitude I have only had one day unemployed in all that time.
I just wish that most of the little lovies had a bit of willingness to work as I know that they will find it more rewarding tha sitting around in the sun or even the rain.
Regards,
Peter. My village and my grandfather.