Grandad Visiting

One part of my life that I have never forgotten and the memories remain where my Saturday afternoons visiting my grandad. His name was Joe and he lived in a village in County Durham called Hutton Henry. Which is just off the A19……..I think.

I remember that Grandad had been in hospital and when he came out of hospital my mum began to go over once a week to make sure he was OK. I cannot remember why I took over…but I was so happy to do so and I have all those memories of my grandad.

I used to catch the D2 bus that went to Middlesborough and get off at what was called “Hutton Henry Road Ends”….think that what the people of the village called it and I would either walk up the village of if I was lucky the bus that went to Wingate was coming along ….then I got a ride up the village. I would get off the bus stop outside the school that my mum used to attend……to walk down to the big wooden gates that led into the yard where my grandad had a house in a row of three. He had a sitting room which is basically where he lived in. But I do remember that when my nana was alive they used to have a bed in there that they used as a bedroom…..and also I had forgotten that there was a door that led into the other houses and grandad’s was what used to be called “master house”.Thanks to my sister for reminding me of this. I have always understood that these houses were the “servants quarters”.

Anyway, these Saturdays we always took my grandad a small roast of beef brisket and any other bits we thought he might like. He used to sometimes even give me a little shopping list.

I would come down the yard and rattle on the door which was always open and called out “Grandad I am here”. and I can still hear “Come in pet”……The smell of a Woodbine “cigarette will take be back to the cuddle of my grandad. We would sit and chat and I would tell him about my week and he would tell me about his. If he needed anything from the village shop down I would go to get whatever was needed and while I was away he would boil two bantham eggs from his chickens for me to have with bread/butter for my tea with a cake or a jam tart. He had a tiny flickery black and white television which we would switch on at 4 O’clock for the wrestling….so I would watch Jackie Pallo, Mick McManus and Giant Haystacks batter the hell out of each other.

About 5.30 I would make tracks to go back home……catching the bus down the village to connect with the one coming from Middlesborough to take me back to Peterlee.

I would go summer and winter find standing at the bus stop at the bottom of the village very creepy. As Grandad got older and frailer I used to worry as I arrived as to whether he would be ok….he always was.

I still dream about that house whenever I dream of grandad. He was moved into a bungalow which he never really settled. The only redeeming thing it was nearer the pub.

I loved you Grandad……you were special and I will never forget you.