Watford Football Club’s “now or never” meeting at the Town Hall on Wednesday was quieter than had been expected.

A crowd of over 2,000, overflowing into the small hall, found little cause for dissension, but they heard some startling new facts concerning the club’s financial position.

Mr T. Rigby Taylor told them the club’s expenses were averaging out at £530 a week and that last year’s working resulted in a loss of £4,000.

And he repeated his warning: “If we cannot get promises of at least £15,000 new capital, there is very little chance of any League football in Watford after the 1952-53 season.”

[From the Watford Observer of June 6, 1952]

 

The Football Association have completed the draw for the early rounds of the F.A. Challenge Cup for next season. In the extra preliminary round in Division 18, Leavesden Mental Hospital will meet Arlington; Berkhamsted Comrades will go to Henlow, Beds, to oppose the R.A.F., and Watford Old Boys will entertain Finchley.

[From the Watford Observer of June 25, 1921]

 

Because the price of tea in their canteen has been increased from 2d to 2½d, several hundred workers engaged on production of the Victory bomber on Wednesday left the Handley Page, Radlett, factory an hour before normal clocking-off time.

At the factory gate they held a meeting at which it was decided to continue the boycott of the canteen which had gone on since the caterers increased the price of a cup of tea 17 days earlier.

“It has been a 100 per cent boycott by some 1,500 workers,” Mr J. Coates, secretary of the Group Shop Stewards Committee, said this week. “The halfpenny does not sound much but it represents a 25 per cent increase which we do not think is justified.”

Mr Coates said the boycott would continue until they got satisfaction.

[From the Watford Observer of June 22, 1956]

 

Where should you dab your perfume? Behind the ears? How old-fashioned!

Grandma may have thought the pulse points were the places to discreetly apply her scent, but today we are advised to apply perfume lavishly on parts of the body exposed by modern fashions, such as behind the knees, trickled down your back when wearing a halter neck or a bikini, or on a tissue tucked into your bra.

[‘With it’ advice from the Watford Observer of June 5, 1973]

 

Two Germans met in Paris. Carl said to Fritz: “Have you a good job here?”

“Yes,” replied Fritz. “I have a very good job. I sit on the Eiffel Tower and watch for the English to wave the white flag.”

“Is it good pay?” asked Carl.

“Not much,” Fritz answered, “but it’s for life.”

[A bit of jingoism for wartime – from the Watford Observer of June 20, 1941]