11:22am Tuesday 16th June 2009
By Michael Pickard
A former resident of Watford, who was born in the town, put pen to paper and sent some of his memories to Nostalgia, in the form of a poem.
John Lear, of Toynton St Peter in Lincolnshire, said: “I was born in Watford more years ago than I care to remember, one of eight children. I went to school during World War Two and started work on January 1, 1946, for 17/6d a week (17p today).
“During the next 20 years I managed to spend 18 months in Malaga with the RAF and six years in New Zealand with RNZAF – the Royal New Zealand Air Force.
“I always came back to Watford and loved the place.
“When I retired I thought, like so many people, it might be nice to move away to somewhere quieter, so we came to Lincolnshire.
“However, it hasn’t worked out and I miss Watford. However, while on night shift at a care home a few months ago, during a quiet spell, I wrote a few lines which seemed to express my feelings.”
Mr Lear’s poem is entitled “Faded Memories”.
It reads: “What was the name of that street again/By the shops we always used?
“And what did they call that pub again/After football where we boozed.
“And what was the name of the garage/Where we used to buy our fuel “And what has become of my memory/I find the loss so cruel.
“I see again the crowded house where brother and sisters grew/Then memory fails and I can’t recall the things we used to do.
“At night I dream and wander round those time-worn streets again/And try to find the things that were/But searchings are in vain.
“Now I live in a different town, far from the place I knew.
“All the streets are strange to me/Although I’ve learnt a few.
“They say in time I will settle down and know that I belong/But then I feel the ache again and know that they are wrong.
“What was the name of the cinema, where we used to queue so long to see a film in black and white?
“I could go on and on.”
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