The image of the stag featured on this jigsaw instantly transported me back to my youth and sinking pints with my mates in my favourite pub. My nostalgia circuits fired up when I saw this puzzle and I felt compelled to buy it, then to make it…
…and then to share it with you!
You might be thinking “oh dear” (though “oh deer” might be more relevant), an article about a jigsaw, but bear with me because the puzzle only has a minor part to play in this post.
During my teenage years (and beyond), the Red Hart on Bucklersbury, in the heart of Hitchin town centre, was a pub that felt like my second home. At the far end of the bar, on the wall, by the pool table, lived a large framed canvass of this print…
…or one a lot like it anyway. Time may have blunted my recollection a little, but that doesn’t really matter. The Willem S de Beer (an appropriate surname in the circumstances) painting featured on the puzzle was good enough to inspire me.
In the late eighties, the Red Hart was a rocker-orientated pub that occasionally put on gigs and had a great jukebox to supply tunes at all other times.
As I write, I can picture myself; a young, slim, long haired, black leather biker jacketed, jeans and heavy metal tee shirt wearing, Guinness drinking, enthusiastic, easy going soul surrounded my pals - all of us singing along to such greats as:
Mike Costantini, Chris Williams, Richard Davies, Derek Fisher, Vince Coppard, Tracy Westgate, Susan How, Jackie & Sally (their surnames long forgotten), my sister Tina and many others may have similar, positive recollections too.
Long before public place smoking bans came in to force, entering the Red Hart was like walking into the foggy embrace of a large ashtray. But back in the day, this just didn’t register; as a non-smoker, it was the price one paid for one’s socialising gains.
The Red Hart, which had a few refits during the nineties and noughties, is still trading (unlike the King's Arms from across the street), albeit that it is trying to attract a different clientele these days.
The stag print though is long gone and that’s a bit of a shame – still I guess it was nicotine tarnished and it ponged a bit too.
During my occasional visits to Hitchin, I make an effort to have a beer in the Red Hart if the opportunity arises. When I go in, I expect to see people I know…
…and occasionally I do. The smoking ban does of course help, the cigarette induced shroud is long gone (thank God) and that makes it easier to see into the corners, even with my ageing mince pies.
Becoming a husband and a father marked the end of the regular pub going phase of my life; my alcohol tolerance levels now pitiful when compared to my earlier standards. Infrequent, Hitchin based, get-togethers of some of my old buddies are treasured events, but the sad truth is that many more jigsaw puzzles get completed than those outings take place. To be clear though, I am not complaining, this post is about remembering/celebrating good times, good music, good ale and good company.
Back to the puzzle; it has a 1,000 pieces and that reminds me of the saying “a picture paints a thousand words”. Bizarrely, the de Beer resulted in 666 words from me (excluding the title and the link words below).
Should I/you be perturbed that I happened to finish on this particular number? For me it’s just a coincidence…
…though I did have a hell of a good time. 666 words is simply a good start - maybe readers with Red Hart recollections can contribute the remaining 334.
Over to you.
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…and then to share it with you!
You might be thinking “oh dear” (though “oh deer” might be more relevant), an article about a jigsaw, but bear with me because the puzzle only has a minor part to play in this post.
During my teenage years (and beyond), the Red Hart on Bucklersbury, in the heart of Hitchin town centre, was a pub that felt like my second home. At the far end of the bar, on the wall, by the pool table, lived a large framed canvass of this print…
…or one a lot like it anyway. Time may have blunted my recollection a little, but that doesn’t really matter. The Willem S de Beer (an appropriate surname in the circumstances) painting featured on the puzzle was good enough to inspire me.
In the late eighties, the Red Hart was a rocker-orientated pub that occasionally put on gigs and had a great jukebox to supply tunes at all other times.
As I write, I can picture myself; a young, slim, long haired, black leather biker jacketed, jeans and heavy metal tee shirt wearing, Guinness drinking, enthusiastic, easy going soul surrounded my pals - all of us singing along to such greats as:
- Paradise by the Dashboard Light (Meatloaf)
- Bohemian Rhapsody (Queen)
- All the Young Dudes (Mott the Hoople)
- Thunder & Lightning (Thin Lizzy)
- Cold Sweat (Thin Lizzy)
- Every Rose has its Thorn (Poison)
Mike Costantini, Chris Williams, Richard Davies, Derek Fisher, Vince Coppard, Tracy Westgate, Susan How, Jackie & Sally (their surnames long forgotten), my sister Tina and many others may have similar, positive recollections too.
Long before public place smoking bans came in to force, entering the Red Hart was like walking into the foggy embrace of a large ashtray. But back in the day, this just didn’t register; as a non-smoker, it was the price one paid for one’s socialising gains.
The Red Hart, which had a few refits during the nineties and noughties, is still trading (unlike the King's Arms from across the street), albeit that it is trying to attract a different clientele these days.
The stag print though is long gone and that’s a bit of a shame – still I guess it was nicotine tarnished and it ponged a bit too.
During my occasional visits to Hitchin, I make an effort to have a beer in the Red Hart if the opportunity arises. When I go in, I expect to see people I know…
…and occasionally I do. The smoking ban does of course help, the cigarette induced shroud is long gone (thank God) and that makes it easier to see into the corners, even with my ageing mince pies.
Becoming a husband and a father marked the end of the regular pub going phase of my life; my alcohol tolerance levels now pitiful when compared to my earlier standards. Infrequent, Hitchin based, get-togethers of some of my old buddies are treasured events, but the sad truth is that many more jigsaw puzzles get completed than those outings take place. To be clear though, I am not complaining, this post is about remembering/celebrating good times, good music, good ale and good company.
Back to the puzzle; it has a 1,000 pieces and that reminds me of the saying “a picture paints a thousand words”. Bizarrely, the de Beer resulted in 666 words from me (excluding the title and the link words below).
Should I/you be perturbed that I happened to finish on this particular number? For me it’s just a coincidence…
…though I did have a hell of a good time. 666 words is simply a good start - maybe readers with Red Hart recollections can contribute the remaining 334.
Over to you.
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