Bluebell time and memories

Following my article on ‘Our Nature Reserves – Todays walk -Saturday 11th April took me up to Lincewood and the old Cow fields to see the bluebells in full bloom. Come Monday I will take another walk around Marks Hill to see the vast display there and later in the week a walk around Langdon Hills Country park will not go amiss. St Luke’s Volunteers normally arrange a bluebell walk which always ends up at St Mary’s church for refreshments but unfortunately due to the restriction will not take place – a real shame. However, on today’s walk two distant memories came to mind. The first being and I wonder how many people remember the Romany gipsies coming around your door trying to sell bunches of bluebells– we are going back to the 50s.
The other memory which has nothing to-do with bluebells but as I walked out of the woods into Langdon Hills Recreation park two lads came past on their bicycles and cycled through the park to gate at the bottom. This did not concern me, they were causing no trouble but it did remind me when I was twelve many, many moons ago when in the early evening with two other lads we rode our bikes across the park to the gate at the bottom of the park leading onto New Avenue. Waiting for us was the Park keeper – yes, they had park keepers in those days. He stopped us and said we should not be riding our bikes in the park and he had called the police. We waited patiently and finally a policeman came on his bike. He pointed out a sign that said in large letters ‘Cycling Prohibited’ I replied I did not know what it meant – just a small fib. Any way we got a telling off and sent on our way. It was getting late now and I knew mum would be getting worried and as soon as I got home, I was sent straight to bed. Mum was a softy and soon call me back for tea, enabling me to tell her what had happened, mum just shrugged it off until a few days later she received a two-page letter form the Chief Constable at Laindon (I wish she had kept the letter). Well there was only one person who told her children off and that was her, she was down the police station the following day. Not sure what she told them but it would certainly have been a piece of her mind.
I have always wondered if this letter is still on file as I have never been called for Jury service? – Happy Memories – Happy Days.
Ken Porter
11th April 2020