Early Memories: Poems of Childhood

By Martin Litherland

The poet of Richard III and Lost World now recounts his early memories with a linking narrative and many original photographs. Read of a magical trip to Cowdray Park and an idyllic childhood in the Haslemere countryside; of the death of the King, and naughty verses taught to him at school; of life in an east Manchester manse; a schoolboy’s view of Jim Laker’s cricket Test; of his great uncle lost in no man’s land; and of other family members who died too young. Indeed, read about those innocent childhood years which have long been overtaken by today’s technology: memories which can so easily be turned into poetry.

• Language: English
• Publisher: S & S P Publishing
• Release date: Mar 22, 2017
• ISBN: 9781370175031

Book preview

Early Memories

Poems of Childhood

by

Martin Litherland

Early Memories

Poems of Childhood

by Martin Litherland

Copyright © 2017 by Martin Litherland

Smashwords Edition

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Acknowledgement

Special thanks to Sue Pennykid for her patience, hard work and dedication in producing this e-book.

Front cover: Photo by Rev Geoffrey Litherland

CONTENTS

Foreword

Introduction

POEMS

Early Memories

A Day Trip to Cowdray Park

Shottermill School

Felicity Beresford-Evans

Haslemere 1946 - 51

Death and Coronation

Fancy Dress

Naughty Words

The Droylsden School

Smog and Cinders

Sunday Services

Coffee Smoke

Thinking of the Future

Family Photograph

A Day’s Cricket

Elsie and Charlie: a Hafod Love Story

Uncle Len

Great Uncle Frank: Missing in Action

Norah’s Garden

Wedding Colours

Much Marcle Colours

About the author

Also written by Martin Litherland

Other titles published by S & S P Publishing

Children’s titles

Foreword

Martin Litherland, the poet of Richard III and Lost World now recounts his early memories with a linking narrative and many original photographs. Read of a magical trip to Cowdray Park; of life in an east Manchester manse; a schoolboy’s view of Jim Laker’s cricket Test; of his great uncle lost in no man’s land; and of other family members who died too young.

Early Memories

Poems of Childhood

Introduction

My published poems have, till now, been mainly concerned with events during my career as a geologist; but now I go back to my earliest memories and to those idyllic days of my childhood in England when every day was Summer. However, this childhood was slightly blighted because, as a Methodist Minister, my father had to move from place to place and such changes were fairly traumatic.