John Cooper Lost Watford

Annotation

Lost Watford portrays a vivid picture of the many losses and changes that have taken place over the last 100 years, as the reader embarks on an interesting journey of discovery around the old market town. Lovely buildings such as Cassiobury House, the seat of the Earls of Essex, and the historic park gates, both long gone and now just a memory. We remember too much-loved shops such as Clements and Cawdell's where each delightful visit was a shopping experience in itself. Fond memories are evoked as well of the many lost cinemas in the town, where for a few hours one could escape to the celluloid world of make-believe in the smoky atmosphere of the auditorium. Sadly, major industries such as printing, brewing and the production lines of Scammell Lorries have similarly disappeared into the mists of time, all irreplaceable and much missed. Lost Watford presents a portrait of this town in Hertfordshire and a way of life that has radically changed or disappeared today, showing not just the buildings, streets and industries that have gone or changed, but also a way of life. This fascinating photographic history of lost Watford will appeal to all those who live in the town or know it well, as well as those who remember it from previous decades.