The 1950s
In 1950 I was 12 and on the cusp of becoming a teenager. I was really enjoying the freedom I had on the estate north of Gosforth, from where I often cycled to the coastal town of Blyth in the summer, when the days were brighter for longer. I enjoyed solo cycle visits to Gosforth Park and to Seaton Delaval Hall, Sir John Vanbrugh’s early-18th-century masterpiece. I went sea fishing on my own, all day long, which seemed like – and indeed was – a great adventure at that age. My life revolved around being outdoors and I enjoyed it immensely. I remember it as a time of personal discovery, enjoyment and freedom.
But for me school was the opposite: there, I felt suppressed. I wasn’t conscious of making defining decisions during that period, ...
