This poem was written about 1940 when Alfred Kettlety was in his seventies. It recalls Twerton when he was a boy in the late 19th century.
Click on an image to see the large version. You can also view the original scans in the image gallery.
My Old Twerton
My Old Twerton
I LIKE TO REMEMBER OLD TWERTON IN THE DAYS THAT SEEMS LONG AGO BEFORE HITLER SENT OVER HIS BOMBERS AND DEALT IT A TERRIBLE BLOW
I LIKE TO REMEMBER OLD TWERTON BEFORE PLANNERS SWARMED OVER THE PLACE AND DECIDED WHAT THE OLD VILLAGE NEEDED WAS A BRIGHT AND SHINY NEW FACE
I LIKE TO REMEMBER OLD TWERTON BEFORE COTTAGES WERE ALL PUSHED AWAY TO MAKE ROOM FOR A BUSY NEW TWERTON AS WE CAN ALL SEE TODAY
I LIKE TO REMEMBER MY SCHOOL DAYS BEFEORE NINE AND PAST FOUR O'CLOCK FOR IN BETWEEN THAT WE HAD LESSONS AND SOME OF THE SUMS MADE US ROCK
I LIKE TO REMEMBER THE HOME MADE FAGGOTS OVER AT JOHN WHATLEYS SHOP TWAS MRS WHATLEY WHO MADE EM AS JOHN WAS TOO BUSY TO STOP
I STILL REMEMBER OLD TWERTON STATION JUST AS IT USED TO BE WHERE I WOULD WAIT FOR A PUFFER TO TAKE ME RIGHT DOWN TO THE SEA
AND ANNIE BENCE I REMEMBER FOR IN TO HER SHOP I WOULD POP TO BUY A PENNY PIECE OF RICE PUDDING THEN MORE WOULD POP IN TO THE SHOP
I LIKE TO REMEMBER THE BLACKSMITH WITH HIS FORGE AT THE TOP OF BIG HILL THE HORSES HAD NEW SHOES FROM NOTHING AS THE OWNERS ALL FOOTED THE BILL
THE CHURCH LADS BRIDGE I REMEMBER WITH JOHNNY HOOPER IN COMMAND MARCHING UP THROUGH THE HIGH STREET ALL IN STEP BEHIND THE BAND
I LIKE TO REMEMBER THE CUPS THAT TWERTON-STMICHAELS HAD WON THE KNOCKOUT, THE LEAGUE,AND THE CHARITY AND ALL IN ONE SEASON TWAS DONE
I REMEMBER OUR MEN'S BIBLE CLASS WHICH ON SUNDAYS I WOULD ATTEND WITH SID BARTLET PLAYING THE ORGAN A VERY GOOD TIME I WOULD SPEND
I LIKE TO REMEMBER JOHNNY RIDEOUT WITH HIS SHOP DOWN NEWMANS ARCH FOR HE WAS OUR OWN VILLAGE BARBER TWAS THERE ALL WE YOUNG BOYS WOULD MARCH
THE SHOP WAS PART OF HIS KITCHEN AND AS HE STOOD THERE AND PUZZLED OUR HAIR HIS STUFFED BIRD HE HAD ON THE SIDE BOARD HAD NOTHING TO DO BUT JUST STARE
I LIKE TO REMEMBER THE OLD VILLAGE CLOCK ON THE OLD TWERTON CLUB WALL IT ALWAYS LOOKED DOWN ON CARR'S WORKERS WHEN BACK UP MILL LANE THEY WOULD CRAWL
OLD JOHNNY RIDEOUT MAINTAINED IT, AND KEPT IT IN GOOD REPAIR BUT WHEN JOHNNY DIED IT WENT MISSING SOME SAID IT WAS STILL IN HIS CARE
I REMEMBER THE CIGARETTE CARDS I BROUGHT OF FAMOUS PEOPLE AND FLAGS OF ALL NATIONS BUT ONLY ONES I NEVER COULD GET, WERE PICTURES OF ALL MY RELATIONS
I REMEMBER THE MAGAZINES THAT I BROUGHT COMIC CUTS AND THE OLD UNION JACK THEN THERE WAS THE GEM AND THE MAGNET AND SOMETIMES I WISH THEY'D COME BACK.
I LIKE TO REMEMBER OLD TWERTON BEFORE BATH CITY ARRIVED ON THE SCENE AND UPROOTED A BEAUTIFUL ORCHARD TO PUT DOWN A FOOTBALL GREN
I REMEMBER THE OLD TWERTON FLOWER SHOP WHERE WE HAD FUN ONCE A YEAR SOME PEOPLE LOOKED OUT FOR SIDE SHOWS WHILST OTHERS LOOKED OUT FOR BEER
I LIKE TO REMEMBER OLD WATER LANE AS TWAS PART OF OLD TWERTON CHARM TWAS ENCLOSED BY A COUPLE OF HEDGES WITH SCENT FROM A NEARBY FARM
I REMEMBER OLD FARMER ONE COW JUST THE ONE AS FAR AS WE KNEW BUT IF I EVER MEET SOMEONE WHO KNEW HIM PERHAPS THEY COULD SAY IF TWAS TRUE
I LIKE TO REMEMBER OLD TWERTON N SOME TROUBLE FREE TIMES WE LED UNTIL JACK DIX CAUSED A SENSATION BY SHOOTING A GAME KEEPER DEAD
I LIKE TO REMEMBER THE MEDLERS UP ON THE WOOD HOUSE GROUND SO MANY BOYS USED TO PINCH EM THERE WAS HARDLY ENOUGH TO GO ROUND
I REMEMBER OLD BENNY BARTER AND THE BIG BUSY BEARD THAT HE WORE HIS SHOP WHICH IS STILL IN THE HIGH STREET HE STUFFED UP WITH BRIC-A-BRAC GALORE
I RECALL CAROLL LADIES UP PROSPECT BULIDINGS OUR ROAD SWEEPER, AND AS FAR AS WE KNEW NEVER STOPPED SPOKE WHEN HE WAS WORKING A BIT DIFFERENT WHAT THE PRESENT ONES DO
FOR JIMMY BOURNE AND HIS WIFE UP PENNYS BUILDINGS THEIR RABBITS WERE THEIR WHOLE LIFE SO IF EVERYONE KEPT RABBITS IT COULD END ALL OUR TROUBLE AND STRIFE
I RECALL THE HORSES AND WAGGONS ARRIVING WITH COAL FROM THE PIT STRUGGLING UP ROGERS COAL YARD BUT THE PRICE NOW HAS GONE UP A BIT
I LIKE TO REMEMBER THE BAND STAND THAT USED TO BE UP INNOX PARK WE PLAYED HIDE AND SEEK UNDERNEATH IT US BOYS THERE HAD MANY A LARK
I REMEMBER WHEN WE PLAYED FOOTBALL IN WHAT WE ONCE CALLED THE TOP REC AND WHEN WE HAD FINSHED WITH THAT LOT BACK TO INNOX PARK WE WOULD TREC
IVE ENJOYED WRITING THESE VERSES AND RE-LIVING THOSE BYGONE GONE DAYS AND AS IT HAS MADE ME FEEL YOUNGER TO LOOK BACK IT WOULD SEEM ALWAYS PAST
ALTHOUGH I HAVE DELVED IN TO THE PAST THE FUTURE I CANNOT EXPLAIN BUT I DO KNOW THAT EACH DAY THAT PASSES WILL NEVER COME BACK HERE AGAIN
