• Park could stage bike races and no-one would notice

Why I love Colchester...

There is nothing better on a sunny summer’s day than taking a stroll along the river bank and seeing ducks, swans and even the occasional heron on the lake.

Then into Lower Castle Park where squirrels cavort and run around, followed by the Upper Castle Park where the sound of laughter and squeals of delight can be heard from children in the playground.

Such peace and tranquillity you think cannot be disturbed until you hear the sound of a council utility vehicle manned by park employees roaring up the path which requires either you to either leap out of the way or stand aside as it flies up on to the grass narrowly avoiding you.

Also, there is the purr of numerous van and car engines as they enter one of the gateways in the Upper Castle Park, which you have to give way to, as they make their way to what seems like a permanent car park at the rear of Hollytrees Museum.

The icing on the cake is avoiding the bicycles being ridden in Upper and Lower Castle park despite there being a logo in the gateways showing a picture of a cycle with a red line through it.

You would have thought even those who cannot read would get the message, but not so.

Although, as per his recent letter, Don Quinn is somewhat despondent having put so much effort into Party in the Park only to receive unwarranted criticism, I feel he is is missing a trick here.

Just think, for very little outlay, he could organise Motor Rallying and BMX trials in the park and the bonus is people would still walk around the park while they were going on because they would think it is just a normal day...win, win.

Richard Hart Harwich Road Colchester

  • Memories of a misspent youth

It is strange how one of Ted Cant’s letters can jog my memory of 64 odd years ago. Where Ted writes about collecting and returning The Stevens Own bottles, it took me back to my misspent youth in the Castle Park when it must have been cricket week or a special match.

I was in the beer tent run by Arthur Green who, at the time, was the landlord of The Blue Bore Public House on the corner of James Street and Kendal Road.

A chap Sam or Stan, (I seem to remember he worked on the railway), asked me to go next door and ask if he could borrow a mallet (I thought he meant a wooden hammer). This I did and was asked which one I wanted. It turned out Mallet was the surname of two ladies working in the refreshment tent. I fell for that one.

Coming to the main point, people watching the cricket could purchase a beer or cup of tea - I don’t think people drank much coffee in those days - and take it to where they were sitting watching the cricket.

However, they did have to pay a deposit of, I believe, an old penny.

Part of the viewing area was terraced with metal staging which was completely open from the back, giving access to us lads to crawl underneath.

This enabled us to sneak glasses, cups and saucers from the walkway and return them to the refreshment tent and claim the deposits.

The old penny was quite a large coin by today’s standards.

When you think there was twelve to the shilling (6p today) and twenty shillings to the pound, it was quite a pocketful.

When we moved to the Six Bells in Greenstead Road in 966 I found some bottles in the cellar which I still have today.

There was an H W Stevens Own Bottle Colchester/Ipswich/Clacton-on-sea, a Nicholl & CO Ltd Colchester and a Cramptons Hop Ale, aerated water with part of the paper label still attached and, around the base, moulded in the glass, the name Lumb & Co, Castleford.

Jon Sallows Bramley Close Alresford

  • Circus deserves more visitors

What a shame that more people do not visit the Roman Circus site, as pointed out by Andrew Phillips.

It is a most interesting and thought provoking experience.

Perhaps the upcoming remake of the film ‘Ben Hur’ may improve the numbers.

The site is rather hard to find and bigger/better signage would be a good idea.

Thanks to all who have worked to make the site available to view.

M.Turner Simons Lane Newtown

  • Please save stained glass

Judith Abbott’s plea to preserve the chapel at Severalls seems doomed to failure.

Could I urge that the stained glass windows be carefully removed and saved to possibly be incorporated in and brighten, some future building in our Colchester General Hospital.

Dr FF Casale Archivist. Colchester Medical Society Colchester