Getting up to mischief as a lad!!

Way back as a lad in the 50s I was always on the lookout for something to keep me entertained,no matter if it got me into trouble as long as it was fun and of course cost me nowt!.One of my favourite pastimes was playing in the lifts and outwitting the caretaker at Bradfield Road flats,I used to go up and down over and over again driving the poor bloke out of his head!.Every now and then he caught me giving me a clip round the ear and promising all kinds of dreadful torture,I would give him my faithful promise not to do it again!.But as soon as he was out of sight off I would go again until I got fed up and would wander off on the lookout for something else to get me into trouble,our old boy spent that much time collecting me from Hammerton Road nick that he was invited to the annual dinner dance,thats what he told my mother anyway!.Thinking back if I had a child like I was in those days I think I would strangle him for sure!.:hihi:

We were the same as you in the 50s, our stomping ground was Hillsborough park and I used to be a cheeky so and so withe park keepers especially one called "camel" I used to give him the old runaround until he caught me and took me up to the park keepers hut up near the bowling greens. He called the bobby who walked me home much to the disgust of mum and dad who gave slap just in case i thought about re offending...

Way back as a lad in the 50s I was always on the lookout for something to keep me entertained,no matter if it got me into trouble as long as it was fun and of course cost me nowt!.One of my favourite pastimes was playing in the lifts and outwitting the caretaker at Bradfield Road flats,I used to go up and down over and over again driving the poor bloke out of his head!.Every now and then he caught me giving me a clip round the ear and promising all kinds of dreadful torture,I would give him my faithful promise not to do it again!.But as soon as he was out of sight off I would go again until I got fed up and would wander off on the lookout for something else to get me into trouble,our old boy spent that much time collecting me from Hammerton Road nick that he was invited to the annual dinner dance,thats what he told my mother anyway!.Thinking back if I had a child like I was in those days I think I would strangle him for sure!.:hihi:

Yep - been there, done that! The lifts in Regent Court were the only ones within easy reach and we would often ride in them, keeping an eye open for the caretaker. I had to smile, some years later, when the flats were refurbished and the publicity regarding the alterations boasted "high speed lifts" - which were slower than the original ones. Old "Camel" in Hillsborough park was a kindly soul if you got the better side of him. I was once tearfully making my way back to Dykes Hall Road with a broken Tri-ang scooter. He saw my predicament and fixed it for me in the parkies' workshop behind the library. My favourite parkie was Paul - he was Polish (or, more precisely, White Russian) and he was often in charge of the paddle boats - sixpence for 20 minutes. Memories!.

Hillsbro your post reminded me of another escapade my pals and I got into,it concerned the paddle boats in Hillsborough Park.We hired two boats and proceded to lark about playing pirates and ramming each other,when we tired of this someone came up with the idea of seeing how many kids you could get into one boat!.Needless to say we overdid it and the paddleboat went down with all hands right in the middle of the lake,we all swam to shore and bolted as quick as we could as the attendant was on his way towards us to inflict severe damage to us!.I got a good hiding anyway off dear old dad when I turned up at home covered in mud doing a passable impression of a drowned rat,he never had much of a sense of humour our old boy,miserable old sod!.

dont think you can call it getting up to mischief because I was a proper angel BUT just been let loose from FULLWOOD homes hell camp so did steal the flowers frpm the graves and sell them out gates remember selling the same big bunch 3 times ,stole all the swan matchs from dads old store and lit fire all over the place (another graveyard 0we use to light firew behind the stone and wait for the spirits to come out at midnight,was in the gang wars A.B.C stss in 46 for fun.as i said proper little Angel:hihi::hihi:

Us tomboys also got up to mischief living near the old Bloor Street and Harold Street we used to Back -nak all the way down the street from one garden to another . I did have a big brother to protect me ( great times) we also got caught and got into big trouble from our Dad

Another bit of bother I got myself into was in the Hillsborough Park area committing one of my favourite pastimes scrumping,as you make your way from the paddling boat lake towards Penistone Road on your right are a row of back gardens!.In one was a magnificent apple tree which received a lot of attention from the scruffy little nerks in the area myself among them!.On the day I paid a visit the very nasty short tempered gentleman living there outwitted me and stood at the bottom of the tree whilst I was aloft helping myself to his fruit!.He shouted up at me describing what he was going to do to me on my descent,I didn,t fancy this much so I told him to "Bugger off I,m not coming down!".We had a standoff for quite a long while when he said "Right I,m calling the police!",and stormed off into the house,I was down the tree like a shot and over the wall,Sebastion Coe couldn,t have caught me!.Phew another close call escaped to be a nuisance to somebody else!.

I liked doing the Bull Roar,stuffing paper up a drainpipe and setting it alight.Also tying 2 neighbouring doors together and then rantanning on them,followed by a speedy departure.

...as you make your way from the paddling boat lake towards Penistone Road on your right are a row of back gardens!.In one was a magnificent apple tree which received a lot of attention from the scruffy little nerks in the area myself among them!..

Postmans knock and donkey farts on windows was the rage in the 60s :hihi:

I remember childhood as waiting for something to happen and if it didn't happen we'd make it happen. Other memory is of always running away from something!