Like Jim, I too remember Mr Hardman ("Eddie") and Mr & Mrs. Fallows (I remember her as Miss. Hughes before she married Mr. Fallows.)
 

Frank's family on vacation 2004

Frank and Rita's Story

I was born Francis Joseph Carter at Whiston Hospital on 8th March 1948, the second son to Winifred & Chester Robert Carter. I have an older brother John,  I also have a younger sister Susan and a younger brother Tony.

I first attended nursery school at St . Mike's after my family had moved from Appleton Road in 1954.  We moved into a “prefab” at 16 Wavell Ave, Ditton..

 I attended St. Mikes for a few years, until some of us pupils were transferred to St Patrick's Junior School at West Bank, Widnes (which I hated) and had to travel there by bus every day. I’m not sure what the reasoning was behind this, we just did as we were told.
 
During this period we moved again, into a brand new house at 18 Edwards Way, Ditton. I seem to think that I eventually returned to St Mike's to finish off my junior school education, and then at the grand old age of 11yrs, it was on with the long trousers and off to the big school, namely SS Fisher More Secondary Modern School.

Some of the teachers I remember from there were Mr “Fred” Hunt, the Headmaster, Peter Quinn, George Melia, Bernard Traynor, Kevin Higgins, Mike Higgins, Bill Clarke, Geoff Sharples and Mr Purbrick (the beatnik) plus others, too numerous to mention.

This school seemed so much different to St Mike's, the work was harder and the teachers more strict, but all in all I enjoyed my school years and made many friends over the time we were all there.

Shortly before leaving school at Easter 1963, we moved yet again to another new house at 40 Levens Way, Ditton and then on to the house were I finished my teenage years and eventually got married from, 10 Chestnut Ave, Widnes. I often wondered if we were in some sort of witness protection scheme, the number of times we moved house :o)

After leaving school, I worked in a variety of different jobs, eventually driving a small van doing local deliveries, when I was 21yrs old I started work as a long distance lorry driver and carried on doing this work until I had to stop due to ill health in my early 50’s.

I now run a Double Glazing company based in Widnes.

In February 1965, I met Rita Cassidy and we married in 1968. We have two daughters, one son, and nine grandchildren, their ages ranging from 3 -14 years of age.

Since our kids grew up and flew the nest so to speak, Rita & I have enjoyed travelling to various places, including all over the British Isles, different parts of Spain, several trips to The U.S.A. and have just returned from a trip to Australia.

My hobbies include travelling, computers & family history.

Frank Carter April 2006