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Letter from Elizabeth and answered by "Boy Pete" A nostalgic E-mail from Elizabeth,who lives in the USA, to the Norfolk Mailing List dated 18th July 1998.

Norwich Cathedral
Norwich Cathedral

Norwich Remembered

As an act of pure self indulgence this afternoon, I offer the following for those who have never been blessed with knowing this City. The Smell of Boots Chemist in London Street. The daffodils in Spring on the mound of the Castle. The smell of Tobacco from that wonderful Tobacconist in London Street, who for years had the Indian standing guard at the door. All the shop windows fully decorated at Christmas time. Waiting in London Street when just a little girl with friend Janel Taylor, to see Roy Rogers ride by on Trigger. (Roy sadly left us just this week.) The view from the City Hall steps. The sound of the bell at City Hall, counting out the hours. The noise in the Cattle Market on a Saturday Morning. The huge Polar Bear, standing 7 or 8 feet tall, in the Castle Museum. The Elephant head over the stairs in that same Castle. The view from the battlements. The choking air of the dungeons. The hole in the ground before Curls was built. Elm Hill The Red Lion in St.Georges Street. The smell of coffee being ground in the Coffee shop in Bedford Street. The Grove House Hotel. The bustle of The Market on a Saturday afternoon. Richard's Shops The band playing in Chapelfield Gardens. The Saturday morning Horse sales. The smell of chocolate from Caley's factory. The Cornhall, on a Saturday before heading for the pub. Watching wedding parties leaving St.Peter Mancroft. The bells of that great church. The Maddermarket. Pantomimes at the Theatre Royal. Eaton Park. Open House Day at the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital. Valori's Fish and Chip Shop Jarrolds who stocked every type of fountain pen ever made. Bonds. How grand when newly built. Purdy's Hot Meat Pies. The Woolpack where every farmer had a quick one between cattle auctions. Thorpe station. Mmmm. The sounds and smells. The Cathedral spire standing tall and solid above it all. I shall not bore you with more. Just missing it all on this Saturday afternoon. Liz
"BOY PETE" WAS READY WITH AN ANSWER FOR HER...STRAIGHT FROM THE CITY ITSELF.

Dere mr. hools an' orl them others, I bin reedin' orl yore latters on moi compooter (blust tha's maarvellus) an I'm gorn to arnser all on 'em tergither. Wos orl this squit about daft nearmes fur norfick peeple then? We dorn't need no fancy nearmes cos we orl knoow where we cum frum orlreddy. Tha's orl them others wot need nearmes so that WE knoow where THEY cum frum (cos they doont talk proper). They used to breed Canaries in Noridge a long toime agoo - so thas whoi they call the football team the canaries an' soo thas whoi they wear yaller shuts. You ha' orl got diffrent sorts o' dumplins but moi mawther (an' moi gramma, thas the wun wot cum frum Neetstid) used to mearke us dumplins wi suet in. She give us 'em wi' grearvy afore our dinners or wi' treacle arter our dinners. Moi bruther hed his wi' grearvy an' then he hed anuther wi treacle arterwards. Gal Elizabeth - Oi loiked yore latter orl about Noridge - Noridge is still a bit loike that. Boots is still in Lundun Street and that still smell - and there's two other Bootses now an' they both smell an' orl. They still hev dafferdills on carstle mound. There i'nt no indians nor tobaccinists in lundun street no more. They still decrate shops at crismus but oi di'nt see Janet Taylor nowhere - Roy Rogers he's gorn an orl. The voo frum the City Horl steps is jus the sarme (thas where oi used ter work). The Gentlemen's Walk doont hev mootor caars no more, jus peeple walkin. The City Horl clock, they jus mended it agin so now yew kin hear it agin. The Cattle Market, that went out of the city a long toime agoo, now they're goin ter cloose that wun an orl. I hen't seen the Poolar bere nor the elefunt for a long toime but they moight still be there. The battlements 'n the dunjuns are orl roight thoo. Curls, thas called Debenhams now. They painted up Elm Hill so that look noice. The Red Lion, thas still oopen - they hev a good half. There i'nt no coffee in Bedfud street. The Groove House hootel becum the Arlington, now thas called the George (cos George run it now). Oi live in the same rud. There i'nt no horse sairles, they cloosed the chooclate factry an they pulled down the Corn Hall - now thas part o Jarrolds. Jarrolds doont hev many fountain pens no more, moostly ball points. St Peeters is still there, soo's the Maddermarket an they still hev pantomoimes at the theatre. Oi doont think they hev oopen days at the horspital noo more an they're goin ter pull that down soon when they've built anuther wun at Colney, thas outsoide the city. Valori's fish shop 'as gorn 'an orl, an soo hev Purdy's poys. The Woolpack doont hev no farmers in it no more. Thorpe Station doont smell o' diesel no more cos thas orl gone 'lectric. The Cathedral - thas still there orlroight, they hev jus taken the scaffoldin down agin. Sorry this hes becum a long latter soo oi woont wroight agin for a bit Yors, boy Pete PS Doont fergit ter visit that Keith Skipper wot they keep tellin us about - he wroite much better squit than oi can. He livehere!


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