[Margaret Pilkington]

I failed the 11+. But Mr Hinchcliffe ay Peel Park School told me that I would, and that I was wasting my time taking it.
Yes, the failure did affect my life for a long time. I left school in 1962....the following year was the first year that pupils at Secondary Schools could take GCE's. My English teacher tried to persuade my father to let me stay on at school and take the English and Maths.......my father refused, saying that i had had my chance and blown it.
I had to go out to work.......that was no big deal, but the lack of qualifications meant that I couldn't do the job I wanted to do. This steeled my resolve and I did eventually get to do the job I had always wanted....which was to be a Nurse. I made a fair success of my career, and in the end even taught student nurses. So it all worked out right in the end.