My mother smoked all the way through her pregnancy with me and had a craving for Guinness, but then no doubt, in years before and since, many other mothers would have smoked during their pregnancies, and they will have given birth, in many cases, to NT children.
When I was born, it was also feared that I might have a click-hip, or dislocated hip in non-medical terms. The Doctor told my mum that I must wear double nappies until I was six months of age to prevent any physical disability. By doing so, the problem was cured.
I had severe colic when I was a baby. That doesn't stick out in my memory nor does the fact that my development in some respects was fine. I actually walked before I talked. I first walked at 11 months of age and my first ever spoken word was at 12 months of age.
I went away on holiday just before my first birthday to Rhyll. There, I was terrified of the sand, so I wouldn't sit on it. I think this was because, at that age, I liked things that were safe and secure, and the sand sank. There is a photo of me displayed on this website taken on that holiday.
I nearly set the house on fire, literally, on Boxing Day, 1977, when I piled up a load of cushions in front of the fire, as we had a coal fire at the time, and I put them near the fire, and a load of smoke came up. Luckily my mum smelt it and removed them beforehand. I have no memory of this event whatsoever.
I was a very poor eater during the first seven and a half years of my life, probably largely due to Tonsillitis which I suffered from, which may have made it difficult for me to swallow in the early years of my life.
I suffered a temperature fit aged nineteen months old. I was in the house toddling when I suddenly let out a loud cry. I then collapsed on the floor like a pack of cards and started shaking violently and went into convulsions. An ambulance was called immediately. I was in the fit for around five-six minutes before I was brought out of it. I slept for several hours afterwards and as a result of the seizure was kept in Hospital for eight days, probably to get my temperature down and as a precaution against any further seizures.
My first ever memory came when I was about two years old. There used to have a chip van which did the rounds in the neighbourhood where I lived, which let off a siren to let people know it was there. For some reason, I was afraid of the noise it made and I can, to this day, remember the noise of the chip van siren. On this occasion, I started screaming. My mum went outside to tell them to turn it off, but apparently the guy who drove the van said that if she didn't sound it off, how would anyone know if the van was there? My second memory is a snapshot memory of being stood outside a furniture removal van of moving house in April 1979.
I was difficult to toilet train as I was frightened of the potty for some reason. Perhaps it was the coldness of it I disliked, due to my hypersensitivity to touch.
I went to Plymouth and Torquay around the time of my third birthday, in August 1979. I have a few vague memories of the Plymouth/Torquay holiday. This holiday provides my third ever memory. I remember seeing a red and white lighthouse at Plymouth and for some reason, snapping my aunt's husband, as he was then, or uncle's car aerial. I think he blamed it on the local vandals in Plymouth. He died on Friday, 1st September 2000 of Cancer at the age of 60, so he will never know now. They divorced a year later anyway, though I don't think it was over me snapping his car aerial! Don't ask me why I did it. I was three years old. Why is water wet? Why is grass green? Why is the sky blue?
I used to say "hurgur" when I was aged about three or so. This wasn't through anything NT's would call 'Odd'. This is actually something they may have done when kids. I still don't know what phrase means. I think I was trying to say something burger. Eh-cream was another favourite of mine when very young. I think I was trying to say haircream when I used to say this.
I cannot remember this incident either, but my mother says I was aged about three and had been playing with some cars. Upon going to bed I lined them up in a certain order. When I woke up I found they had been put away into a box, so I went into a rage over the fact that their sequential order had been disturbed. Nearly all boys of that age would have been smashing toy busses against each other or into the wall, not lining them up like I did.
My fourth ever memory was being sat in a car and hearing the song "Brass in Pocket" on the radio. In fact, my auntie used to work at Corah's at Worsbrough Bridge, and I was there when I heard it. This would be December 1979/January 1980 as that is when that song was out. This is the first memory I have of music. The first Christmas I have any memory of is that of 1980 but that is vague. I don't remember my early birthdays at all. The first birthday I remember in any clear detail is my 7th birthday.
