Our Sunday School had good numbers. We did reach the one hundred mark, but couldn't really sustain it. Teachers included Jim Cansfield and Dolly Cansfield, both of whom, I'm sure, served as Sunday School Superintendents, Ruth Lilley (Armstrong), Maggie Lilley, Bobby Britton, Nancy Anderson (Foreman), who was Secretary of the Sunday School for a time, and Bill Brown.   Included in the Special Services which were held   each year was a Sunday School Anniversary, which was always held on the first two Sundays in June.   When I was young I managed to "keep away" on these two days, yet, surprisingly, in my teens, I joined in, perhaps due, in no small measure, to the encouragement of the Superintendent at the time, Tom Jobling, who also acted as Choir Leader. Mrs E. Ward was Organist (and my Teacher in the 'top' class) and her daughter, Winifred was Secretary.   Our reward was a Sunday School Outing, usually on the first Saturday in July. At first we went to Saltwell Park, Gateshead. Once we went to Seaton Carew, but it must have rained and not been so good, so it was back to good old Saltwell Park. In later years we went to Albert Park, Middlesbrough, Preston Park, Stockton and then to South Park, Darlington, which is the oldest public park in the North East - and today, like Saltwell Park and Preston Park, is well worth a visit.

 

 

Among the other special occasions was a Temperance Sunday and also  a Harvest Festival. On one occasion, I was given two 'pieces' - holding them in my hand whilst I recited:

 

 

The Cabbage may be humble fare,

But even cabbages need care

And one must hoe and weed with zest

If one would grow them at their best.

 

 

 

This proved quite an inspiration for me in later years at my Allotment (and I have taken great pleasure to recite this to other gardeners!!) The second 'piece' was about an Onion:

 

 

You may think I'm a funny one,

To bring the common onion

But we have found they precious are

Especially when there is a war.