Blacksmith photo sparks readers' memories (From Watford Observer)

Blacksmith photo sparks readers' memories

2:08pm Tuesday 16th June 2009

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This picture of two men working at a blacksmith’s forge in Watford sparked a host of letters and telephone calls to Nostalgia.

Ernie Flowerday and Jack Sheehan at work in the Red Lion Yard.

David Sheehan emailed us after recognising his father as the man with the sledgehammer.

He said: “The man on the right is my father, Jack Sheehan.

“The man on the left is Ernie Flowerday. They can be seen working in my father’s blacksmith’s forge, which was in Red Lion Yard, in the centre of Watford.

“The forge moved across the road to Beechen Grove when Red Lion Yard disappeared in the Charter Place redevelopment in the 1960s.

“My father bought the business in 1936 when Ernie Flowerday was already working there. In those day it was primarily a farriers – shoeing horses.

“As horses became less and less abundant they gave up this side of the business in 1951.

“By this time my brother John was working in the business and continued to do so, until he unfortunately died in 1981, when the business more or less ceased. My father had died in 1973.

“My mother, Florence (Floss) is still alive, living in a home near High Wycombe. She will be 100 on March 7 this year.

“She might be remembered by a few people in Watford as she was involved in running the then-Darby and Joan club in central Watford as deputy organiser.

“She, as organiser, along with my father, were also involved with the opening of the new centre for older people in Harebreaks.

“As a postscript, my father was a keen boxing fan and helped run the Callowland amateur boxing club in north Watford, which my brother attended.

“I have a photograph with my father (an ABA judge), my brother and a young Alex Buxton who went on to win the British middleweight Championship and who I believe only died recently.”

Reader John Perry, from Kenilworth Drive, Croxley Green, also remembered Jack Sheehan.

He said: “With reference to the photo in the Watford Observer of the two people working in a forge, the person on the right is Mr JF Sheehan and on the left is his striker, who was a very quiet man and those of us who attended Beechen Grove School, which was opposite, the forge in Red Lion Yard, never knew his name.

“Mr Sheehan was a Farrier and a Blacksmith. In my Kelly’s of 1956 his full title is given as JF Sheehan AFCL.

“He regularly shoed the shires for Benskins brewery. The brewery had a blacksmith but not a farrier.

“As children we were amused to see the shire horses being shoed because like all horses they liked to lean on anything handy even the farrier, this would elicit a roar from Mr Sheehan to stand still!

“One thing that always puzzled us children was this – how could a red-hot shoe be applied to a horse’s hoof without pain, and the clouds of smoke from this we thought were marvellous, and then that distinctive smell of burning hoof.

“I think the forge eventually went into Loates Lane when Red Lion Yard was erased from Watford, as part of the ‘Improvements’.

“I have never known why the street was known as Red Lion Yard when the only pub was called the Woodman?

“But then there may have been a Red Lion pub at the Watford High Street end.”

Mr Perry also offered his memories of Caledonian School.

He said: “Regarding the Caledonian School I remember on a Sunday morning seeing the whole school walking from Aldenham road Bushey to St Andrews church in Clarendon road Watford.

“I particularly remember them coming through the small recreation ground in Water Lane and over the railway footbridge with some mirth, because they would have had to negotiate the kissing gate at the end of the footbridge!

“About once a month the school band, complete with bagpipes and drums would march to church if full Highland dress to St Andrews church.”

Watford resident Leslie Coleman, 73, remembered watching Mr Sheehan and Mr Flowerday working as a pupil at Beechen Grove School.

Mr Coleman, from Loates Lane, said: “The names of the two men are Ernie Flowerday, who lived in Queen’s Place, and Mr JF Sheehan.

“They worked in Red Lion Yard, their shop was on the left hand side opposite Beechen Grove School.

“When I was at school, our teacher used to raise the windows and we could look out and see Mr Sheehan Snr shoeing the horses.

“Then they moved from Red Lion Yard because the Harlequin was being built and moved next door to Russell’s Autos in Loates Lane.

“Mr Sheehan ended up in New Road, off the High Street.

“I was born in 1935 and went to Southern Road School, Beechen Grove School and ended up at Victoria, up the top of Market Street.”

Another reader, Celia Fairclough, 78, from Queen’s Place, revealed she was once neighbours with Mr Flowerday when he lived in the same road.

She said: “I’ve lived in Watford all my life. Ernie lived a few doors away and I worked with his wife at Cobra, the polish factory in Greatham Road, Bushey.”

Mrs JE Slavin, from Haydon Road, Watford, remembered that Red Lion Yard was home to another well known landmark.

Mrs Slavin said: “The forge in the picture was in Red Lion Yard, as also was the Watford School of Music.”

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