It is lovely to hear from readers who have enjoyed my books and who have then had brought to the fore some long lost childhood memories. I thought I'd share with you this recently-received message from Val McCowen, for which I am most grateful:
Having just finished reading "My Family and Other Scousers", I felt compelled to write to you.
I also read your book about the Liverpool Cowkeepers. As family history, I found 'Cowkeepers' a revelation, although my great aunt remembered sitting on the milk float as a child (born 1897 in Preston), dangling her legs over the back. She would go round with the milkman as customers brought their jugs to fill from his churns.
It was the horses in your book about your days in Liverpool , that triggered so many memories for me. My dad was a Lancashire Mounted Policeman. As a child in the 50s and early 60s I have fond memories of the policeman's wives and children going on a day out to The Lancashire Agricultural Show, and sometimes travel to the national shows, where the police horses would display their skills and do a "musical ride". My dad and his horse "Trafford" won best trained police horse several times. Some band music triggers so many fond memories for me.
In the early 1950s my dad was transferred from stables in Formby to Hutton, Preston, where the Lancashire Police Headquarters stables were and still are. We lived at "the stables" for some years in the lodge to the big house "Holmemead". As children we would play in the barn and hayloft. We were told never to climb on the hay, which was the horses food. We could play on the straw bales, which were used for bedding , but I remember them being very scratchy. The hay was much sweeter smelling and softer to climb on and play in. Your antics in the dairy hay loft brought back many memories for me, making dens and jumping from great heights!
As children we would often be rounded up and gathered in the field next to our house. We were provided with football rattles, tin cans, anything that would make a noise to simulate a rowdy football crowd . We would make two lines of noisy rabble while the horses walked through our noise , mostly ignoring us. Once they could cope with us without being disturbed they were passed fit to be let loose at Preston North End and other football fields!
Our grandchildren don't have those wonderful playgrounds and freedoms of the past. Looking into our family history has made me acutely aware of how important it is to talk to our children and grand children about our precious memories. So, thank you so much for your inspiration - and a couple of good reads.
With kind regards,
Val McCowen
Having just finished reading "My Family and Other Scousers", I felt compelled to write to you.
I also read your book about the Liverpool Cowkeepers. As family history, I found 'Cowkeepers' a revelation, although my great aunt remembered sitting on the milk float as a child (born 1897 in Preston), dangling her legs over the back. She would go round with the milkman as customers brought their jugs to fill from his churns.
It was the horses in your book about your days in Liverpool , that triggered so many memories for me. My dad was a Lancashire Mounted Policeman. As a child in the 50s and early 60s I have fond memories of the policeman's wives and children going on a day out to The Lancashire Agricultural Show, and sometimes travel to the national shows, where the police horses would display their skills and do a "musical ride". My dad and his horse "Trafford" won best trained police horse several times. Some band music triggers so many fond memories for me.
In the early 1950s my dad was transferred from stables in Formby to Hutton, Preston, where the Lancashire Police Headquarters stables were and still are. We lived at "the stables" for some years in the lodge to the big house "Holmemead". As children we would play in the barn and hayloft. We were told never to climb on the hay, which was the horses food. We could play on the straw bales, which were used for bedding , but I remember them being very scratchy. The hay was much sweeter smelling and softer to climb on and play in. Your antics in the dairy hay loft brought back many memories for me, making dens and jumping from great heights!
As children we would often be rounded up and gathered in the field next to our house. We were provided with football rattles, tin cans, anything that would make a noise to simulate a rowdy football crowd . We would make two lines of noisy rabble while the horses walked through our noise , mostly ignoring us. Once they could cope with us without being disturbed they were passed fit to be let loose at Preston North End and other football fields!
Our grandchildren don't have those wonderful playgrounds and freedoms of the past. Looking into our family history has made me acutely aware of how important it is to talk to our children and grand children about our precious memories. So, thank you so much for your inspiration - and a couple of good reads.
With kind regards,
Val McCowen
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