Was searching for something about Blackpool when I stumbled across the old
school base.
How good it was to see and remember some of the faces from all the years ago.
Yes it was a brutal regime at Holy Joe's as I only too well remember like the
rest of the contributors have stated of their own experiences. I was only at the
Jailhouse for a short time as my dad got a new job up in Scotland, so my family
moved away. It was sad for me as I had to leave my pals all behind, and in those
days of course there was no such thing as the Internet where you could keep in
touch, so you just drifted apart. I have been looking at the photos that are
there, and its good to see my two best friends I had made at the time, Kevin
Byrne and John Crahan in the cross country, which I was in too, though I don't
know where I was as I am not in it. I hope Kevin & John are OK
As for the discipline !!!! well that was just brutal to say the least where they
'strapped' you for everything and anything. Coming from primary school where
life was relatively easy going, it came as shock to me. I knew that life would
never be the same again. It became a dread daily knowing you were going back to
face another day at the hands of some sadist who took delight in using their
instrument of torture, and if on that day it would be you who would be on the
receiving end. I never once got the strap at primary school. I was quite a timid
little kid from a sheltered though strict Catholic upbringing, where we my
brother and sisters and me knew right from wrong, and knew that if we did
anything particularly bad we could be spanked but that was very rare. It was
therefore a shock to know that here at Joe's, beatings were the norm, and you
sat all day wishing the end of the day would come.
For me the good luck time finally expired on a day when I was about fourteen, I
had been late getting ready for school, and hurrying to get the bus. In my error
I had read the wrong day on my timetable, we we getting gym on the second last
period of the day, and in my hurry I had read the next day, which meant I had
left out my gym kit. It was only when we arrived at school and I saw the rest of
the boys in class with their kits that I realised my mistake. I knew this was my
day that I would finally experience what I had dreaded since the day I first
arrived at Joe's at the hands of Mr Hickey. He hated me because although I tried
to do things I was no good at it. Anyway as the day drew on the time had come to
make for the gym.
As usual you were asked at the start if everyone had their kit with them, and
anyone not having theirs to step down to his table. I walked down with my heart
trembling. "please sir" I said "I don't have my kit." "Why not?" he asked me. "I
forgot to put it in my bag this morning as I was in a hurry to get the bus." He
said to me well you're not supposed to forget are you, Thomson." "No sir" I
said. "Well you know the rules for not having your kit, and I'm going to give
you something that will help you remember in future." He went into the drawer of
his desk and brought out his strap. "Right hand up" he said. I raised my hand,
and I remember I was trembling trying to keep my hand from shaking as I saw him
bring his arm down three cracks followed as the three strokes hit my
outstretched hand. I fought desperately to stop the tears welling in my eyes, so
the boys wouldn't see what a wimp I was crying but I just couldn't. I put my
hand down. "I'm not finished yet boy" Hickey said. "Get your other hand up" he
shouted. "Please sir, I'm sorry. I wont do it again." I told him through my
tears. "Don't keep me waiting. Get you hand up." I put my other hand up and
received another three strokes. I was now sobbing uncontrollably, my hands
swollen and numb with pain. "Now come with me". We went into the equipment
cupboard where he got me a spare kit that was about three times to large for me
and told to return it after the period. That was my first experience of being
given the strap, and only one of the many I was to receive during my time at
Joe's.
There were lighter times too like the horrible school dinners, and how I learned
to do what all growing boys do, and I still occasionally do it too.
