Geoff Hardwick's Story
When I was younger I used to go to Beechwood Primary School, and I remember parades outside the school. People used to get dressed up in fancy dress. My sister dressed up as a nurse, I’ve forgotten what I dressed up as. I was about four when I started going to that school. I remember an incident when I was running out of the school gates down the path onto Kentmere Avenue and this girl in front of me had knitting needles coming out of her bag and I fell and got poked in my left eye by one of the needles. I have worn glasses ever since. I went to the Dispensary Hospital in Leeds which is no longer there now. I had to wear some horrible glasses and I looked like the Milky Bar kid.
I used to walk everywhere in them days like I still do now. I played Street football, it was a proper league. We used to play on the Fearnvilles. My sister played Hop scotch and Rounders and Tennis, Conkers and skipping games. We used to play tennis against garage doors. We played marbles and conkers, scrumping, pinching apples in Crossgates: a street called Brian Crescent- from peoples gardens. A lady once caught me and said “Why didn’t you just knock on the door, you could have had them anyway”.
I went round canvassing once collecting for charity but I didn’t have a licence so I got into trouble for that. The police came after us and I wrestled them to the ground. I got arrested and sent to Gipton Police Station on York Road and had to stay there for 3 three hours. I got a caution. I needed to have a license and because I didn’t I got into trouble for it.
I used to walk everywhere in them days like I still do now. I played Street football, it was a proper league. We used to play on the Fearnvilles. My sister played Hop scotch and Rounders and Tennis, Conkers and skipping games. We used to play tennis against garage doors. We played marbles and conkers, scrumping, pinching apples in Crossgates: a street called Brian Crescent- from peoples gardens. A lady once caught me and said “Why didn’t you just knock on the door, you could have had them anyway”.
I went round canvassing once collecting for charity but I didn’t have a licence so I got into trouble for that. The police came after us and I wrestled them to the ground. I got arrested and sent to Gipton Police Station on York Road and had to stay there for 3 three hours. I got a caution. I needed to have a license and because I didn’t I got into trouble for it.
I had a relative named Eldred Hardwick who was killed in the First World War. He was a private in the 16th battalion of the Prince of Wales’s Own (West Yorkshire) Regiment number 14061. He was killed in action on 3rd May 1917 in France and Flanders. He is buried at Arras in France in the Commonwealth graves. He was only 21. His name is on the War memorial at Temple Newsam.
We found out a little more about Eldred. His parents were Walter (b.1871), a labourer and plumber, and Louisa Hardwick (b.1877) and lived in Halton. They had 7 children including twins Ethel and William Edward born in 1898. All the children were baptised at St Mary’s church in Whitkirk. Eldred’s other siblings were Elizabeth b. 1900, Walter b.1902, George b.1906 and Stewart b.1910.
I lived at 212 Rosgill Drive. The flats are now converted into new properties. My favourite lesson at school was Geography. I liked local history but not that boring stuff that wasn’t relevant to us. I liked football but I wasn't good enough to play in a team.
When I left the junior school I moved down to Grange farm. I liked playing games, geography lessons and art work. I was good at art. We used to have to bring our parents best potatoes to school and do printing with them. You cut them up, dipped them in paint and made nice patterns with them. We used to take tins of food to school with us for the jumble sales so they could be sold in raffles and hampers. My sister didn’t go to Grange Farm.
I went to Asket Hill after Grange Farm. It’s all demolished now. I went there in 1966. I was 11 years old. I liked English lessons. We used to get merits. We thought we were good if we got a merit! I remember moving up one class one year and the next year I moved down to the bottom! I was at Asket Hill.
Then I went to Whinmoor Remand home and then to General Approved school. It was hard. We used to have to scrub the floor with toothbrushes when you were naughty. It was the teachers punishment. They would also put you in the yard and spray the hose pipe on you and left you soaking wet all day. I was only there a year. Then I moved to Shadwell Approved School. I got put in a naughty school for 3 and a half year. But I only did a year for good behaviour. I ran away to Scarborough and everywhere. I stopped at this woman’s house once. She felt sorry for me because I was hungry. I ended up in Lancashire by hitching lifts. The police brought me back eventually though. The police came from Yorkshire to get me. I was 12 years old. I went straight after that I was a good boy. The police put it down to the fact that my dad left home in 1956 and it upset me and my family. I wasn’t coping very well. I did petty crime like pinching bottles of milk and stuff. People used to scorn you if you went to schools like Remand home. They didn’t want to know you. They snubbed you. That’s how it was in them days.
I was sent to Newton Aircliffe before I went to Shadwell.
I worked at a place called GMT Supplies in the warehouse in East Street in Leeds. Before that I worked at Renploy on Dewsbury Road putting telephone receivers together. Which is no longer there. I enjoyed working at GMT Supplies.
When I was at Shadwell I did some joinery, some carpentry and I also made a wooden clothes chest and plant pot stands.
