Grower of mammoth pumpkins PC Albert Dunk, of Baldock, has retired from Herts Constabulary after 25 years’ service. Constable Dunk has always been a keen gardener and has won many prizes at Watford and Baldock shows. When a national competition was started for the largest pumpkin, Mr Dunk became interested. His first pumpkin weighed 60lbs, but in 1931 he grew one weighing 99¼lbs, with which he won the national competition.

[From the Watford Observer of March 19, 1937]

 

It’s not every day that a cellist walks into Watford Town Hall and wins the hearts and complete admiration of a packed audience. But a former Watford School of Music student did just that last week.

Soloist Alexander Baillie, 23, of St Albans, wandered gently through Bach’s Cello Suite No 4 in E flat and joined the entire orchestra in Tchaikovsky’s Variations on a Rococo Theme.

In 1978 Alexander was one of the Greater London Arts Association;s Young Musicians of the Year and was chosen for the Park Lane group’s 1979 series at the Purcell Room.

Members of the youth orchestra who played at this Watford School of Music Concert are aged 13 to 19. Before the interval the Youth Choir sang two Hungarian folk songs which were lively and very tightly performed.

[From the Watford Observer of March 27, 1979]

NOSTALGIA NOTE: An early notice for Alexander Baillie who, more than 30 years later, is internationally recognised as one of the finest cellists of his generation.

 

It is about 20 years since the question of lighting for Bushey village claimed the attention of the parish officers and ratepayers generally. Mr George Lake has, at his own expense, erected three automatic lamp-posts with lamps in the main road in the village, one near his lodge, one near Bournehall Road lighting the greater part of that road as well as the main road, and another opposite Park Road.

[From the Watford Observer of March 8, 1890]

 

When a West Herts choirmaster paid his customary visit to church on Sunday morning he was surprised to find no one there – not even the most regular attenders.

He sought out the verger and complained that everybody else must have forgotten to alter their clocks and watches. “I expect they still think it is 9.45 instead of 10.45,” he said.

“10.45 my foot!” came the reply. “It is 12.45. You must have put your clock back instead of forward.”

[From the Watford Observer of March 1, 1940]

 

Richard Briers, the young comedy actor who has starred in two recent BBC television series, will be coming to the charity ball at Moor Park Mansion on April 3. The ball is being organised by Rickmansworth Round Table.

He will be accompanied by his actress wife Ann Davies. It is hoped he will act as a “salesman” on the tombola stall, always a spectacular feature of the table’s charity balls. This year, the ball is in aid of muscular dystrophy research and it is hoped to beat last year’s record profit of £300.

[From the Watford Observer of March 20, 1964]

NOSTALGIA NOTE: Richard Briers was aged 30 when he made his Rickmansworth appearance. Best known for his role as Tom Good in much-loved BBC sitcom The Good Life, he remained married to Ms Davies for more than 50 years, until his death, last year, aged 79. Among the many tributes to him, Sir Kenneth Branagh said: “He was a national treasure, a great actor and a wonderful man. He was greatly loved and he will be deeply missed.”

 

The other day there appeared in “The Times” two short letters, one saying that a chiffchaff had been seen on Chipperfield Common and another that a cuckoo had been heard.

For years we have been dubious about that early cuckoo, but now we are inclined to throw all doubts aside. We welcome the “wandering voice” even if the breath of March chills our bones. For to speak of birds is to take our attention from the war, and to be reminded that “spring will soon unlock the flowers and paint the laughing soil,” as good Bishop Heber sang.

Soon sullen winter will be behind us, if not forgotten; the sun will shine, the green leaves unfold, the birds swell their chorus. From all nature the frozen mantle will be withdrawn; the yearly miracle will be repeated. What refreshment for our spirits is here!

Happy are we in Hertfordshire with a wide countryside full of charm, where bluebells make a carpet, where the cherry blossoms profusely, where leafy domains welcome us to grateful shade and where the peace of Heaven reigns. Never did we welcome spring with such open arms. The long dreary night is passing.

[Reasons to be cheerful from a leader in the Watford Observer of March 21, 1941]

 

A petition with 6,500 signatures objecting to Watford’s reclassification of the AA film Monty Python’s Life of Brian as an ‘X’ was handed in at Monday’s borough council meeting.

At the same meeting, the council received a letter from the Rev Garry Guinness, vicar of St Luke’s, Watford, asking the council to stand by what it believed to be right.

The petitioners questioned whether the council had the right to decide what people should or should not see.

[From the Watford Observer of March 14, 1980]

 

A move to have Hertfordshire declared a nuclear free zone was turned down at last week’s meeting of the Hertfordshire County Council.

County councillor [Dr David] Billing said such a declaration was important because Cruise missiles could easily be sited in the county which would make it a prime target in the event of nuclear war.

He said there should be no static sites and as a nuclear free zone, moving mobile missiles into the county could be prevented.

He also wanted to prevent nuclear waste being transported through the county by road and rail because of the danger of spillage. He said there should be no manufacture of components for nuclear weapons in Hertfordshire.

However, county councillor Colonel Robert Humbert said World War Two might have been prevented if there had been sufficient rearmament in the 1930s. He said the country was now part of NATO with strong American support.

He said: “The knowledge that we in Britain are prepared to contribute to a positive deterrent against aggression, as all governments have done in the last 30 years, will demonstrate our will to fight for freedom.”

[From the Watford Observer of March 11, 1983]

These stories conclude the Nostalgia column first published in the Watford Observer on March 28, 2014. The next Nostalgia column – with information on the week Watford FC became The Hornets, some sporting firsts and a silent hero, among many other things – can be found in this week’s Watford Observer (dated April 4, 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