Nottm Children's Home Skegness

[catfan 14,793]

I knew It wasn't a bad dream.

[Lotuskid 9]

I have distant memories of my three week visit, my guess would be 1954 or 5. A teacher whoes proud boast was that he always administered the strap to at least one boy every intake, the unfortunate Smiffy who managed to get separated from the group on a walk was made to hold out his hand to receive 4 strokes. Suppertime, when to receive the crust of the loaf instead of a slice was regarded as a reward. At the end of the three weeks being told that the spendingmoney our parents had sent [the first any of us had heard of this], was to be spent on trinkets laid out on a table, the boy who had received the most money had first choice, no change given! I was glad to get home.

[Lotuskid 9]

Welcome to Nottstalgia, Lotuskid. I look forward to reading your posts and sharing your memories.

You state that you can't find any photos of your old home. Well, if the people on Nottstalgia, especially Cliff Ton, can't find any then they don't exist. Where was your old house?.

Hi Michael, i lived at 43 Lotus Street, 1947 until 1961. We were at the top end of the street and could see the dairy.

[don walker 122]

hi lotuskid yes I remember that little room at the back where all the trinkets where laid out, I bought my dad a pen knife and my mam a necklace it was cheap tack cost 3 shillings and11 pence,, my dad had gave me a postal order for 7/6 pence the big b------ kept the rest,,I HOPE HE ROTS IN HELL. it was with out doubt the worst experience of my life,, it has all come back ,, I think I will make an appointment with my therapist ,,, going for a lie down !!!

[Blondie 1,392]

I can remember these stories told by the poorer kids at my school in the mid fifties..........It was suppose to be a holiday fo them as they had nothing and they came back nervous wrecks, to scared even to tell their parents what had happened to them for fear of reprisals........A girl called Marlene, June and a girl called Audrey who were very traumatised, just 3 weeks of hard work for them making them feel worthless...........The teachers were clearly frustrated psychopaths who got delight out of torturing young poor and needy kids, maybe because they had to work during the holiday periods.......It was always the poor kids who were ignored and treated badly back then..........

[catfan 14,793]

How right you are Blondie.

[Robbie 39]

I remember being sent there for 3 weeks during the late fifties, l think it was father and son who ran the place when l was there, both had sadistic tendencies. They enjoyed making you suffer by forcing you to take part in boxing bouts and getting a good bashing, we were never evenly matched. The walks every day come rain or shine in two's, parading through the streets, l can't even remember where we marched to. I remember most wanting to go home, missing mam and brothers and sisters. It was only three weeks but l was so unhappy and miserable and couldn't understand what l had done wrong to end up there. It was no holiday for me.

I have a photograph of the staff taken whilst l was there but having problems uploading it, being told it is too big. Anybody who wants a copy PM me with an e-mail address and l will forward it on.

[piggy and babs 544]

my aunt and cusons lived on hungerhil rd next to the shop top of lotus st and my grandma lived westminster terrace so i spent a lot of time in that area in the 50s and 60s

[catfan 14,793]

Ayup Robbie, I remember those forced marches very well, we always walked to Gibralter Point.

Three weeks of Hell !

[colly0410 1,181]

Oh bl**dy hell I remember this horrible place, I was an inmate in 1961/62, my number (yes they gave you a number) was blue 8, same as my age. It was the most awful childhood experience I had, bullying, shouting & a few belts for good measure. Remember having to walk in pairs & the public looking on in pity. One lad got the strap for being travel sick on the bus taking us there, I thought "this doesn't bode well" & it didn't..

[terence12 725]

remember being sent to skeg boys holiday camp, was quite ill at the time, second night there wet the bed, next morning i was stood in front of all the others and humiliated by so called adults, then made to strip bed, wash sheets and use old ,mangle to wring out then put sheets out to dry, went to the swimming baths, didn't have bathers so was given a pair of shorts 3 sizes too big, hated every second i was there.

[colly0410 1,181]

I had three weeks there in 1962 , our paths may have crossed !

My number on that "holiday" was B2.

They may well have.

I was the smallest kid there so got bullied by other kids as well as staff, I can't remember owt good about the place. B2 you'd have been 2'nd bed along on the top bunk, I was 4'th along on the bottom bunk,if I remember right..

[catfan 14,793]

Spot on about the beds colly !

[LizzieM 9,507]

The whole experience at that dreadful place sounds horrendous. Glad I was never sent there for a 'holiday', but in fact I never knew until reading this thread that it even existed.

[catfan 14,793]

On arrival you had to wear their "uniform" which they provided, black plimsolls, navy shorts, always three sizes too big so were really baggy ! White vest, that was it except on Sundays we wore our own clothes to visit church.

Governer's son was named Barry, robbing Ba$%^&*D also I forgot about the boxing until I read Robbie's post, the boxing pairs were always mis-matched so one lad was big & the other one small.

[colly0410 1,181]

I've been in the Army Lizzie & that place was ten times worse than basic training at Woolwich, & I thought that was bad..

[MelissaJKelly 2,120]

Nor did I Lizzie. Sounds vile!!

[colly0410 1,181]

Remember the boxing, I (being the smallest there) was set against the next smallest, we just danced around hardly touching each other so it was a draw, some of the other bouts were quite brutal though. The staff seemed to enjoyed it more than they should have, hmm.

Yes remember the uniform, had a funny smell to it.

Melissa, I shudder when I think of the place now. I've told my Wife & her Mum about it, but they think I'm exaggerating how bad it was..

[terence12 725]

whatever money you had they kept from you till the end of your stay, i had about 1s-9d left and bought a tin wind up speedboat, arrived back home with about 3d, mam said she remembered giving me ten bob note.

[catfan 14,793]

Our parents were told to send kids with a postal order for 15 shillings, 5 shillings per week pocket money was the idea.

We hardly bought anything but no money was ever returned, when enquired was told that you had spent it all.

[Robbie 39]

I managed to upload the photograph, l hope its not too small but that's the best l could do. It shows the staff at my 3 weeks of internment. I only remember the two bullies on the photo, one of them would have been the referee in the boxing booth. I am sure they were father and son.

I never spoke of my time there to anyone until a couple of years ago, over 50 years later, when it came up in conversation. I was taking to a fellow workmate about arranging a trip to Skeggy. We exchanged our memories and he told me he has never been back to Skeggy since his 'holiday' or ever will. It was just terrible for him.

[colly0410 1,181]

I've been wondering if I remember it being worse than it actually was, but reading others stories on here it was as vile as I remember it. Can't say I recognise anyone in the photo but I'm useless at faces. I remember Mam asking me about a 10 bob postal order she sent when I got released, but forget the outcome..

[catfan 14,793]

Front row second from left could be Mr Nicholls with his son Barry front Row extreme right.

[katyjay 5,090]

Just shows photos are deceiving, they look a jolly lot!

[Robbie 39]

Front row second from left could be Mr Nicholls with his son Barry front Row extreme right.

I don't remember any names but l now l am certain it was a father and son running the show. Look at those evil eyes of the younger man. Do you remember what year you were there? Another memory, l think the evening coco was in a coloured plastic handled mugs but once again not 100% sure.