Reader Rowland Starkey sent in this email following a question about Central Hall, in Loates Lane, Watford. He wrote: “One of your questions from readers asked whether anyone had any memories of Central Hall when it was used as a place of worship.

“Living just down the road I clearly remember the hall when it was used as such, and can remember from quite a young age seeing people dressed in their finest on a Sunday morning.

“I remember the preacher as being a Mr Ashby, who lived I think in Grosvenor Road. When I was young I vividly remember that he drove a small light blue van (a Renault I think) with several religious scripts painted onto the side panels.

“Being of an impressionable age I remember being quite fascinated with this when seeing it around the town.

“In later years, Mr Ashby, who by then had got rid of the van, used to walk to Central Hall on a Sunday morning and, to my memory, was of a very upright, cheery man, which was all the more impressive as I understand that he was well into his 80s by then.

“I don’t remember what denomination the hall was, although the size of the congregation never seemed very big; which given the size of the hall was to be expected.”