Marie Smith's poetic memories

How Halling has changed from long ago

Whether for better, I really don’t know

It was safe for children outdoors to play

With a sandwich & drink we were gone all the day 

No parents with cares to take us to school 

We walked in all weathers, that was the rule.

Public transport was on the whole fine 

Trains and buses mainly on time 

Not forgetting the ferry, what can I say

I think the fare was a tanner each way

Now for the shops, we had quite a few

selling sweets Mrs Roots,

Billy Roads mending boots

fried fish Mr Gore,

up the hill general store,

butchers, hardware, post office too.

There were two dentists, two doctors to see to our ills 

The dentist took teeth and the doctor gave pills

No waiting to see them, we went the same day

How different now, what more can I say

In abundance were pubs, six of them and two clubs

Now only just two remain Five Bells, Homeward Bound can only be found 

And the Bolshie Club alongside Sale Lane.

We’ve lost the cement factory, but on the plus side there are lots of new houses where people reside,

Where dust and grey buildings covered the site

Many men worked there by day and by night

In the heart of the village the church stands proud

Where baptisms funerals and weddings are vowed

The bells used to ring in the old days 

To call us to church to sing the Lords praise.

It’s nice to look back to the things that we had 

Perhaps I remember the good not the bad 

Time doesn’t stand still we’ve found to our cost 

No point in regretting the things that we’ve lost.