It may be worth putting on record that within the last seven days Watford has experienced snow, sleet, hail, frost, thunder and lightning, rain, fog and sunshine. Is there anything in the meteorological line left?

[From the Watford Observer of March 26, 1937]

Eat plenty of those big juicy Jaffa oranges which are cheap and plentiful just now. They’re as good as a dose of sunshine.

Walk or take a bus out into the country, and listen to the larks proclaiming the eternal miracle of Spring.

Clock into bed punctually every night and get your full ration of sleep. A “nightcap” taken last thing will help you to slumber peacefully.

If you can arrange the routine of your daily life in a slightly different pattern, you will do a lot to banish tiredness. Change is the spice of life.

Remember the charwoman’s motto: “Life may not be all you want, but it’s all you ‘ave. So stick a geranium in your ‘at and be happy.”

[From the Watford Observer of March 8, 1940]

Nearly every one of 16 personal injury road accidents in Bushey during January was due to “sheer downright carelessness or disregard for normal road behaviour,” declared the chairman, Mr J.M.A. Hudson, at Thursday’s meeting of Bushey Road Safety Organisation.

“After going through the details of these accidents I was tempted to wonder whether we were simply wasting our time,” he confessed.

[From the Watford Observer of March 24, 1970]

The Boot pub on Sarratt Green will soon feature in an episode of the ITV husband and wife detective series Hart to Hart, screened at 8.15pm on Sundays.

A scene will be shot in the pub on Monday, March 28, Robert Wagner and Stephanie Powers will feature in it.

The Boot’s landlord, Alan Grant, will play the role of a barman.

[From the Watford Observer of March 18, 1983]

Veteran comedian and actor Vic Oliver launched a stinging attack on television from the stage of the Palace Theatre on Monday night. He blamed it for the general decline and gradual disappearance of many of the country’s theatres.

And he pleaded for support of the last surviving live theatre in Hertfordshire – the Watford Palace.

As the applause died on the third curtain call of “Distinguished Gathering”, in which he is the star and guest artist this week, Mr Oliver stepped forward. His theme – Where have all the theatres gone? – took the audience by surprise.

Answering his own question, Mr Oliver continued: “Most of them have been pulled down to make way for supermarkets ... and it is the public’s fault. There is one theatre in Hertfordshire and they still worship that god called television.

“They listen to the greatest rubbish, say next morning how awful it was, then go back and switch it on again.”

And he begged them: “Please put a day aside each week to come to the theatre.”

[From the Watford Observer of March 20, 1964]

These stories conclude the Nostalgia column first published in the Watford Observer on March 21, 2014. The next Nostalgia column – with information on public clocks, a curious house in Bricket Wood, the final round-up of March stories and much more besides – can be found in this week’s Watford Observer (dated March 28, 2014 and available in newsagents now, priced just 90p) or read online here from 4pm on Thursday.

If you have anything to add – or would like to tell us anything you think our readers may enjoy about Watford’s history – we are always pleased to hear from you. Contact Nostalgia, by clicking here watfordnostalgia@london.newsquest.co.uk