Click here to return to the main site entry page
Click here to return to the previous page
Rushden Echo, Friday 23rd. Nov 1962. Transcribed by Brian Shelton.
Mr Reginald William Norman

 

Death announcement - At home 17 Moor Road Reginald William aged 61, beloved husband of Lily Frances, devoted father of Patrick, cremated at Kettering on Wednesday. "Farewell to R.W.N." Rushden has lost its well known exponent of 'Rushdenese' Mr Reginald William Norman of 17 Moor Road who died at his home on Saturday night. At the funeral service held at Park Road Baptist Church on Wednesday the congregation heard R.W.N. of "Air-Ada" fame described as a fearless honest man, who liked to talk about books, people, and life. As our tribute we reproduce a poem, one of his better known works; 

Peace Night
Translation

Enchurd about air Peace Night Show? Twanarf a tidy do;

Yuh, youghter seen air bonfire bwoy coo blimey dinnit it goo?

We clected lotser black-out screens, shunt wannum now we nowed,

And arter dark we medda fire and burndum in the road.

Haven’t you heard about our peace night show? It was a good do!

Yes, you ought to have seen our bonfire, boy. Cor blimey, didn’t it go?

We collected lots of black-out screen, wouldn’t want them now we know’d

And after dark we made a fire and burned them in the road.

The winders all along the street was just ablaze wi’ light,

When some old special cummerlong  "yuh kent do this tonight"

We toldim then, "yuh shutcher chops" an dinny arf look frit!

Les goo and fetcher stirrup pump an coolim down a bit.

The windows all along the street were just ablaze with light

When some old Special came along “You can’t do this tonight”

We told him then “you shut you mouth” and didn’t [he] look half fright[ened]

Lets go and fetch a stirrup pump and cool him down a bit.

Summonum whennan gotsum pumps, that Flattie givva look,

Yuh enner gooner squirt on me, an dinny slingisook?

An then some barmy perisher oo musta lostis wits

Said, "as we’re got the pumps lets ave a stirrup pumping blitz".

Some of them went and got some pumps, that ^Flattie gave us a look

You aren’t going to squirt me, and didn’t he sling his hook [went away]

And them some barmy perisher who must have lost his wits

Said “as we’ve got the pumps lets have a stirrup pumping blitz”

Three teams aside acrorst the street (twa nearly bright as day),

Cud ardly see each other soon acuzzer all the spray.

It bein May nunonus ant got courts, coo want we wet.

I kentear out this earole where they plugged me with a jet.

Three teams aside the street, it was nearly bright as day

Could hardly see each other soon, all because of the spray,

It being May, none of us had coats, Oh, weren’t we wet

I can’t hear out of this earhole where they plugged me with a jet.

We laughed s'much we atter stop, we ant got no more puff,

Me missus said "yent got no sense, yawla colds sure enough"

Doornt whittel now megal I says tentorfun as I mailed,

I’me binnus wettus this afore when that ole sirens wailed.

We laughed so much, we had to stop, we hadn’t got any more puff,

My Mrs. [wife] said “you’ve got no sense, you’ll have colds sure enough”

Don’t whittle now my girl, I said, it’s not often that I’m ailed [ill]

I’ve been as wet as this before when that old siren’s wailed.

Antardly spoke when orf it goes, coo dinnit mekkus jump?

We sorta frez and waited for a winder-rattlin bump,

But stead a moanin like afore, we settled Jerrys ash,

It bellered out the Victry sign, three dotsan a dash.

I’d hardly spoken when off it goes, Oh didn’t it make us jump

We sort of froze and waited for a window-rattling bump

But instead of moaning like before, we settled Jerry’s ash

It bellowed out the Victory sign, three dots and a dash.

Soon arter then it blowed up cold, antwant no sense to stop

So back in thouse we went anad a drop a summatot.

I ad a cold, like megal said (So’d scores more in air street)

But I doornt mind, cos I woonter missed that smashin
"Peace Night Feast" 

Soon after when it blew up cold, and there was no sense to stop

So back into the house we went and had a drop of something hot.

I had a cold like my girl said (so did scores* more in our street)

But I don’t mind because I wouldn’t have missed that smashing
“Peace Night Feast”.

[Notes: ^Flattie = flat footed – special policeman & *a score is 20 ]



Click here to return to the main index of features
Click here to return to the People & Families index
Click here to e-mail us