Post by Lou Briccant on May 4, 2008 21:01:16 GMT
Little Albert lived out in the sticks, a dozen or so miles from the nearest town, in a little village that had ten streets, none of them longer than half/dozen houses. It had one pub, but the nearest shops, the school and the chapel were about a mile away in the next village.
Albert was one of ten children, five boys and five girls, plus his father and mother, making twelve in all. His father was in and out of work through ill health, so money was extremely scarce, which meant that any presents the children got for Christmas or Birthdays were made either by their mam or dad. His mother would knit Gloves, socks and scarf's etc. and his father would make wooden toys such as trains, wagons and sledges for the boys and prams, cots and cradles for the girls. His mother would also knit doll's for the girls.
Albert had a very happy childhood though, as his father would also make a little extra money by helping the local barber to cut hair and he would also cobble shoes for the rest of the village. This meant that there was always food on the table and none of the children went out without decent clothes and shoes.
When Albert was three year old, the local Coal Mine Manager, who came to work every morning on a bus, would speak to the children as he was walking up to the mine and again when he came back for the bus home. Albert used to be outside waiting for Mr. Nightingale, the Colliery Manager every morning, until eventually he started walking wih him to the Mine entrance and going to meet him, every afternoon at the end of his shift.
You can imagine Alberts surprise and sheer delight, when just before Christmas, Mr Nightingale gave Him a parcel, which he said, hadn't to be opened until Christmas morning. The little boy could hardly contain himself, often going to the parcel which was under the christmas tree, feeling the hard box, hoping to be able to guess what was inside. Eventually Christmas morning came and after all the children were dressed and had eaten their breakfast, they were allowed to open their presents, but instead they all crowded round Albert to see what was in the box that Mr Nightingale had given him. They couldn't believe their eyes when out of the box came a shiny red tin wagon full of toffees. Albert's mother and father had tears in their eyes, because they knew that their meagre income couldn't allow them to buy such luxurious christmas presents, however the look of pure amazement and joy on their childrens' faces told them that it was another successful Christmas.
Albert was one of ten children, five boys and five girls, plus his father and mother, making twelve in all. His father was in and out of work through ill health, so money was extremely scarce, which meant that any presents the children got for Christmas or Birthdays were made either by their mam or dad. His mother would knit Gloves, socks and scarf's etc. and his father would make wooden toys such as trains, wagons and sledges for the boys and prams, cots and cradles for the girls. His mother would also knit doll's for the girls.
Albert had a very happy childhood though, as his father would also make a little extra money by helping the local barber to cut hair and he would also cobble shoes for the rest of the village. This meant that there was always food on the table and none of the children went out without decent clothes and shoes.
When Albert was three year old, the local Coal Mine Manager, who came to work every morning on a bus, would speak to the children as he was walking up to the mine and again when he came back for the bus home. Albert used to be outside waiting for Mr. Nightingale, the Colliery Manager every morning, until eventually he started walking wih him to the Mine entrance and going to meet him, every afternoon at the end of his shift.
You can imagine Alberts surprise and sheer delight, when just before Christmas, Mr Nightingale gave Him a parcel, which he said, hadn't to be opened until Christmas morning. The little boy could hardly contain himself, often going to the parcel which was under the christmas tree, feeling the hard box, hoping to be able to guess what was inside. Eventually Christmas morning came and after all the children were dressed and had eaten their breakfast, they were allowed to open their presents, but instead they all crowded round Albert to see what was in the box that Mr Nightingale had given him. They couldn't believe their eyes when out of the box came a shiny red tin wagon full of toffees. Albert's mother and father had tears in their eyes, because they knew that their meagre income couldn't allow them to buy such luxurious christmas presents, however the look of pure amazement and joy on their childrens' faces told them that it was another successful Christmas.