Memories of extreme winters and today’s weather – your letters, plus a snapshot of the 1973 Ludlow Festival cast
Your letters today range from reflections on past winters and high street nostalgia to strong views on politics, rural policy and the menopause.
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Pleased for our milder winter
Looking back at previous winters makes me think we are incredibly lucky to have such low snowfalls this time.
I remember 1947, when two women died in the snow trying to walk here from Pulverbatch, and their bodies were only found two months later by the late Les Morris who was afterwards mayor of Shrewsbury and Atcham.
And 1963 was a terrible winter, months of sub zero weather, and we had 10 feet of snow on April 28, 1981, my wife's birthday.
2013 saw a repeat and, on April 4 my wife had to feed the livestock with hay on a horse drawn sledge as snow was over the bonnet of the tractor.
Roll along global warming I say!
W F Kerswell, Picklescott
Bring back the bric-a-brac!
When all the charity shops start to shut down
Which, let’s face it, are the last resort for a town,
Where do we go from there?
There are more Turkish barbers than there is hair!
No shoe shop or bookshop to be found in my own particular town,
Bare foot illiterates then, we’d seem to be
Are we de-evolutionary?
Window shopping, now there was a thing;
We’d meet up in the holidays just to look at all the things:
Toys and bric-a-brac, records and guitars
Multi coloured sweeties in big shiny jars!
Air guns, penknives, magnifying glasses,
Torches, broaches and false moustaches,
