SIR — In response to Joyce Gibbons (Your Letters, February 5): I am four years younger than Joyce and I do not recall some of the memories that she does.
I remember the full time groundsmen that worked on the Memorial Ground, especially Albert Strong who had dogs that went everywhere with him even to work. At that time, most of the dogs wandered about Watchet freely, some with collars some without; the only thing the owners were responsible by law was to get a dog license costing 7/6d a year.
Most families had a dog or cat, tin food was unheard of, they ate when the families did because they were part of the family.
I cannot remember any gates on the Memorial Ground. There were sentry type boxes that were there for someone to collect entrance money for the cricket and football matches. Yes, you had to pay in those days.
I am sure Joyce will remember that most of the Watchet boys and girls did their courting there in the 'Cow Shed', my friends and I did when we were teenagers.
We had a play area which consisted of two sets of swings, no Health and Safety Act then.
But things have changed since we went into the EU. We now have a fenced children's playground to be proud of, with picnic tables and seats, checked each day by our full time groundsman who not only looks after the Memorial Ground but also the new church cemetery. I must say he does a damned good job of it as well, especially picking up all the litter and beer cans, vodka bottles etc from the Memorial.
I have also seen an elderly lady with her dog on a Saturday morning picking up bottles and rubbish left from the Friday night.
Times have changed, and we the elderly have to accept them.
Jenny Hill
Brendon Road
Watchet.