Janette Hutchinson was born on the 24th January 1956 at Stockton-on-Tees. She attended Tilery Road Junior School and Albany Road Secondary Modern School. I remember my school days as funny but at the same time I hated them: having to get up early every morning when you were nice and warm in your bed. Winters I dreaded, especially when it snowed, as boys always pelted you with snow balls; and your feet were freezing, your fingers numb, and all you wanted to do was get home by the fire, and then it was always a fight to get near it as there were so many of us, nine kids. I was very talkative as a child and I always remember Nora Cuskern over the road used to come over our house and ask: was I going to talk to her? She later became my sister's mother-in-law. People even called me Gabbie Aggie course I talked that much. And I used to sing every night in bed at the top of my voice, and when I didn't sing neighbours asked my mam what was wrong because they loved my singing. I think I must have sung half the neighbourhood to sleep at some time or another. I had many friends at school, including Janet Cook, who was my best friend. We were always in bother for something or another. Then there were Linda Thompson, Lynne Heffron and Sandra Tucker. All our neighbours were nice in Swainby Road. As well Mary Oliver was lovely and was one of my mother's closest friends. Swainby Road was a lovely place to live back then with everyone helping each other. Going back to my school days, I remember one day my sister Annette and I plotted how to get out of going to school. As there was a farm at the top of Swainby Road she suggested we go over there and I rub my hair in cow dung. She would then take me home and we would tell mother I fell in it, then she wouldn't send us to school. So we went to the farm and did it. I stunk to high heaven with dung dripping from my hair, and so we went home and I pretended to cry and said, 'Aww mam! Look what I fell in.' Mother didn't miss a trick. She told Annette to get to school NOW, then she clouted me round the ear, filled the dish in the kitchen sink and washed my hair in Fairy soap, and then told me I better get to school or else! My hair was dripping wet. Anyway I went to school and stayed in the toilets all afternoon where Miss Towel caught me at home time. I was called to her office the next morning where I got the cane for bunking off. Wouldn't it have been easier to just go to school in the first place? Janette Hutchinson, Stockton, 2002
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