I am writing in reference to the Nostalgia Page of your issue dated Friday, December 6, which has been passed to me by my sister, who lives in Bushey Heath.

My particular interest relates to the two photographs submitted by Mrs Olive Rowe, of Fern Way, Watford, which show two features of Christmas 1958 at Shrodells hospital.

The lower photograph shows a Mews ward which was decorated like our "inn" as a result of the efforts of the patients (with some help from families and friends).

I was one of the patients, in fact the young man (then aged 22) who is pulling the "imitation" beer pumps.

I had heard Mrs Rowe's name mentioned as a patient in the adjoining ladies' ward and if my recollection is correct, they were invited into see our decorations.

The other photograph shows the nursing staff at their Christmas dinner. The one (not in uniform) in the bottom left hand corner of the photograph was nurse Mary Power and I later attended her wedding when she became Mrs Studley.

She and her husband attended my own wedding in 1957.

The other staff I remember include nurses Archer, Bell, Conbridge, Sealy and staff nurses Jones and Johnson (?) I would indeed be interested to know whether Mary Studley still lives in the Chipperfield area.

As you will see I now live at Haslemere in Surrey but my wife and I regularly visit Watford and are still fans and season ticket holders of the Hornets.

I would always welcome hearing from my former colleagues in the Borough Treasurer's Office at Watford, where I worked from 1946 to 1956 and any other friends in the town.

Firstly, my thanks to Mrs Rowe for her Nostalgia contribution.

It was indeed a sad time having to spend Christmas in hospital in 1952 but nevertheless a memorable one.

January 20, 2003 17:31