Tony Cunnane's Early Years 1935-53

1935-39

• Second Born

  My birth and how I learned of the brother I never knew

• My first 3 years in Middleton, Leeds

  I was born in Middleton, Leeds. Dad was a 'Man from the Pru'. Alan Cobham's air display was in progress near by.

• Lancashire Exile

  Our family's exile in Lancashire as Dad moves to Strangeways Prison

• Moving back to the West Riding

  The family returns from its exile in Lacashire and moves into a brand-new house in Wakefield in late-1939

• Our first days in Cotton Street

  Cotton Street as we found it when we moved there in 1939

1940-41

• The Out Back

  Behind the semis was a wide tract of uncultiated land which came to be known as ' the outback'. From May 2010 Grand Central trains pass this spot en route to Kings Cross.

• Some thoughts on my tentative Irish connections

  Very late in life I discovered that I had Irish ancesters; had I known earlier I would not have been cleared for many of the RAF jobs I got

• My Maternal Grandparents

  My recollections of my maternal grandparents

• My Paternal Grandparents

  What little I knew about my paternal grandparents

• Westbury Terrace

  The back-to-back terrace house where my Maternal Grandparents lived

• My Grandfather's Pipe Ceremony

  My maternal grandfather had an unchanging ritual when it came to loading and smoking his pipe

• Anderson Shelters and a few enemy bombs

  Brief recollections of Anderson air raid shelters and some enemy bombs which dropped near our house

• Hallelujah

  One Hallelujah too many in Handel's Messiah

• West Riding Automobile Company's Red Buses part 1 of 3

  West Riding Automobile Company's Red Buses part 1 of 3

• Red buses part 2: Halfway House to Leeds

  Red buses part 2: Halfway House to Leeds

• Red buses part 3: Leeds Corn Exchange

  Red buses part 3: Leeds Corn Exchange

• I start my education at Christ Church Primary

  I start my education at Christ Church Primary School off Thornes Lane Wakefield on 15 August 1940.

• Territorial Boundaries

  Thoughts on why I went to Christ Church Primary School rather than another, nearer, school

• My first photograph

  Why my very first school photograph caused me some alarm

• Father Christmas

  I thought I had rumbled Father Christmas when he visited our school in 1942 - but I wasn't certain

• Religious and British Empire instruction

  My first two schools were what today we would call 'faith schools' but we also learned much about the British Empire

• Misunderstandings

  Having spent my earliest years in both Lancashire and Yorkshire, I had a few problems with the differing dialects

• The famous 99 Arches

  The famous 99 Arches which carry the Leeds branch of the East Coast Main Line from Sandal to Wakefield Westgate station.

1942

• Our piece was not the only piece

  More about 'pieces' and 'outback'

• I make some new friends

  I make some new friends and learn what a Bookmaker is

• Every day there were deliveries of fresh milk

  The were lots of local milkmen who delivered fresh supplies daily

• Rationing

  As soon as we arrived in Wakefield we had to register for rations at the local Co-operative store

• Wartime Fish and Chips

  Our favourite and least favourite fish and chips shops in the 1940s

• School Dinners

  I never had to stay at school for dinners

• Dame Clara Butt

  My introduction to Dame Clara Butt and Handel's Largo

1943

• BBC in Wartime

  Recollections of BBC broadcasts on our wireless relay system in the 1940s

• Radio Relay and early interest in music

  From listening on Radio Relay to BBC music programmes, I acquired a real enthusiasm for serious music

• Radio Times - the BBC listings magazine

  Some of the music programmes I listened to on the BBC during the 1939-45 war

• Nymphs and Shepherds

  One of the most popular records played on the BBC in the 1940s

• Big School

  In 1943 I move up to St James' School - the Big School

• Religious Instruction continues

  We had to learn all the hymns and the Catechism off by heart

• Cinderella

  The very first time I trod the boards was as Prince Charming in Cinderella - and I hated the tights!

• My introduction to church music

  Hymns and chants at my local church were my introduction to classical music

• Te Deum

  At church I quickly became familiar with the hymns and chants - especially the Te Deum - but it was love of music rather than faith

• Creation, Messiah and Zarathustra

  Haydn's chaos and Zarathustra's dawn

1944-45

• Wakefield Park and Sunday Band Concerts

  Wakefield Park was actually three parks rolled into one. I used to enjoy the Sunday Band concerts in Clarence Park.

