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This is a true story
in memory of Herbert the duck.
One afternoon
three boys decided it was about the right time of the year to pay
their respects to one of the many orchards that were scattered
around the outskirts of Goldings, off they went down to the river bank near bottom
field, Along the bank they spotted three punts so they thought they
best attack this orchard from the river-side.
The name of these
boys were Sid Fitzwater plus
two others who's names escape him after all these years, made there
way along this river until they found the one they wanted, It was
decided the two lads would enter the orchard while Sid was to keep
Diggy eye while the two lads paid their respect to the orchard that
had lots of windfalls after a good shake of the tree, while they
were filling the sack, Sid sat in the punt, it was a well known fact
that Sid didn't have the best of eyesight but it was Sid who got the
job, the job that got a little boring after 5 minuets. So he had a
sit down in the
punt, while Sid was looking down the river, three little ducks came very close to Sid which he managed to
capture without much trouble and place them in his pocket. Everyone
who knew Sid was aware of his love for pets he kept on the allotment
patch, he had rabbits a jackdaw plus ferrets which he looked after.
While Sid's
attention had been diverted with the ducks he had not noticed the
farmer who had started to give chase but he didn't catch them or Sid
who had escaped on the punt. When they got back to Goldings Sid
could find was just two of these little ducks, he must of dropped
the other one while escaping from the farmer, so he put the
remaining two ducks in the rabbit hatch on the allotment.
Back at Goldings
some hours later it was time to parade for tea, and who should be
standing with Pinhead? The farmer who didn't take long to pick out
the three boys who all ended up outside the study awaiting Pinhead
to deal with them, each lad had got six of the best, when it came to
Sid’s turn to bend over gripping the table after the first one Sid
heard a squeak it was this duck the old man didn't hear it he'd got
another five cuts to endure, feeling rather sore when he came out of
the study Sid felt this little lump in his coat that was not moving.
The little Duck must have found its way into the lining via a small
hole Sid had in his pocket, The sad part of this little tale when
Sid got this little Duck out it was a dead Duck.
The remaining two survived and were
released back onto the river Bean, according to Sid the early days
he fed them on cups of Coco and grubs.
Sid Fitzwater
Buxton 1947 to 1951
Seeing this story and others when boys were in front
of the then Headmaster for corporal punishment, I wonder why Dr
Thomas Barnardo's rules were not applied. When and who felt it was
necessary to beat someone with a stick? what did Thomas Barnardo
think on the subject
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