A PHOTOGRAPH of cycle speedway teams from The Swillett and Maple Cross published recently prompted Michael Boxall, of Hayes, to write in.

"Nostalgia has played a big part in my life over the past 15 years having lost three family members, including my wife, over a six-week period in 2004. However, when my sister, who lives in Oxhey, sent me the article on the Swillett and Maple Cross speedway cycle teams, my thoughts took new directions.

"I lived in Quickley Lane, just round the corner from The Swillett, went to the junior school in Stag Lane and knew all the Swillett boys.

"I expect they too remember, prior to the cycle team, having races on homemade stilts, roller skates made from wood and cotton reels with tin wrapped round the wheels to stop them wearing down, and of course go-carts, catapault shooting contests, fancy dress parades and floats through The Swillett. I recall sports days in the playing fields, swimming in the river Chess and the Aquadrome, plus scary stories about a lady whose ghost haunted the Lady Walk area of Long Lane.

"On leaving the junior school I went to Mill End Secondary Modern as was then, which later became William Penn.

"I am pretty sure that the Mill End and Maple Cross boys also went there, which is why I recognise the faces but can't put names to them.

"Mrs Casson says some were called for National Service the following year so they would have been older than me and the other Swillett boys, with the exception of Charlie Ross who was definitely older and I believe went into the RAF.

"In response to Pete Slade (Sam) about names, Tubby was Brian and Nobby Nice was James, aka Jimmy.

"I recall helping to clear the race track in Philips Hill Wood and spent many happy hours there, although not actually in the team.

"On leaving school in the summer of 1951 and having volunteered to join the Royal Navy, I worked in a small shop next to Snooks the Butchers in The Swillett selling and repairing bicycles until I actually joined up in January 1952, aged 15 years, four months.

"Many of the old cycle parts were used by the lads in the team, wheels, tyres, inner tubes, chains, cranks and of course handle bars to be filled with sand and bent to various shapes.

"I spent an awful lot of time straightening buckled wheels, and acted as a sort of pit stop mechanic on race days when there were plenty of thrills and spills.

"If my previous memories have failed to bring things to mind, maybe the boys will recall marching behind me as I practised drumming while marching through The Swillett playing fields, into Ash Grove and back through the allotments, as I was lead drummer in 1280 Squadron Air Training Corps.

"My daughter has tried to find Mill End Secondary Modern School on the Friends Reunited website to no avail. If anyone has information on this, or would care to write I would love to hear from you, whether you are from the Chorleywood Swillett area or a former classroom friend."

Anyone who would like to write to Mr Boxall can send a letter to the Nostalgia Page for forwarding.