'You just pulled this out and their yale key was at the end for you to open the door and go in. I don't think anyone would trust doing that today!'

'You just pulled this out and their yale key was at the end for you to open the door and go in. I don't think anyone would trust doing that today!'

Tom remembers his childhood friends and their parents.

Tom Sutton

Trinity College Dublin

1930

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Tom Sutton

Childhood and Early Life

Life Story

Belfast

1930s

As youngsters, our main playing area was the street. The top of the lamp post was where we attached a rope to swing round it and the young girls loved it. The lamp post also acted as a wicket when we played cricket, whilst the middle of the street provided the football pitch - our coats being used as goal posts. Hide and seek, tig and hopscotch were also popular games. In summer we were allowed out from 7.00 - 9.00 pm having first completed our homework and in winter our play time was earlier and homework done after tea. My school was Skegoneill Primary situated at the foot of the old Cavehill Road and our means of transport was walking - approximately 20 minutes per journey. Among those who walked to school with my sisters and I were June and Raymond Piper. Raymond was very artistic and in later life became one of Ulster's most famous artists. His work adorns the walls of Belfast City Hall. The McCaw family lived at number 30 and there were seven children - three girls and four boys. Norman later played football for Cliftonville and Harold played for Linfield. Another son, Shepherd, played bowls whilst another son, Ronnie and I were best pals. Mr. & Mrs. McCaw always gave you a warm welcome when you called. You knew if they were in, if you looked through the letter box and saw the string hanging - you just pulled this out and their yale key was at the end for you to open the door and go in. I don't think anyone would trust doing that today!

Irish Research Council for Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences (IRCHSS)

Dr Kathleen McTiernan (Trinity College Dublin)

Dr Deirdre O'Donnell (Trinity College Dublin)