Childhood

When I was little I lived in another place like St Lawrence's, but it was just for children. This was in Bedford. It used to be run by nuns. And that had bars up at the windows as well, because they used to call them places madhouses. It was in Bedford. They haven't got it anymore, they've vanished it.

I moved to St Lawrence's when I was thirteen, because they only took children what went to school in this home. And I never went to school, so I had to move. In them days they give you a test. You went to London or somewhere because they'd give you a test before they make you go anywhere. It used to be a big place, all full of offices and what-have-you. Because they said you should be able to read when you're seven or eight. I couldn't read; I hadn't been to school. That was 1957, I was thirteen years old.

The hospital