The Fifties And Sixties

A Memory of Swannington.

Hi I was the sixth child of seven born to John William Robinson and Annie Elizebeth Robinson (Nee Cato). Our dad was a miner who worked the New Lount and Ellistown Mines. I went to school at Swannington C of E junior School before moving to Newbridge Secondry Mondern School Forest Road Coalville. Times were hard being one of seven children and much of my chilhood memories are of being very ill as I suffered from asthma, I remember being treated by Dr Parker of Cole-Orton, a very stern man and later Dr Muir. I spent much of my time in hospital at the Groby Rd hospital in Leicester. We spent many happy hours playing in the old ruins of Hough Mill and the workers cottages close by and we used the old bell pit in the nearby spinney as our den. The old tunnel from the then Cademan View which went under ground and surfaced opposite the New Inn at Peggs Green was also a playground. In the Autum we earned extra money by picking potatoes on the local farms owned by or rented by Sid Waliker, Rose Cottage Farm and The Hollies, Archie, Tovell Manor Farm, George Taylor, Willow Farm but we used to avoid working for Mr Adcock, Elm Farm as he was a very poor payer. I remember helping Toons the butchers of Hough Hill and Knights the butchers and slaughterers of Burtons Lane. I also used to help deliver milk for Johnie Walker, Charlie Wright and John Mosley and remember going to Assage Farm in Ravenstone to bottle the milk. Hard days but happy, many more memories though.

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