Lost Watford portrays a vivid picture of the many losses and changes
that have taken place over the last 100 years, as the reader embarks on
an interesting journey of discovery around the old market town. Lovely
buildings such as Cassiobury House, the seat of the Earls of Essex, and
the historic park gates, both long gone and now just a memory. We
remember too much-loved shops such as Clements and Cawdell's where each
delightful visit was a shopping experience in itself. Fond memories are
evoked as well of the many lost cinemas in the town, where for a few
hours one could escape to the celluloid world of make-believe in the
smoky atmosphere of the auditorium. Sadly, major industries such as
printing, brewing and the production lines of Scammell Lorries have
similarly disappeared into the mists of time, all irreplaceable and much
missed. Lost Watford presents a portrait of this town in Hertfordshire
and a way of life that has radically changed or disappeared today,
showing not just the buildings, streets and industries that have gone or
changed, but also a way of life. This fascinating photographic history
of lost Watford will appeal to all those who live in the town or know it
well, as well as those who remember it from previous decades.
