Post by sean1981 on Mar 26, 2012 11:14:15 GMT
Keighley Education Board
Thinking back to the early years at the 11 plus schools in Keighley, when summer time came round and some of us were given the chance to get away from it all and visit a far off place. I know some children went off to Belgium, France, Guernsey etc but there was the school camp at Humphrey Head, near Grange over Sands that some of us went to. I know that the boys went but not sure whether the girls went at a different time or some other delight was planned for them.
Sometime in 1954 we went and spent a week there, first at the bunk house itself and then off to Lake Coniston for a spot of boating and camping under canvas.
The first memory of being at the bunk house was that Mr Nyland, I think it was, took us off to the beach with a homemade, motorised go cart. I think he had made it for his own boys but we were allowed to give it a try. The tricky bit was remembering to pull in the dog clutch when stopping and holding it in while you got a push off before letting it go otherwise you stalled the engine. I think Mr Nyland and his wife ran the resort for the education authority, they had separate living quarters and had their two boys there I seem to remember. Mrs Nyland was Scots I think because the boys were dressed in kilts one day and as you imagine this was something new to us. I can’t remember who it was that laughed but I do remember he was given the slipper for doing it. Different times.
The trip to Coniston was great, we had to put up the tents and cook for ourselves then play cricket until our turn came to row out onto the lake; four or six rowers plus a lad on the rudder. Another memory and a lesson to be learned for me that night; we were out on the water with me on the rudder but little did I realize that sound carries over water on still evenings and my encouragement to the rowers included a few choice words!! On returning to shore I was taught a lesson by Mr Lund because of swearing; he was running the cricket match. Needless to say that with the bat in his hand he did not need a slipper.
Returning to base at Humphrey Head all was forgotten and we had fun until I managed to break my arm when running in for the hot cocoa before bed. That needed a special trip to a local doctor in Mr Nyland’s car which needed the passengers to get out when it came to a steep hill; I was allowed to stay in. I remember the doctor in his smoking jacket asking the two men to hold my arm while he bent it back into line and I must have cried out because a pal waiting outside said he heard me.
Of course that meant that on the Sunday morning I had to miss church and wait for my parents to get over to collect me in a taxi. No one had cars so that was the norm I suppose. My visit to Victoria hospital the following day for an X ray and check up was easy because the doctor said whoever treated you on Saturday placed the bones just right, so leave the plaster on for six weeks.
Happy days.
John
Thinking back to the early years at the 11 plus schools in Keighley, when summer time came round and some of us were given the chance to get away from it all and visit a far off place. I know some children went off to Belgium, France, Guernsey etc but there was the school camp at Humphrey Head, near Grange over Sands that some of us went to. I know that the boys went but not sure whether the girls went at a different time or some other delight was planned for them.
Sometime in 1954 we went and spent a week there, first at the bunk house itself and then off to Lake Coniston for a spot of boating and camping under canvas.
The first memory of being at the bunk house was that Mr Nyland, I think it was, took us off to the beach with a homemade, motorised go cart. I think he had made it for his own boys but we were allowed to give it a try. The tricky bit was remembering to pull in the dog clutch when stopping and holding it in while you got a push off before letting it go otherwise you stalled the engine. I think Mr Nyland and his wife ran the resort for the education authority, they had separate living quarters and had their two boys there I seem to remember. Mrs Nyland was Scots I think because the boys were dressed in kilts one day and as you imagine this was something new to us. I can’t remember who it was that laughed but I do remember he was given the slipper for doing it. Different times.
The trip to Coniston was great, we had to put up the tents and cook for ourselves then play cricket until our turn came to row out onto the lake; four or six rowers plus a lad on the rudder. Another memory and a lesson to be learned for me that night; we were out on the water with me on the rudder but little did I realize that sound carries over water on still evenings and my encouragement to the rowers included a few choice words!! On returning to shore I was taught a lesson by Mr Lund because of swearing; he was running the cricket match. Needless to say that with the bat in his hand he did not need a slipper.
Returning to base at Humphrey Head all was forgotten and we had fun until I managed to break my arm when running in for the hot cocoa before bed. That needed a special trip to a local doctor in Mr Nyland’s car which needed the passengers to get out when it came to a steep hill; I was allowed to stay in. I remember the doctor in his smoking jacket asking the two men to hold my arm while he bent it back into line and I must have cried out because a pal waiting outside said he heard me.
Of course that meant that on the Sunday morning I had to miss church and wait for my parents to get over to collect me in a taxi. No one had cars so that was the norm I suppose. My visit to Victoria hospital the following day for an X ray and check up was easy because the doctor said whoever treated you on Saturday placed the bones just right, so leave the plaster on for six weeks.
Happy days.
John