I never really thought about having a good memory. I knew that exam revision was pretty easy for me and once I had studied a subject at school I could remember most of it and only have to polish up on details. What made me realise that it was not normal it was that my mate, Neil, said that he remembered “bugger all” about holidays we had been on twenty years ago. I remembered huge amounts of detail.
I also remember details of my early life that other people find surprising. My first memory is Apollo 11 in 1969. We lived in Luton until I was 4 years old, then moved to Royston in Hertfordshire. We lived in a three-bedroom semi about15 minute walk from the town centre.
I was enrolled at a local Catholic convent pre-school (we were not Catholics, I guess it was the only one around). I was offered the choice of going 3 or 5 days a week. I wanted four for a long weekend! I was told by the nuns it was 3 or 5 so I opted for 5. They were not allowed to teach us to read (by order of the local primary schools, though I was making progress on that at home), otherwise I remember it being a lot of fun. Contrary to the stereotype of nuns these ladies were lovely and, apparently, I was very popular with them. I remember Sister Agnes with great affection.
I had a fall there on the gravel drive. At the time I thought it was just another cut, though it was quite deep. Despite children healing better than adults that scar is still on my knee nearly 50 years later.
I was only there for two terms. Then, when I was five years old. I was taken to Icknield Walk Primary School. This was only just down the road from our house. I was a bit shocked not to be offered a choice on the number of days that I could go in, even worse it was a non-negotiable five days. I was the youngest in my year and the last to start school in Miss Clarke’s reception class. Some of the children in the class had already been there a term or more, depending on their date of birth. Work has been done to show that children born earlier in the academic year do better than those born later as they get one or two terms more education. At the time boys and girls mixed freely and my best friend was Diane Burgess that year.
Icknield Walk was really strict, even by the standards of the time. It was run by the imposing Constance Mary Bull, known only as Miss Bull to pupils and staff. No staff members were allowed to use their first names in school! Miss Bull led the school from its opening in 1966 to her retirement in 1980.
Reading was my passion. You got a school hymnbook when you completed a reading program and were able to read a book called I Know A Story out loud to the teacher with no mistakes. I was determined to be first in my class to do this, despite my late start. There was a sticky moment with one word when I was reading to Miss Clarke that took a minute to work out (failure would mean starting again and certainly losing to my rival). I got the word and beat Debra Graves to the hymn book by one day.
As the song says… You Can Get It If You Really Want It.
Five Miles Out 