We moved to Great Shelford on the 4th August 1983, just before the New School year began. As we lived a short distance from Great and Little Shelford school we had presumed that he would attend there.

 Initially this idea was thwarted as the school was completely oversubscribed, and was about to allow 45 pupils into a small reception class. We were told Darren would have to go to Stapleford School. 

This was not a good start to our new life, in a new village with a new home with a 1 year old and 4 year old. I was so upset I went across to a neighbour, who I had heard was a School Governor, and pleaded my case. By some divine intervention on the day before the term began Mr Starling ( the Head Master) phoned and told me there was a place for him. It was such a relief for me and us, as our life with Shelford School began. 

Darren's first teacher was an old, unmarried lady called Miss Long. A traditional old school Ma'am and quite intimidating.  She had a lovely assistant called Mrs Curtiss, which both Darren and Michelle thought was called Mrs Curtains. 

When we left the children in the classroom they always started with work on whiteboards. Copying letters or numbers. Counting or writing. I always thought this was quite soul destroying, as they had to rub them out each day. I also became annoyed with the Teacher, as she didn't give Darren the harder maths or more advanced reading books ,as he was an April birthday, BUT he would have been very able with both! In those days you didn't tell the Teacher what you thought though. I just waited for him to show her......

I do remember in Darren's first term he refused to change for PE. I never did know why? And it took them sometime before he would change. 

Shelford School is such a central part of village life and so many of our friends come from friendships forged as the children went through their early years. 

In Darren's Year group he made great friends with Stephen Sargent, Robert Cawston, Nathan Burroughs, Hayley Martin and Vicky Rayment and many more. 

It was difficult for them to work as a class in one room, as there were 45 of them.It was before a maximum number was defined by The Governors.  

They did lots of their lessons  in Gt Shelford church; kneeling on the floor and writing on the pews. While limited changes were made to the school building. Walls were knocked through to make more space. Porto cabins were put up in the playground. Teacher's moved rooms each year - instead of the pupils. But the children themselves were a lovely group that worked well together and made great friendships.

Of course this meant lots of after school play dates with his class mates. Darren made friends easily and had a few close friends that he spent lots of his free time with. 

Our lives became part of the community due to the school. Gareth became The Treasurer and we both supported the activities of the PTA .

But I believe an advantage we had then, was that the Summer Fete was held on Gt Shelford Recreation Ground. Although it meant a lot of items were transferred from our school to the Rec it allowed the Villagers to attend the Fair and it felt very Community minded. 

The Shelford School Outdoor swimming pool was a fantastic amenity for both the pupils and parents. They used it in the summer for lessons, then at the end of term we watched a swimming gala. After school and during the holidays we were able to swim with our children and other family members too. 

While in Shelford School Darren learnt the recorder and later the violin. A wonderful achievement for 8 - 11 year olds, and later he joined the  School Orchestra. 

He went to football practice out of school for Stapleford and Shelford Strikers, which allowed him to play for the school football team too. 

Mr Starling loved walking and the Year 6 School trip included staying away from home in a hostel for a week and walking out on the hills. 

And in July, when finishing Year 6 all pupils have the Traditional Church Service where each child receives a Bible and then there followed a party in the School grounds. 

What can I remember from Darren's childhood? There are some memories that will spring up easily, and some that will jog my memory as I start. So I hope it won't get too confusing. 

Darren was a beautiful, blond, gentle boy who was treasured by us and our families. He loved cars and books. A favourite was The First Thousand Words, that he loved scouring the pages of, and at just over a year old he could name more than a hundred items. He was the same with cars. At 2 years old he would astound us by naming types of cars by their lit headlights! That might be due to the fact that his Grandparents lived in Cambridge and we lived in St. Ives so he had the A14 to watch cars go by! He would patiently line up cars in traffic jams, where ever he sat, then move them around the room and make a new one.

He had a favourite black dog called Blackie and loved his walker called Benny. Which had a seat he could lift to keep treasures in. 

Most of my friends had girls so he was often out numbered by females but that didn't phase him. It was most probably what helped him be such a gentle boy. Luckily he did have occasions to play with boys too. And his Dad, Grandad and Uncles were a good male influence. 

Just before he turned 3, our daughter and his sister Michelle was born in March 1982. Darren accepted the addition to our family without any problems. The transition to a family of four ran smoothly. Darren and Michelle had a very easy relationship which worked well. Michelle even from very young,  wanted to be able to do what Darren could do and was always striving to catch him up.

Being a first born Darren was more careful and cautious but as Michelle was quite a dare devil if she did something scary then Darren would feel he had to do it too! 

They were a well matched pair that cared and encouraged each other. 

While Gareth played cricket at Papworth they would happily play together. 

They loved swimming, football, cricket and any ball games. We would spend most weekends out visiting parks, beaches, zoos and leisure parks together and with our family and friends. 

As our extended family had children of their own, Darren and Michelle were the loving older cousins always willing to play with their younger cousins. Both of them adored by them all. 

The first baby in the 'Theobald' family for some time.He held a privileged position of having 2 Nanny's and Grandad's who idolised him. My younger sisters and brother became young aunties and uncle.

Gareth and I become dedicated and besotted young parents. I was 22 and Gareth 27. Initially due to his prematurity,he was feed every 2 hours. Now I don't know how we managed it but together we did. Gareth sometimes even managed to help with some of the night time feeds? And many a night we had to drive around St. Ives with Darren in his carrycot, driving around until he fell asleep! 

 Darren was a delightful, beautiful baby who became a gentle and kind boy. Gareth and I loved spending time with him. We lived in the delightful village of St. Ives, Cambridgeshire. Close to a river where we could walk to feed the ducks. A short walk from the town , where Gareth worked in Barclays Bank. This also allowed for Gareth to regularly come home at lunchtime to spend time with his son. 

Every weekend my parents came over to visit us, or we would go to theirs. Then we could spend valuable family time including days out with them and my siblings. 

I'll always remember, after only being home 3 weeks we took Darren, together with Joanne (15),  on his first holiday to Leiston. We stayed in a tiny cottage near the Suffolk coast. We hadn't known that although there were bedrooms upstairs the climb was vertical! And we had to post him up the stairs, in his carrycot! 

After six weeks of our new life in St.Ives I became part of a young Mums group where I met my life long friend Julia Elliott, Eddie and Danielle. Our lives became entwined and daily we met and shared our babies early days together. They were such carefree fun times and Danielle and Darren were so happy growing up and playing together.