I started school in 1945 (Miss Ellison) and went to the tech in 1953.
I was an altar boy from about 7yrs old to 9yrs old, the reason for
my short career was that on the annual altar boys trip to Stratford
on Avon I became separated from the main party and not being able
to find them I went back to Birmingham on a Midland Red bus. I didn't
tell my parents what had occurred and that night Mr Harkness (I think
I've got the name right) and all the boys came to our house to tell
my parents that I was missing (the police had dragged some of the
river)............. I got fired!!..............
One of the altar boys was Jimmy Fogarty whom I sadly heard had been
killed in an accident on Alum Rock Rd while still in his teens..........
My memories of the Rosary are mostly good (except for occasionally
getting the cane). At age thirteen I went to Bordesley Green Tech
which was something I didn't want to do as I was in love with Miss
Kelly (which of course she knew nothing about), even if she had I
don't think it would have worked due to the age difference and me
being ugly with no prospects .........
In 1972 my wife Cynthia and I and our five children came to Australia,
we had $20 when we got off the boat and on the second day I was working
at a steel mill (I was a precision machinist, now retired). The children
now have children of their own (two of them are grandparents) and
we live in a shack on three acres of native bush in the Adelaide Hills...........
I've not been a good catholic (more take than give) but it's been
of great support to me over the years.
