|
I
went to Goldings in 1939, just before the start of the Second World
War. I had been boarded out since 1932 in Midsomer Norton, Somerset.
On
arrival, as a 'spare boy', I was responsible for operating the
telephone switchboard of about a dozen lines. Other duties included
taking and fetching post to Waterford post office and carrying
packets of cigs for the boys’ albeit against the rules! I remember
that I got an extra shilling for my switchboard duties to add to the
six pence a week I received.
The
dormitories had a night watchman to look over us and clock in at
various times. In the blue night-lights, he always reminded me of
Bela Lugosi in his black attire and soft shoes. After lights out,
many of us still listened to the BBC on our crystal sets, mostly
home built. There was a copper wire round the dormitory floor,
connected to a radiator for an earth lead and the aerial lead
connected to our own bedsprings.
I
chose to go into the engineering trade shop. The masters in charge
were Mr 'Johnny' Walker and
Mr. 'Polly' White. As well as classes in workshop practice and
electrical wiring, I was enlisted to help Mr Walker install lights
in the newly dug shelters. I was also responsible for a weekly check
of the fire bells in the main building.
 The
first task in the workshop was the starting of the large blackstone
oil engine, which had a flywheel about seven feet wide. It drove the
generator and batteries supplying power to Goldings. The day was
then spent manipulating metal, milling, turning, sawing and shaping.
The entire estate, including the
workshops, relied on electricity supplied by the generator, housed
in the engineer's department. The method of ignition was to insert a
large firework into a gas chamber and strike a flint... and away
went the generator. The current generated was 120 volts instead of
the 240 volts supplied by the national grid.
On
Sundays the band would lead us on church parade. Still today,
whenever I hear a Sousa march, it reminds me of those parades and of
the concerts and rehearsals they performed under the trees at the
bottom of the parade ground. Eager to join the band, I applied to
become a drummer, but was given a trombone instead. Although I
learnt the rudiments, my real desire was to play the drums and this
was eventually realised after the war when I became a semi‑pro
musician and played with various well-known traditional jazz bands
in the 1950s. I went on tours to Denmark, Sweden and Germany and
appeared on television in Six Five special.
I
don't have any bad memories of Goldings. Misbehaviour was punished
and I remember receiving' six of the best' for smoking, but we knew
and accepted the consequences of getting caught breaking the rules.
All the people in charge, although strict, were tolerant and
friendly and, on the whole, I think it was a positive experience.
Peter Mawford
Boarded out 1932‑39
Goldings 1939
The
generator was 110 DC which supplied the power for Goldings. It was
sited under the boot makers dept that was to become the painting
dept.
Reproduced from The
Barnardo Guild Messenger Winter 2004 |