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by John Ruth (Author)
When John Ruth arrived in the United Kingdom from Ireland as a boy in the late 1950's, he had little idea of the hard times that a waited him. With his elder sister, Brenda and brother Liam, he was enrolled in a strict Dominican Roman Catholic boarding and day school at Ponsbourne Park in the Hertfordshire countryside.He soon discovered that this place was as cruel oppressive and mysterious as any 5 year old child could imagine. He found himself separated from, not only, his parents, but also his two siblings. A few harsh nuns meted out punishment and strict discipline against a backdrop of changing values in those post war years. His harrowing journey continued into the emerging Rock 'n' Roll years that were captivating the youth of the day, and challenging the traditions, values and views held by those in authority. The first part of his story, covers his experiences from childhood to early puberty and captures the nuns' harshness and kindness, discipline and brutality to some of the more vulnerable children in their care. It comically illustrates some of the double standards that existed between the haves and have-nots who shared the same education, but certainly not the same privileges. It also captures the mood of the 1960's and the rise of the fashion and pop culture of England at that time.
