Malcolm (Mac) Rigg
Left
JCS at Christmas 1952.
So what one might ask? How many times over the years have we said, “ I wonder what happened to Joe Bloggs or whoever?”
Well our editor has asked me to start a new idea in answer to this question, that is, to try and write something about my own life. As you all know Lance did a brilliant job of his life-story, (Music! Music! Music!) If you haven’t read it then shame on you, its available world-wide, or at least, it can be if you send your orders to Lance.
So here goes, I’ll give
it a try.
First I suppose I should
say a little bit about myself from schooldays, and why some people might
remember me.
I played football for the
school juniors and took part in a number of Swimming Gala’s, both
swimming and diving. I was also a
member of the Gymnastic team that made such a “name for itself” in the
competition at Clegwell (Definitely one to forget!)
Ronnie Niven and I were
Lab Monitors for a while, and we were also among the first D.J.’s of the time!
Playing the records for the School dances on the Friday nights (Juniors one week
Seniors the next!)
I was saddened to hear,
at the reunion in September, before the “Big one “ in October
which I missed, that, apparently, I was a bit of a bully?
I couldn’t believe it? Take a look at the picture of the Junior
football team, I’m about the smallest on the team!
Never mind, I truly
apologise to all if I was! Happy days!
Anyway what happened from
then on?
I left school at
Christmas 1952, and in January ’53, I started at
A. Reyrolle and Co. Ltd.
I started as an office
boy and began serving my time as an Electrical Fitter later the same year.
I completed my apprenticeship at 21, and expected to go into the Forces
to do my 2 years National Service, however I failed the Army medical, and that
was that!
I worked in Reyrolles for over 40 years, mainly in the Inspection Department. When I was made redundant for the 3rd. time, aged 60 ,I took the hint and went elsewhere!
I worked in a screen printing company until I was 65. However I couldn’t stand the boredom and took a part-time position with a local fruit packing company, where I’m still involved with the Quality side of things, in fact I’m one of those men from Del Monte who says “YES”, I also say “NO” as well!
So that has been my
working side of life.
My family life has been a
bit of an up and downer, I married for the first time in the early 60’s and
had 2 children both boys who are now in their 40’s.
Between them they have made me a Grandfather 6 times over (5 boys and 1
girl) I also have a Great Grandson as well.
However this marriage
came to an end and, being a glutton for punishment, I married again.
This marriage has also
been blessed with 2 children, a boy in his early thirty’s and a girl in her
mid 20’s.
At the time of writing
this, just before Christmas 2003, we, that is my present wife Maureen and I are
on tenderhooks awaiting the birth of our first Grandchild who was due on
December 16th. (I will keep you informed of the outcome)
As for my social life I
have been something of a bore I suppose!
Most of my spare time
over the last 30 years or so, up until a couple of years ago, was spent in the
Camping and Caravanning life.
We were, and in fact
still are, members of both of the Big Caravanning clubs, and in particular, what
was at the beginning called the North East Trailer Tent Group, this has now been
renamed, and now incorporates the folding caravanning element.
I spent lots of years in
various positions on the committee of this section, and one of the most
satisfying was that of Countryside Care Officer for the N.E. Region of the
Camping and Caravanning Club, where we spent time helping out on various
projects cleaning up some of the local footpaths etc.
My other love in life, is
Freemasonry. I became a Freemason in my early 30’s, and I am still an active
member, and still enjoying it and believing in it?
Other than that, we went
Sequence dancing for quite a number of years (Modern day Veleta’s and Military
2 steps) and we had a joint hobby of home winemaking, (I used to make it, and
Maureen would drink it?)
All in all, a pretty
normal life, but a happy one, and if I had my time over I don’t think I would
make many changes.
Health wise, I’m not
doing so bad, I had a heart attack back in 1982, with a couple of scares since,
and a major operation at the top of my spine, that was round about the same
time. So now I keep on taking the
tablets as they say, and get on with my life.
( Mind I don’t run for many buses these days!!! )
So now I say, what ever
happened to other members of my class, or any other class at Jarrow Central
School, come on give it a go.
Let us help the lads out who have made a tremendous job of the School site, give them your support, If I can do this, so can anyone else. Don’t be shy, send in your story, they can’t all be as boring as mine!
I’m also enclosing a couple of photo’s one then and one now. You will know which is which because I didn’t have a beard at school !!!!! (See current Home page and Sports page)