Fishing For Tiddlers As A Small Boy In A Stream In Woodford

A Memory of Woodford Halse.

I remember as if it was yesterday, walking from 7 Manor Road, the house I was born in. My grandad and granma, the Peasnells, lived there for some time. I used to walk with my cousin John, he was a few years older than me, down the road to stone bridge, just before the tunnel, which lead to platforms up the wide stone steps which have now been bricked up. Anyway, I use to fish that little stream (it was big to me in those days) with a cane and a length of cotton and bent pin, with a worm on the end. I was as happy as Larry, catching sticklebacks and bullheads. I have now become an avid fly fisherman at 58 years old. Woodford Halse has many happy memories for me, it's sad that it had to change. I remember the smell of coal and smoke from the steam engines, my grandad was an engine driver there. Happy, happy days.

---

---