Jill Sparrow

One of my favourite poems, written by that little known Nottinghamshire youth, George Gordon Byron, is The Vision of Judgement. It deals with the arrival at the pearly gates of King George III who, as some will know, was considered a bit potty! What? What? Its opening lines have been running through my head since the sad news about my friend The Dalai Chulla yesterday and I've thrown together a little tribute to Nottstalgia's Poet Laureate making sure, of course, that it rhymes! A Vision Of Chulla St Peter sat a-dozing by the celestial gates. His keys were

Of course, things were a bit more sophisticated in Rog's house. You got par-boiled in a copper!

No morbid obesity in those days!

Our dear friend, the one and only Dalai Chulla. Such a character. He'll leave a hole in this site that no one will ever fill. Condolences to his wife and family, all in my thoughts, as in everyone's. Bless you, Chulla. X

Sounds even worse than Berridge infant toilets!

Not our Ben, then? He wore a liberty bodice! Sensible lad!

They just flushed whether some poor little infant was sitting on em or not. There was no chain, so not possible to flush it yourself! Had nightmares for years afterwards!

Would that account for the strange noise we could hear in those toilets? The actual tank was probably galvanised zinc or suchlike, riveted and painted green. It terrified me. I was only 4 at the time. Never used those loos again!

There was also a chemist, quite an old fashioned shop, on the same side as The Royal Oak. I remember going there with my friend Denise Chambers to buy saltpetre which her parents used in their butcher's shop.

Junction of Holborn and Proctor Street, apparently. Below ground. Now filled in and concreted over!

Somewhere in London, PP. I remember seeing a documentary about it many years ago, poor fish! Don't approve of that at all!

Where was Radford Boulevard school, CT? I knew the road fairly well as a child but can't remember a school. Must have been quite a long way up as children from near the Gregory Boulevard end were at Berridge with me. And....welcome Pattie. Look forward to reading your posts.

Farrand's just across the road from Ford's! Young Ben wouldn't have far to go for his liberty bodices! . Then there were custard tarts from Steggles!

Some of those pictures brought back memories from the 70s when Wetherspoons was the Co-Op!

Wishing you well, nonna! You're made of tough stuff!

Strange how they all look far better than what has replaced them, isn't it?

Maybe his brain's a tad waterlogged!

Were there any doors in the property? Just curious!

Unless, from his point of view, you're a Lancastrian!

Every garden needs a robin! Cute little birds.

Mine's destined for the moggies, naturally!

Ever the optimist, Rog! Make sure it's not a thieving magpie!

Welcome home, Melissa! You've been missed. Speaking of which, where's the Dalai Chulla lately?

Finely grated onion!

Different chap, Ian.