Summer Holidays

[John bycroft]

It's amazing, thinking back, how free we were in our schooldays (late 50's early 60's).  My mum and dad both worked full time so my sister and I were free do whatever we wanted during the school holidays.  So, we had to be inventive, which we were. We spent many days knocking on doors, asking people if they had any clothes or junk for a jumble sale, in aid of the PDSA.  When we had collected enough, we sent up a table at the end of our cul de sac (Smeaton St, Sharrow) and dressed it up with old curtains, and started selling.  Honest John's Jumble we called it.  We continued over a few days and did, in fact, make a few pounds, which we then presented to the PDSA at their surgery in Heeley.  We were given the status of 'Busy Bees'.

We also collected and chopped up firewood, putting it into bundles which we sold for 2d each.  We also raised money for the Star (the Gloops Fund), although I don't remember what that money was for.  We were certainly free, but not quite ferrel  but we had a lovely childhood.