Although we had difficult and dramatic times, I loved my cul-de-sac of the early 70s in a newly built house. Along with the Gallone ice cream truck, the alpine drinker’s weekly visit, filled with shimmering pops of green, red, and orange, was the highlight.
We all played jumps and biked in the street. She was incredibly friendly and confident, and everyone accepted my younger sister, Frances, who has a learning disability and exhibits stimulating behavior.
My mother Christine made most of our dresses. It was very creative and elegant and our house had a beautiful wallpaper with huge flowers and swirling patterns that are now in vogue.
Jo Whiley, 56, (pictured) radio DJ and TV presenter shares memories of Pheasant Way, Northampton, where he grew up
I chose lilac and blue floral wallpaper for my room and there was a Wombles poster on the wall, followed by photos of The Bay City Rollers.
Frances never wanted to sleep at night and screamed until she got our attention, tearing the wallpaper off the walls and the sheets. She wanted us to read her stories, she said.
My electrician, Father Martin, was very good at making up stories, but then he called me, so I waited a long time on the stairs. Shame on you if you fall asleep while reading to him you’ll get a blow to the head and have to reread Goldilocks and the Three Bears.
To this day I still don’t need much sleep.
Jo (right) with her younger sister Frances. Jo says everyone welcomes her younger sister, Frances, who has learning difficulties and exhibits defiant behavior
Frances had no sense of danger either. One day my mom left a can of applesauce open, took it to lick it off, and cut her tongue.
When I got home from school it was like a slaughterhouse, there was blood on the kitchen floor and there was no mother and sister: they had gone to the hospital. Another day he reached the top of the jungle gym, left it there and fell, horribly breaking his arm.
He would also have contractions and we would bandage wounds between his teeth with a wooden spoon so he wouldn’t bite his tongue. My parents were very resilient and patient, but that’s how our lives were, so straighten up.
The holidays have always been a bit of an endurance test. We stayed in the trailer so as not to wake the neighbors and enjoyed the Sidmouth Folk Festival.
The community was very tolerant and friendly which is why I love Glastonbury now.
We jumped into mom and dad’s bed and sang songs together on the radio
We spent our happiest moments playing games. The radio in the house was always on, and on Saturday mornings we used to sing Junior Choice songs with Ed Stewart in my parents’ bed.
My mother had a playroom for children with learning difficulties and we were allowed to test toys on the street. I remember a big barrel; Frances would climb and I would balance on the hill like a circus show.
We were very close as brothers. We took the bus into town and if people gave us a hard time, I would give them a scary Paddington bear staring at me.
Frances loved that we had our pictures taken in the photo booth at the bus station and then we went shopping together.
We moved to a village when I was 12 and had a hard time adjusting after living in a stalemate where everyone knew each other and went in and out of their homes – it was a very happy and joyful time.
- Jo has appeared on TV, radio, BBC iPlayer and BBC Sounds as part of Glastonbury’s BBC coverage on both BBC TV and Radio 2.
Source: Daily Mail
