Keen as mustard to find out about club

She said: “I was going through old photos the other day and came across this one, and I wondered if your readers could throw any light on what the “Mustard Club” was.

“My mother is sitting in the front row with the long beads around her neck. My grandmother is seated to her left. I hope you can help.”

Does anyone know what the Mustard Club was? Please let us know.

Bryan Rycroft, from Hatfield, has sent in this picture of the Leggatts Way Cricket Team, circa 1947, when it was managed by Mr Plumridge.

He said: “Sadly, Les Aldridge, who developed into a promising pace bowler with Watford Town I believe, passed away at an early age. I also heard that Ron Rogan died a year or so ago.

“I recall hearing that Ray Walters became a successful recording artist under the name of Eddie Parker.

“I knew Rod Palmer was a useful footballer who played for local teams including, I believe, Leavesden Hospital.

“I’ve kept in touch with Martin Dyer who went on to play for Abbots Langley in their heyday and subsequently Sidmouth, Reigate, and Devon in the minor counties.

“I would always be pleased to hear from anyone with memories of Leggatts Way School.”

Do you remember anyone Mr Rycroft mentions?

Alan Bailey is looking for pictures of the Watford carnival from 1957 to 1962.

He is hoping to spot himself playing in the 1st Watford Boys Brigade band.
Do you have any pictures you can send to Nostalgia? Were you in the Boys Brigade band yourself?

Robin Babb has written in about his father John, who used to work at the Humming Bird Garage.

He said: “The office secretary was Margaret Kelly who lived in Laburnum Grove, off St Albans Road. My dad wonders what became of her or any other work mates?

“Their mothers worked together in British Home Stores in front of the cattle market and I remember the cows which my gran took me to see as a child in the 50s.”

Do you remember Robin Babb, Margaret Kelly, or the Humming Bird Garage?

Roy Halsey has sent in some new information about Mill End, after seeing a letter from Philip Pope in October.

Mr Pope was in turn responding to Rachel Payne, who wrote to Nostalgia in June to ask if anyone had any information about Mill End.

Mr Halsey said: “In response to your Nostalgia page of Friday, October 12, 2012 (I do not see the Watford Observer down here in Devon very often) perhaps the following information may assist.

“The Mill End Senior School which was situated in Shepherds Lane (now the Shepherds Lane Junior School) was known, certainly in the 1950s when I attended, as the ‘Tiger Bay University’.

“The senior school moved up the Lane and became William Penn Secondary School in 1957.

“In the 1930s there was a Mill End Boxing Club, mainly for youngsters, but senior boxing contests were held outdoors at Woodoaks Farm.

“The only indoor event staged was in 1939, held in the main hall at the Mill End Secondary School which was the only indoor area which was big enough to hold a ring and an audience.

“The local boxing promoter was my father, W.W. (Bill) Halsey, who was a licensed boxing promoter who staged many boxing events before, during and just after the Second World War.

“Clark Meadows was situated about 200 yards/metres up Church Lane, from the Uxbridge Road, a number of fairs and circuses were held there in the 60s prior to the land being sold off for development. The original Mill End Community Club House, as far as I remember was the sports and social club on the junction of Mill Way and Penn Road.”

Do you remember any of the Mill End memories Mr Halsey mentions? And, Mr Halsey, you can now read all 2012's Nostalgia pages online. Just click on 'Nostalgia' on the front page of www.watfordobserver.co.uk.

Jenny Reynolds has written in about the picture of Kingsway School swimming pool which was in Nostalgia last week.

She said: “I knew all the boys as we were in the same class. Not sure where the girls are.

“The parents raised funds and helped build the pool.

“The girls in the class were myself, Lyn Bunker (whose dad helped a lot with the pool), Bronwen Bond, Adrienne Newton, Lesley Gardiner, Denise Rose, Julia Appleton, Sandra Matthews and Vicky Jordan, to name but a few.

“The headmistress was a Miss Fowler and other teachers were Miss Taylor (music teacher who ran the choir), Mr Jones, Miss Lay and Mrs Lee to name some.

“I had very happy days at Kingsway School. I still keep in touch with some of the girls and in fact work for Lyn Bunker (now Dearling) who lives in Desford, Leicester.”

Do you remember the pool opening, or any of the people Ms Reynolds mentions?
 

Diana Whitney has written in about a letter from Omar Ramzan, which was in Nostalgia last week.

She said: “Mr Ramzan was asking about photos of north Watford.

“I sent one in to your paper a few years ago that was taken in the very early 1900s. It was taken from the corner of Cromer Road looking towards Balmoral Road.

“I am having difficulty finding my copy but there is a copy hanging in Andréa's hairdressers in St Albans Road.  

“In one of the books on Watford there was a picture of the circus travelling along St Albans Road in North Watford. I have some old booklets about Watford. I will have a look at them and see what I can find.”

Do you have any photos of north Watford? Please let us know.

Last week’s Nostalgia page contained a report on the Government’s decision to award the Arctic Convoy Star to survivors of the North Atlantic Fleet.

Hugh Lewis, chairman of Bushey Museum Trust, has written in with the following information.

He said: “Bushey Museum houses a permanent exhibition about one of the ships involved in this extremely dangerous operation. 

“During ‘Warship Week’ in 1942, Bushey raised £120,000 (which averaged £10 per head of the then population of Bushey) in support of HMS Woodpecker, a Black Swan Class Sloop launched in 1942. Her task was to hunt down and sink German U-Boats. In 1944 she was herself hit, after sinking a U-Boat, and sank while being towed home with some German sailors on board.

“We keep in touch with the only two crew survivors known to us, now both in their early 90s.  Their experience typifies the dangers involved in this demanding work.”

The museum in Rudolph Road is open from 11am to 4pm from Thursday to Sunday.

This Nostalgia column was first published in the Watford Observer on January 4, 2013.

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 <a href="mailto:abinnie@london.newsquest.co.uk?subject=Nostalgia">abinnie@london.newsquest.co.uk</a>