Chapeltown
Lights
When you're 16 it’s funny what is classed as
exciting, though perhaps we just weren't that
sophisticated in 1966. Getting off the 91 bus
from Grenoside to see what in memory was the
hillside of Chapeltown Park lit up just like
Blackpool was amazing (in reality, they
probably had 2 yellow bulbs and one red one
that flashed on and off for a bit!). Then
there were the sounds of the funfair and
outside disco by the old bandstand (strains of
the Everly Brothers "Wake up little
Suzie" are strong in my memory). I
remember trying hard to win a coconut for some
girl I fancied - failed completely and she
wandered off having lost interest in my
prowess as a provider of gifts.
Then
there was the "bother" ... Older
teenagers who had been busy sharing a half of
"Tennants" in the Royal Oak usually
descended at a prearranged time. High Green
Gang versus the Parson Cross gang in the first
semi-final! Usually just a lot of shouting and
posturing before everyone ran off.
The Griffin
Back in 1967, the school pub was definitely
The Griffin, next door to Ecclesfield Church -
Friday nights in the Griffin became a regular
event for the miscreants of the 6th form. A
few under age drinks before moving on to
wherever the local "bop" was being
held - Getty Hall, Grenoside Community Centre,
Newton Hall. Many a celebration was held in
The Griffin. I recall one drinking game we
used to play, where everyone sat around a
table, with each person being given a number.
We all used to clap in rhythm, and when it was
your turn on the first beat you had to say
your number, and on the second beat someone
else's number. You weren't allowed to say the
number of the person who had nominated you.
The turn moved on to the person whose number
you had said, and you had to keep the beat.
Failure meant drinking half a pint straight
down. When you started to lose at the game it
just got worse. Mind Trev Smith used to lose
on purpose now and again just to get a drink!
After one eventful night I can remember a
certain individual (I won't mention you by
name Kev!) running almost naked down past the
Black Bull discarding various items of
clothing along the way. The game got us banned
eventually when one nameless individual
managed to be sick all over the landlady. So
we moved on to the Royal Oak at Chapeltown for
the drinking sessions and games of 3 card
brag. And the Friday nights still continue
after 35 years - just 3 of us left Myself,
Trev Smith and Harry Butterworth, with
occasional appearances from Pete Adwick
(Bermuda) and Pete Milne (Peterborough) when
they are in town.
Radio 270 The
favourite "Pirate" Station during my
O Level year the stereo effect at the top of
the Playing field from the tranny's was quite
something. The ship was anchored somewhere off
Scarborough. Other pirateswere "Radio Caroline", Britain Radio" and
there was always "Radio Luxembourg"
to fall back on. They all sounded identical,
but to the teenagers of the time who had been
fed a diet of pap from the BBC Light Programme,
it was just wonderful.
Annual Cross Country Run The
annual torture of the male pupils event, this
was compulsory, the only way you could get out
of this was by being dead! Involved running
through the fields around the School for about
5 or 6 miles (seemed like a couple of hundred
miles at the time). My regular finishing
position was usually somewhere around 100th.
It was usually raining, that fine drizzle, and
cold, was it run at Easter??? Did anyone
actually enjoy this?
