Our marble playing consisted of scattering an agreed number of clay marbles around the scoop, recalled Jack Hill who was born at the Gables Farm, Desford in 1926, and then the two participants would take it in turn to push marbles into the scoop with the forefinger bent and brushing the ground. Winner took all the marbles so sometimes one might have two pockets of heavy weights. These were trouser pockets so ones walk was quite distinctly a waddle and the chafing caused red spots to form on one's thighs.

A much lighter game involved the use of fag cards. These were available from all cigarette packets and would have subjects ranging from footballers and cricketers to soldiers to animals and so on. An agreed number of each person's cards would be stood against the wall and the object was to flick the cards and knock down those standing. The card was held between first and second finger and the hand was flicked to send the card spinning in a flat flight. As before, winner took all, but the action of knocking down sometimes provoked heated arguments as to whether it was a fair hit.

French cricket was played at appropriate times with a small bat and tennis ball and this was a fairly subdued game, which could be played by a ring of boys.

Oh yes, segregation during playtime was the norm at both schools just in case the girls should be bowled over by boisterous play. Segregation also meant that loos were simple but they were back to back which allowed for some cat calling to be brought into play.

One exciting act in the boys' loo was to try and pee over the wall into the Doctor's spinney where the leaves would provide a most satisfying sound. This action involved screwing up one's willy to achieve
a strong ejection, which would gradually climb above the rendering.

A ball game in the playground required a tennis ball that the starter threw at other boys who, when hit, joined the side until all but one boy was left. He then started a new game. This was called Hot Rice.

A game, which required four or five boys per side, was called camels. Here, the one side leaned against a wall at right angles in line and with the tallest holding his head and shoulders against the wall for stability.
The other side then had to leap one after the other to land as far over the line as possible and then hang on till everyone was on, after which a mantra would then be shouted If anyone fell off then the other team had the chance to do the leaping.

Often the last man would tend to hump his back at the moment of leap and so thwart the forward flight of the others. This action always led to arguments. This game could also be played underneath a lighted lamppost in winter. Perhaps down at the Co-op General store.

I cannot recall ever going to the recreation ground for play. Partly because the grass was always allowed to grow too long and secondly because the girls monopolised the swings and seesaws. I couldn't have used a swing anyway as I suffered from extreme giddiness if I swung more than a couple of times and would then throw up to my dismay and of course embarrassment.

The Malthouse field provided us with a useful pitch for football or cricket although there could be quite a few cowpats to be avoided or kicked away. The goal posts and stumps were always created by a careful piling up of coats and jerseys. This often promoted arguments when the ball skimmed past a coattail, which it was alleged was the actual wicket.

I was happy in the arena as Dad owned the field and I was therefore on home ground. It still didn't protect me from being thumped but it happened less often than might otherwise have been. Usually the teams came from the Newbold Road area but sometimes lads from the Council Houses were allowed to join in. We are talking about a total of some ten or twelve lads at any one time, maximum ages ranging from four to twelve years.

Girls never came into the orbit of play except for me privately when someone like Sheila Pickaver and I would play mothers and fathers. On one occasion we were wringing out clothes with the mangle and my middle finger was caught between the wooden rollers.

We often played in the demolished houses next to Hollick's house where there was an old cast-iron stove with oven door. Then she left and Dofi came next door with Peter and Ivan who were babies but eventually grew sufficiently to be playmates.