Memories of Watford Heath

I have happy memories of growing up on Watford Heath. I first lived at no 26 then in 1951 my parents decided to move to number 27!! They lived there until 2005.

Some of my earliest memories are of picking up silver strands from the Heath. We were told that these were dropped to stopped the radar working. How true this was I don’t know. We spent many nights in the Anderson shelter in the front garden, it always had a funny smell!!                                

There were railings around the Heath and one of our pastimes was to see how far we could walk on the railings before falling off!  We did’nt have to go far for ice-cream the Bakers had a shop at no. 34 and ice cream was dug out of metal tubs and ladled into cones. I think we could get a cone for two pennies.

I remember the Express Dairy milkman and his horse and cart.

Every year in the Spring a tramp would knock at our door and my Mother would fill his billy-can with tea and give him some sandwiches. She said he was going to St Albans after spending the winter in London.

I had several relations living round the Heath, Uncle Fred and his daughter Gladys at no 30 and my Grandparents at no 29.  They had lived in the houses since they were built in 1927.

I moved to Watford when I married in 1962 but now live in the family home on Watford Heath.