Behind Glebe Avenue, backing onto the Standard Estate and Fox`s Path was Lewis Road Recreation Ground. Our local playground and football field, it even had a toilet block.
Jack the Keeper
It was a proper municipal park run by a lovely old chap called Jack (Ellisson?), who lived in Edmund Road. He was our Keeper, complete with the uniform and hat. From opening time till he locked the gates, keeping it clean and manicured, he was proud of his park, I suppose all the keepers were back then.
Jack had his little hut, with a stove on the go all day and a brew was never far away. He was ok, but would soon tell any of the parents if "young Johnnie" was messing about, and we all knew it!
The Park
With swings and slide, witches hat and rocking horse amongst the dangers. In the early 1970`s, the council built a paddling pool on the smaller field. A big attraction, it was absolutely rammed in the school holidays.
There were two fields, one had the paddling pool built in the early 70`s, the other much larger, and that was the football pitch, Jack even got us some goals one year, before that it was jumpers for goalposts. The shed was the place to hangout though, there was always someone there, some liked penny up the wall, others kicked a ball about. Apart from Wimbledon week that is, when all the tennis players emerged.
We had some epic football matches over there, like 20 kids a side, with Bill Hall as the ref.
But we were there nearly everyday.... Whether it was a kickabout on the grass or one touch in the shed, it was a great place to hangout.