The word ‘cleck’, originally Scottish, meant to hatch, as birds’ eggs do in the nest.
It has come to mean the laying, then hatching, of a plot or scheme. It can also mean to gossip.
What word better reveals a slower moving past, recorded on rapidly moving present day technology.
About the author: I was born on Hill Farm, Walton upon Trent, Derbyshire, spending 13 years in full time farming after leaving school. Subsequently I ran my own landscaping business till retirement.
I’ve always written short stories and nonsense poetry, taking photos along the way. Life throws up all the obvious factual moments, but also many, ‘I don’t believe it!’, moments. All true, all worth recording.
‘Schooldays – 1949 t0 1954’, my first attempt at writing, gives a comparison with early days of education then, with how it is today. 60 pages of my memories in an A5 booklet. My second written work, ‘Willi Wagner A story and a quest’, features Willi Wagner a POW billeted at Rosliston who worked on Hill Farm before his repatriation to Germany in 1948.
Following this I’ve written children’s books, as can be seen later, along with nonsense poetry. Also, some most disturbing facts concerning perversion of justice perpetrated by those employed to maintain law and order and justice, which needs placing on record. Artwork in ‘Schooldays’ is by Phil Walton. Artwork produced by internees, copied in ‘Wagner’, is now lodged with Derbyshire Archives. Enquiries for these, or subsequent titles – email trevor@firstcleck.co.uk
‘Schooldays’:- Covers five years at a village school immediately after the second world war, at an important juncture in history. Cinema visits to view patriotic films, a new monarch, swimming lessons, gardening lessons, nature walks to local ponds, nativity plays not going to plan, playground games, basic learning of course (reading, ’riting and ’rithmetic) preparing us for the Eleven Plus Exam.
‘Wagner’:- Internees produced spectacular artwork which they presented to host families. Wicker baskets, carved animals and birds also featured. In 1947 weather dominated, conditions were appalling. Snow filled every lane to the tops of the hedges. Passage between villages was on foot, along the hedge tops.