[Busman747]

There is an estate in Luton, Beds. called Marsh Farm. The name may ring a bell as it appeared in a T.V. documentary because of the violence and rioting by youngsters.
The reason apparently was put down to boredom! "nuffin' to do round 'ere" so all the kids went out looking for something or someone to hurt.

I was the coach driver that had to take a load of dignitaries from local councillors to top level members of parliament on a drive around the estate so they could see first-hand the awful squallor that people were forced to live in...........

Let me tell you briefly about the estate! It is quite small, the roads are uncluttered and wide with vast areas of grass either side. There are three high-rise blocks of flats but all the other houses are well built with gardens. (not yards) It has its own shopping precinct with an outdoor market twice a week, and is less than 2 miles from the centre of Luton. Buses run every 10 minutes until late at night.

There are three schools easily within walking distance from anywhere on the estate, There is a car workshop, open to any interested youngsters that want to know how to break in...sorry, meant to say how a car "works" and gives them experience of driving before they are legally old enough to drive on a road,

There are a couple of parks with swings etc and a hardcourt area which is available 24 hours a day (with floodlights) to anyone that fancies a game of football or net/basket ball with their mates!(and it's free!) There is no industry now on the estate (but plenty nearby for those that DO wish to work) so no major traffic at peak periods.........To someone who lives in the less well off areas of Accy, this probably sounds like bliss but guess what? Shortly after my "drive thru" the residents commitee were entrusted with the spending power of over £500,000 to improve amenities for those poor sad bored teenagers that had nothing to do all day

It wasn't easy to get the grant, they had to fight off "Bury Park" which was mainly an Asian community and used to be the centre of Luton (until they rebuilt the centre off to one side) leaving them with old terrace housing and narrow roads with no amenities worth talking about.but thats another thread

I compare Marsh Farm with my boyhood days as a villager just outside of Luton. We had one shop (until it closed in 1999) There was one bus every 2 hours, (4 only on Sundays) Just 1 recreation ground.....and that was it!!

In the 50's/60's we made our own entertainment, from a grassy bank, we would design roads and towns, Every lad had a "secret" camp, and even sitting on a kerb, annoying black ants would keep us amused for hours.....

We were so knowledgeable about the countryside around us, frogspawn, newts, THAT golden plovers nest, and where to find the barn owl.......... Talking of which, how many of you can remember collecting birds eggs?? (I hear the gasp from the younger generation ) In those days, it was almost EXPECTED of you to have a collection, it wasn't illegal and no one told you it was not right but none the less, it was generally acknowledged that the "finder" has an egg but the rest are left Whether others of the gang returned later is another matter.....but I had over 100 different species including a tortoise egg! As a 12 year old, I was proud of my collection but of course, we all know now, the damage that can be caused by enthusiastic egg collectors!

Does anyone remember the skills of "blowing" an egg? If you get it wrong, the entire egg explodes in your hands and mouth!

Those days are long gone and are unlikely to return. It is a shame as my biggest "crime" was scrumping or knock up ginger (knocking doors and running away) These crimes could land you in major trouble with parents and police but.....what the heck!