HERE is the Kendal history column written by Peter Holme. 

Kendal Oral History Group, through interviews, aims to compile a picture of earlier times through the memories of some of the area’s older residents.

David Little was born in 1937 and interviewed in 2006.

I used to play football regularly. We carried on the school team when we left Dean Gibson and called our- selves “Fellside Rovers.”

We played on Tenterfell behind the old hospital the ground was stony as anything. We joined the Red Triangle League which was run by the YMCA.

We never lost a game all year; out biggest win was 32-Nil. We never had shirts, we never had a full kit. We just wore our own white shirts, collar and the lot.

So they had a presentation up at Netherfield Football ground and we had their kit on. They picked a team from the best of the players out of the League and we won that and we got presented with a cup.

All our mothers and fathers were there. That was a great day. I’ve still got the Red Triangle League Certificate with the date and everything on it.

Then my parents decided to emigrate to Australia. As a family we were called “Ten Pound Poms.”

That was the cost of our ship’s berth but if you came back under two years you had to pay the full price back to the Australian Government.

We did just over three years and then we came back due to family illness in England.

Kendal had changed terribly in just those three years. We came back into Tilbury Dock in London and of course we had to get a train from there right back here.

We were in a taxi from Oxenholme station and my mother said “It’s like little Siberia here. I says what are you on about it’s not cold” “No” she said “ look young women pushing prams with head scarves on.” You never saw kids with babies when we left; they never got into trouble”

I used travel up to Tebay and back nearly every night of the week to see my girl-friend. I had a Vespa Scooter. Then I traded that in at Crabtree’s, which was in Kirkland, for a lile 1952 Morris 8 four door saloon.

Best little car I’ve ever had. Then I had to take Wendy all the way back to Tebay. Not that I minded; we’ve been married 46 years.