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Queen's Park

Chased by the park keeper in the 1940s

By Janis Ravenett

"It was the most amazing adventure of my short and sheltered life. What seemed to me like several hundred children rampaged up Islingword Road and into Queen's Park where we completely ran amok. Or so it seemed to me.

We crashed through shrubberies and trampled over flower borders with complete disregard for all the world. Divided into gangs of Cowboys and Indians we whooped and screamed at the top of our voices. How long the game lasted I've no idea - but it was the most WONDERFUL experience of my whole life so far.

Until, with a blood curdling shout, the park keeper came striding out of his hut and straight towards us. Children flew in all directions, arms and legs flailing about madly. All except me of course. My legs turned to jelly, my tongue stuck to the roof of my mouth and I almost wet myself. Tall and broad-shouldered, he gave me the worst ticking off I have ever received - even to this day."

From the QueenSpark Book 'Snapshots'

This page was added on 26/06/2006.

Comments about this page

I remember there were two park keepers, one we called 'Fatty' and the other 'Skinny'. I seem to remember 'Skinny' was alright. I remember doing similar things - diving into hedges, following the teddy boys and their girlfriends in the early evening, sneaking into the rest gardens to collect frogspawn from the stream in the twilight with torches to see what was there.

By Dawn Sloggett (05/06/2006)

I can remember the two park keepers, 'Fatty' and 'Skinny' as well. They used to have a cosy wooden hut up a path off the playground and if Fatty came charging out, you knew you were in trouble. I can remember him hauling me out of the pond when I tried to walk on the ice and of course fell in!He gave me the biggest ticking off and I ran all they way home, not even bothering to empty out my wellies, and then I got another ticking off by my mum! It was a magical place to all us kids, especially the huge 'conker' trees where we spent hours playing with the conkers and your bruises were 'badges of merit'.

By Pam Malekin (nee Warburton) (01/01/2009)