Patrick James 
The Spirits of Hallam Fm [EPUB ebook] 

I was born James Patrick Crothers on May 14 th 1953. A
Sheffi eld lad from the Firth Park area, where we lived with
my maternal grandparents until 1956 when my mum and
dad bought a house in Eckington, N. E. Derbyshire as it
was very diffi cult to acquire a home in Sheffi eld at that
time. No high rise fl ats then.
I started school at the age of 5. Camms School Eckington,
as it was then known. At the age of 11 I moved to Westfi eld Comprehensive lower
school at Halfway, now sadly gone.
The last year was spent at the upper school in Mosborough which I believe is still going.
I left school at the age of, 15 on the 27 th July 1968 and embarked on a career as an
apprentice plumber in Sheffi eld which was pleasing as I hated my life in Eckington.
It was an entirely different place to live back then. If you weren’t a collier, or the son
of one you were a bit of an outcast. Don’t worry people, I understand it has vastly
changed since I left more than 30 years ago.
After gaining my City & Guilds at the age of 21, I realised there was no money to be
had and left to join the then thriving steel industry.
After 25 years at two different steel foundry’s, I contracted occupational asthma and
was advised by my doctor and one or two specialists to leave as it could only get worse.
By now I was well established in Sheffi eld and had so many friends in different areas
that I didn’t worry to much.
I was off on the sick for 9 weeks before being offered a job in security on the 13 th
September 2000 and this job eventually led me to Hallam FM.
It is a job I am still doing at the time of writing this book.
I do hope you enjoy reading it as much as I have writing it.