ORDSALL

Chimleys full of soot and smoke
Open fires, lit with coke,
I’ve been down here once before,
Only a toddler, only four
Old cobbled streets, with doors wide open
Entering with a gesture or a token,
The coal men come with laden sacks
Always looking rather black,
Friday’s night at the hockshop,
Like all the rest,
Then come Sunday and your Sunday best
Church first thing, then families later,
I’d better go wake grandfather
Monday mornings, dolly blue
Grannies washing just for you
Lines are weighed down with the sheets,
Go and look, down all the streets
Billowing and blowing like never before,
Have you seen theirs next door?
The step is next, gleaming white,
Dazzling in the bright sunlight
Scrubbing with a bristled brush
Taking time, never rushed
The hooters sounded far away,
Time to stop, time to play,
Sisters, gurgling at grannies feet
Me, on the couch fast asleep,
Tuesday I think was baking day
No time to laugh, no time to play,
Flour, eggs and butter everywhere
In the kitchen and up the stairs
Puddings and pies on a tray
The aroma makes you want to stay
But today it’s time to go
Goodnight Granddad Alf and Granny Flo
This year we’re all going away,
To the Great Western Hotel, we will stay
Next to the railway line at Abergavenny
And uncle Hugh down in the Valley,
A day trip out and bokkles of beer
My, that must have been rather dear,
Especially in them days, nothing was cheap,
So I guess it must have been a holiday treat,
Home once more, but never away,
I’m of to me grannies, again to stay,
But I don’t mind I like it here,
Lots of laughter, lots of cheer
Granddads taking me to the nearby park,
I’ll go on the swings, oh, what a lark
The kids are playing in the street,
Greeting us as we meet,
Hop Scotch, hoolas and skipping ropes,
Jimmy with his Kaleidoscope
The local Church has fetes and fairs
Father Christmas is up those stairs
My dad he went to the local cubs
Stayed two weeks and owed them subs
In this place there is no crime
Only children full of grime
It was the best place to be
Ordsall and its memories.

Written By
D.A.Howcroft
©’June 1999’