Going back through the Watford Observer archive as I do each week searching for interesting and quirky stories to entertain and inform, this is a potentially disastrous time of the year. You see, any newspaper that came out on April 1 is likely to contain at least one ‘joke’ story which, while no doubt hilarious at the time, would be pretty embarassing if I were to present it to you as fact many years later, however innocently.

I mention this because the first of this week’s stories was first published in the Watford Observer of April 1, 1960. I’m pretty sure I’m on solid ground with it, but if I’ve dropped the ball here, as it were, I apologise in advance. It relates to the decision to change Watford FC’s nickname and reads as follows:

“Once they were The Blues, now they are THE HORNETS...  The sting may have been missing at Barrow on Saturday [Watford lost 2-1] but that’s the name the panel of adjudicators picked for Watford FC after sorting through 176 entries for the Supporters’ Club’s ‘nickname’ competition.

“And the winner? He’s nine-year-old Iain Walker, of Orchard Drive, Watford, and after tomorrow’s home game at Vicarage Road he will be presented with his prize – a £5 cheque.

“Iain was one of eight supporters who plumped for The Hornets. Their names went into a hat and the first one out was the winner.

“The competition produced some highly original suggestions. One supporter, for instance, took the initials of Watford’s leading print firms and arrived at the name ‘Oscars’; another suggested ‘The Hoboes’, obviously recalling the nearness of the old workhouse.

“Many suggestions, however, had to be discarded because the names were already being used by other clubs... names like the Tigers, Stags and Wasps.

“It was felt that The Hornets was easy enough to shout as well as having an association with the club’s new colours.”

And the rest, as they say, is history.

Before we leave April Fool’s Day, 25 years after the above, in the Watford Observer of April 5, 1985, came a story headed “Botany buff Bellamy plays joker”.

It reads: “Television botanist David Bellamy was in Watford on Monday to spring  an April Fool surprise for a fellow author.

“It meant the surprise of his life for amateur botanist and writer Paul Temple, training officer at CASE Communications. It was all set up by Paul’s own class of YTS [Youth Training Scheme] youngsters who wanted to mark the day and the publication of his new book.

“They approached the company’s director, Peter Burton, who helped them set up the surprise. The PR department got in on the act by arranging David Bellamy’s appearance.

“As for Paul, he was led into the conference room by Mr Burton only to be confronted by his YTS charges, his publishers and television’s favourite botanist.

“Said Paul: ‘I knew something was going on, but I had no idea they were setting up something like this. I’m always winding them up as part of their training course and I’m glad to see they’ve learnt something of the art.

“‘It is in the spirit of CASE that so many people should get involved in a gag like this.’

“Presenting him with a specially-bound copy of his book, How to Grow Weird and Wonderful Plants, David Bellamy told him: ‘Judging from what’s in this book, you are a damn fine botanist and you’re the one who ought to be on television.’

“Paul, 34, has been collecting and growing rare plants since his schooldays. The nephew of a famous collector, Peter Temple, he is still adding to a collection that numbers more than 200. “‘I wrote the book to show how much fun botany can be,’ he said.”

Back to sport now and April has proved a rich month for local people achieving sporting firsts. here are just two of them.

Back in 1981, London held its first marathon and it has, of course, been running – if you’ll excuse the pun – ever since. This year’s race – the 34th – takes place on Sunday, April 13).

Anyway, back in 1981, one of the stars was Garston housewife Joyce Smith who “won the hearts of millions”, the Watford Observer reported on April 3 that year, “when she set a new British and Commonwealth record at the first London Marathon”.

The report continues: “The 43-year-old mother of two was cheered all the way round the 26 mile course by more than a million people who lined the streets, to cross the finishing line near Buckingham Palace in two hours, 29 minutes, 59 seconds.

“‘The crowds and the atmosphere was just so lifting. I was carried along by them. I did not think I was fit enough to set a record but the crowds just kept me going,’ she said.

“Joyce, who seems to get better with every marathon, may now aim for the 1984 Olympics.

“But she said: ‘I am not thinking that far ahead. I will be taking each marathon as it comes.

“‘Anyway, before the Olympics there is the European and World Championships.’

“Several other Watford runners were in the race which was screened on BBC television. Watford Harriers’ Seymour Izzard, 49, had a personal best time of two hours 43 minutes 27 seconds.

"Arthur Gutteridge, who lives in Croxley Green but runs for Hillingdon AC, also ran a personal best. He called the event ‘one of the greatest experiences of my life. It was out of this world. I was thrilled to be a part of it.’

“Young Steve Sharp, who lives in Tolpits Lane, Watford, also ran well, as did Watford Harriers’ Terry Starr and Tony Sheldon, who lives in Croxley Green.

“Bob Burton was in a little difficulty half way round, but finished the race.”

And the plaudits didn’t end there. The following year, Joyce won the event again, in two hours, 29 minutes and 43 seconds, again setting a new British record, and becoming the oldest woman to win the race at 44 years, 195 days – a record which, unless I’m very much mistaken, still stands.

In 1984, she became the oldest female Olympic athlete by running in the first women’s Olympic marathon and finished 11th at the age of 46.

The same year she received the MBE. She retired from competitive running a couple of years later.

Another female first which occurred in 1981 – the very week after Ms Smith won her first marathon, in fact – involved one Sue Brown.

Ms Brown was the Oxford undergraduate who made history as the first woman to cox a university crew in the Boat Race.

Well she also had local connections having attended school in Chorleywood.

As the Watford Observer of April 10, 1981, reported: “Sue, now 22, attended the Russell County Combined School from 1963 to 1969. Her family, who lived in Shire Lane, then moved to the West Country.

“Miss Jean Taylor, head of the Russell Infants’ department, who retired a year ago after 25 years, remembers the family and was delighted when Sue’s mother rang her in great excitement to say Sue had won a place at Oxford.

“But it was not until she was asked by the Watford Observer if she remembered Sue that she realised the first woman cox was, in fact, her former pupil – even though she had watched the televised race. Both Miss Taylor and the school secretary for the last 17 years, Mrs Eva Paver, remember Sue as being quiet, serious and intelligent at school.”

Watford Observer: Neville

Heroic Neville Griffin, aged 11, back in 1951.

WATFORD'S SILENT HERO: A shy and unassuming boy of 11 smiled from the front pages of the newspapers on Tuesday morning. He was Neville Griffin, of Queen’s Road, Watford, who dived into the swollen River Colne on Monday afternoon to rescue Brian Worby, aged five, of Shaftesbury Road.

Brian was playing with John Dukes, also of Shaftesbury Road, when he fell into the river and, according to one witness, “floated down the river with only his coat showing on the water.”
Neville left his tent, in which he had been playing, and dived to the rescue.

Later, Neville explained: “I took off my clothes and dived in after the boy. I got him to the bank and applied artificial respiration. I learned something about that at school and when I was in the Scouts.”

By the time the fire brigade and ambulance arrived, Brian was conscious. He went to the Watford Peace Memorial Hospital and Neville went to his grandparents nearby to dry himself.

When he arrived home, Neville said nothing about his adventure, and it remained for a customer at his parents’ shop to tell his mother what had happened.

[From the Watford Observer of April 6, 1951]

ONLINE TOMORROW: A first rate success - just like that. Tommy Cooper opens the new Top Rank in Watford in 1965.

These stories formed part of the Nostalgia column first published in the Watford Observer on April 4, 2014. The next Nostalgia column can be found in tomorrow’s Watford Observer (dated April 11, 2014) or read online here from 4pm next 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