I have done a lot of warehouse and factory work. I worked at Treats. You could take some of the ice cream home. I remember taking it home and selling it!
I remember a man on the Green who lived next door to Dave Jenkins. He had a hot air balloon and something fell out of it and killed a woman. It was in the 1990s.
I used to walk everywhere in them days like I still do now. I played street football, it was a proper league. We used to play on the Fearnvilles. My sister played hop scotch and rounders and tennis, skipping games. We used to play tennis against garage doors. We played marbles and conquers, scrumping pinching apples in Crossgates a street called Brian Crescent from people’s gardens. A lady once caught me and said why didn’t you just knock on the door, you could have had them anyway. I went round canvassing once collecting for charity but I didn’t have a licence so I got into trouble for that, the police came after us and I wrestled them to the ground. I got arrested and sent to Gipton Police Station on York Road and had to stay there for 3 three hours. I got a caution. I needed to have a license and because I didn’t, I got into trouble for it. I was in my teens at school, I went to Foxwood, I liked Geography and History, which a lot of people thought were boring. When I left school I had a job at JMT Supplies which was down East Street which was a warehouse distributing products to the shops. The pay wasn’t very good. Then I worked at Treats down on Manston Lane, I used to get loads of ice cream to take home with me. I used to take it home and sell it to people and make a profit.
When I left the junior school I moved down to Grange farm. I liked playing games, geography lessons and art work. I was good at art. We used to have to bring our parents best potatoes to school and do printing with them. You cut them up, dipped them in paint and made nice patterns with them. We used to take tins of food to school with us for the jumble sales so they could be sold in raffles and hampers. My sister didn’t go to Grange Farm.
I went to Asket Hill after Grange Farm. It’s all demolished now. I went there in 1966. I was 11 years old. I liked English lessons. We used to get merits. We thought we were good if we got a merit! I remember moving up one class one year and the next year I moved down to the bottom! I was at Asket Hill.
Then I went to Whinmoor Remand home and then to General Approved school. It was hard. We used to have to scrub the floor with toothbrushes when you were naughty. It was the teachers punishment. They would also put you in the yard and spray the hose pipe on you and left you soaking wet all day. I was only there a year. Then I moved to Shadwell Approved School. I got put in a naughty school for 3 and a half year. But I only did a year for good behaviour. I ran away to Scarborough and everywhere. I stopped at this woman’s house once. She felt sorry for me because I was hungry. I ended up in Lancashire by hitching lifts. The police brought me back eventually though. The police came from Yorkshire to get me. I was 12 years old. I went straight after that I was a good boy. The police put it down to the fact that my dad left home in 1956 and it upset me and my family. I wasn’t coping very well. I did petty crime like pinching bottles of milk and stuff. People used to scorn you if you went to schools like Remand home. They didn’t want to know you. They snubbed you. That’s how it was in them days.
I was sent to Newton Aircliffe before I went to Shadwell.
I worked at a place called GMT Supplies in the warehouse in East Street in Leeds. Before that I worked at Renploy on Dewsbury Road putting telephone receivers together. Which is no longer there. I enjoyed working at GMT Supplies.
When I was at Shadwell I did some joinery, some carpentry and I also made a wooden clothes chest and plant pot stands.
I have done a lot of warehouse and factory work. I worked at Treats. You could take some of the ice cream home. I remember taking it home and selling it!
I remember a man on the Green who lived next door to Dave Jenkins. He had a hot air balloon and something fell out of it and killed a woman. It was in the 1990s.
I used to walk everywhere in them days like I still do now. I played street football, it was a proper league. We used to play on the Fearnvilles. My sister played hop scotch and rounders and tennis, skipping games. We used to play tennis against garage doors. We played marbles and conquers, scrumping pinching apples in Crossgates a street called Brian Crescent from people’s gardens. A lady once caught me and said why didn’t you just knock on the door, you could have had them anyway. I went round canvassing once collecting for charity but I didn’t have a licence so I got into trouble for that, the police came after us and I wrestled them to the ground. I got arrested and sent to Gipton Police Station on York Road and had to stay there for 3 three hours. I got a caution. I needed to have a license and because I didn’t, I got into trouble for it. I was in my teens at school, I went to Foxwood, I liked Geography and History, which a lot of people thought were boring. When I left school I had a job at JMT Supplies which was down East Street which was a warehouse distributing products to the shops. The pay wasn’t very good. Then I worked at Treats down on Manston Lane, I used to get loads of ice cream to take home with me. I used to take it home and sell it to people and make a profit.
I started giving blood about 1987 at St Pauls Street in Leeds City Centre. I began because I thought it was a useful thing to do to help others.
My blood group is 0 positive - the “universal donor”. After a break I resumed donating at BTS Seacroft Hospital. Now, in 2015, I have just been awarded a certificate and badge in recognition of donating 25 units. I can give every 6 months.
To be a blood donor you can call 0300 1232323 or go to www.blood.co.uk.
It is a very worthwhile procedure; one I will continue to do as long as I am able.