• Compositions

  Compositions in this context were short simple essays - but mine were not always either short or simple

• Wimsey Period

  At the age of 11 I had read most of Daphne du Maurier's Wimsey novels

• New Hall Prison Camp, Wakefield

  My Dad worked at the UK's first 'prison without bars' from 1941 to 1946

1946

• Appendicitis operation at 3 hours notice

  I was a rather sickly child and I was eventually admiited to hospital at short notice to have my appendix out. But it was a wrong diagnosis.

• The Operation

  The anaesthetic was horrifying and still gives me nightmares

• Aftermath - and a big surprise

  The aftermath of my appendicitis operation - that wasn't appendicitis!

• My First Violin

  I am delighted by the gift of my first violin in 1946

• Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star

  How I taught myself to play Twinkle Twinkle Little Star on my new violin

• Musical Development

  My earlier exposure to classical music in church and on the wireless, helped me with my self-instruction on my violin

• Leyhill Open Prison, Gloucestershire

  Following his experience at the UK's first open prison, Dad was sent in 1946 , with 6 inmates, to open the Leyhill Open Prison in the grounds of Tortworth Court Gloucestershire

• Long Distance Telephone Calls

  For nearly two years the family had to rely on long distance telephone calls to communicate with Dad

1947

• QEGS Day 1

  At last I achieve my ambition and start at the Queen Elizabeth Grammar School in Wakefield

• Getting used to the QEGS routine

  I quickly settled into the Grammar School routine and enjoyed myself enormously

• My First Diary

  My first entry in my first eer diary was not very inspiring

• QEGS Term 2

  In my second term at QEGS I am 'discovered' by the music master and he invites me to join the school orchestra

1948-50

• Renhard Relents

  More about music at QEGS and first news of impending move to Leeds

• Sport

  I did not enjoy sporting activities at QEGS

• Moving again

  To my dismay we had to move from Wakefield to Leeds in early 1948

• The Last Day in Wakefield

  My last day in Wakefield before moving to Leeds

• The Move to Leeds

  Moving from Wakefield to Leeds, just 9 miles, seemed like moving to another world

• My arrival at Roundhay School

  I make my first entrance at Roundhay School and everyone in Form 1A was very welcoming

• Dialects again

  I have more trouble with dialects

• Discontent and disillusionment

  I find my time at Roundhay School is unrewarding

• Non-fraternisation and no music training

  Music at Roundhay consisted only of community singing - and a degree of 'fraternisation' was allowed in the changing rooms!

• Sport again - or rather the lack of it

  Sport again - or rather the lack of it - I should have joined the CCF but didn't

• I am diagnosed with flat feet!

  I am diagnosed with flat feet and then I have a further accident

• Another move pending

  Late 1949 Dad was told that he would be moving again

• Final days at Roundhay and Leeds

  My last few days in Leeds

1950-51

• At Salford GS there were 'proper' music lessons

  My music tuition started to take off almost as soon as I arrived at SGS

• Coal Shortages

  Some anecdotes from my diary in the first week of 1951

• Professional lessons at last!

  At Salford Grammar School there is proper music instruction and, at last, I start private violin lessons

• Perfect Pitch

  I learn about perfect pitch and discover I don't have it although one of my school friends does

• BBC Concerts

  My violin techer arranges for me to sit in on live BBC Symphony Concerts in Milton Hall, Deansgate, Manchester

1952

• The Royal Tour starts in January 1952

  I listened to the love commentary of the departure of Princess Elizabeth on the Commonwealth Tour.

• The King's Death is announced

  The death of King George VI was announced at a special assembly at school

• Royal Train carrying the Late King's Body

  Locomotive 70000, Britannia, headed the Royal Train carrying the Late King's body

• The String Quartet that never was

  A local newspaper wanted a picture of the school orchestra but only 4 musicians were available

• A stormy interview with the Head Master

  Dad and I have a stormy interview with the Head Master but it is all to no avail

• I start my first job

  After leaving 3 grammar schools early,my first job, a temporary one, is deadly boring

• Reality dawns on me

  It eventually dawns on me that my school days really are over

1953

• World Premiere of Vaughan Williams Sinfonia Antartica

  I hear the World Premiere of Vaughan Williams Sinfonia Antartica and attend the second playing the following night

• West Riding County Council Licensing Department

  I start another temporary job - this time with the West Riding County Council

• My office manager gives me some good advice

  My office manager at West Riding County Council Licensing Department gives me some advice

• Coronation and Registration

  I register for National Service because the law required it

• Aircrew Selection

  I am sent down to the RAF Aircrew Selection Centre at Hornchurch

• Result of my Aircrew Selection Tests

  I get the results of my tests at the RAF Selection Centre

Diary Writing

• My early diaries

  Some advice for young diary writers based on my long experience - and the basic errors I made

My RAF Years

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