Nigel asking me to write a blog for him the other week set me thinking about my childhood and the idyllic life I had then, along with most others in our village so I thought I would pen a few memories.

Play – With little money around we had to make our own fun, there was no daytime television, so you played outside from morning till night. Skipping, hopscotch, French skips (all those elastic bands tied together that nipped your ankles), boys played football, soldiers & cowboys and Indians.

There was no talk of such play breeding violent behaviour in those days and I cannot see that it has, that was for future generations!

I remember having a pair of stilts made by my dad, out of two old washing props I think, I spent hours on them and became quite a proficient stilt walker believe it or not!

Summer days were lazed away ‘down the beck’ with a picnic of a few jam sandwiches and a pop bottle full of water and a warning from your mam not to drown or get beck water in your mouth (there was often a dead sheep floating about in it) and not to speak to strangers or get in anyone’s car on the way there or back.

In those days you were probably more likely to see an alien from outer space in Cockfield than a stranger but it was still drummed in. How things have changed.

School - I wonder what other blog readers memories are of Cockfield School?

My first memory is, of course, the formidable Miss Thompson, (Tomahawk!) who scared the life out of everyone, including the Head Master; I’m sure (Mr Mason in my time). Looking back she was a good teacher and being scared of her was not a bad thing (I’m sure some might disagree). I haven’t heard of anyone having to go into therapy because of her. I think Mrs Simpson was probably everyone’s favourite; she took us for among other things P.E. and was completely the opposite of Miss Thompson. Other teachers during my time were Mrs. Embleton, Mrs Lowson, Mr. Orde, and Mr. Webster. Can anyone think of others?

Last but certainly not least the best thing about Cockfield School in the late 1960’s was ‘Mrs. Parnaby’s dinners’. No other school in County Durham had dinners like hers – Cornflake tart was my favourite!

School Friends - Casting my mind back to people I went to school with, some I am still in contact with, but what of others? Some class mates who are no longer in the village I can think of are: Ann Roe (best friend), Yvonne Howell, Julie Dobinson, Diane Winterburn, , Janice Nevin, (her father was the Vicar and they emigrated to the USA), Robert Tuck, Caroline Cutting (currently in contact with her via Facebook) and Neil Stott to name but a few. I seem to be struggling to remember boys; there must be more?

On the same subject I bumped into Graham Close at the care home in Evenwood, who along with his brother Andrew and family used to live in Oxford Terrace and Victoria Terrace but who left the village when he got married. We had a few minutes reminiscing about Cockfield when we were young, which brightened an otherwise lacklustre Friday afternoon.