Rikardo has sent us these lyrics, which he says are “In memory of my father, Brunon Dombkowski, 04.03.1925 – 06.12.2010. Beautiful father ~ beautiful man.” Today would have been Brunon’s 90th birthday. Brunon, who originated from Starogard, Gdansk, Poland but came to live in Warminster after serving in the Polish Army during the Second World War, now rests at St. John’s Churchyard, Warminster.”
Since You’ve Been Gone
Four years and three months And now it’s your birthday; Ninety, you would have been today. Time flies by when there’s calamity, Time stands still when life is grey.
Since you’ve been gone It ain’t been easy And as I stand by your graveside and pray ~ Wishing you were here for your birthday, Wishing you were back here to stay.
Four years and three months And now it’s your birthday; Ninety, you would have been today. God bless you.
Rikardo (Richard Dombkowski), who often sends poems and lyrics to dannyhowell.net for sharing with readers, has just sent us his latest song:
Catgirl Nancy(7, 8, 9)
There’s a girl up the road She’s got seven cats and a toad Nancy, Oh Nancy Sweet Nancy Nancy Rivers She’s got a daughter called Sam Rides a bike and makes jam Nancy, Oh Nancy Sweet Nancy Nancy Rivers.
Dedicated to her pussycats I take me hat off to her And when yer talking to ‘o’ Nancy Stroke her back and she’ll purr She’s got whiskers sprouting on her cheeks And on the sides of her chin And there’s feline cat fur Growing all over her skin Oh Nancy she’s great She’s just told me She’s got stray cat number eight Nancy, Oh Nancy Sweet Nancy Nancy Rivers
Two weeks have passed by and gone Still haven’t finished the end of this song Things can change In such a short space of time Have to make a few alterations Correcting and perfecting Getting it right and not getting it wrong So here we go
There’s a girl up the road She’s got nine cats a bird and a toad Nancy, Oh Nancy Sweet Nancy Nancy Rivers She’s got a daughter called Sam Rides a bike and makes jam Nancy, Oh Nancy Sweet Nancy Nancy Rivers. ~
Editor’s note ~ At this point we should say something along the lines of “any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental,” because there is indeed a lady called Nancy Rivers resident in Warminster, at The Dene, and not only does she have a daughter called Sam but is also a cat-lover. We are sure Rikardo has taken literary licence with reference to whiskers on her cheeks and chin, and feline fur on her skin. We have asked Nancy if she minds but she said: “Certainly not, I’m touched that I’ve had a poem written about me. I think it’s rather sweet.”
Hi, I’m trying to trace Emanuel Dowdall. He came from Warminster, Wiltshire, England: date of birth about 1858. I have worked back to the 1871 Census: He is at: Crockerton road, Longbridge Deverill, at the age of 15, as a boarder, agricultural labourer, and there’s a girl, at the age of 12, silk weaver, as a boarder as well, no relation. What I’ve read on the workhouse was children were often boarded out two per family max unless siblings? So, where can I go to find him with no mum or dad names? Where do I turn next? Workhouse records 1858- 1873? And where would I find them? Help!
Danny Howell replies ~
The Register of Baptisms for the Parish Church of St. Denys, The Minster, Warminster, includes the baptism of “Immanuel Dowdell”. He was baptised on 4th April 1858. The Register also records that he was born on 25th June 1855. His mother’s name is recorded as Ann Dowdell. The father’s name is not recorded.
At the same time, another child, George Dowdell, son of Ann Dowdell, was baptised too. Again, the father’s name was not recorded. George Dowdell’s date of birth was recorded as 24th November 1852.
I would draw your attention to this online reference on the Roots Web website ~
From: Bryn Edwards BrynBrunt@bigfoot.com Subject: DOWDELL – Wiltshire area – 1850’s Date: 31 Aug 1998 07:44:23 -0700 I posted my enquiry about Emanuel DOWDEL a week or so ago – I am researching the DOWDEL name (later to become DOWDALL) in the 1850’s in the Wiltshire area. My G.Grandfather was Emmanuel Dowdel, born on the 25 June 1855 at Pound Street in Warminster. His mother was shown as Ann Dowdel, formerly Martin – the fathers name was not shown. I have tried to find the marriage of Ann Martin to a Mr. Dowdel around this time (at St. Catherines House, including the IGI index) – but was unsuccessful. I then applied to the Registrar in Bridgwater, but she could find no trace of the wedding around the 1854 area – but required the specific church to enable her to produce the certificate, which I do not have. I then searched the census of 1851 + 1861 in Warminster, but could not find any further details. I received several useful tips – thank you all for that – but one thing did crop up. There were others who had noticed MISSING RECORDS at that time in Wiltshire. (Certainly, the birth details of Emanuel DOWDEL was not shown at St. Caths., but was readily available from the Warminster Registrar). Being fairly new to this game, I presume that this is a common problem???? I presume that there is no answer to this – but to carry on grafting?! Bryn BrynBrunt@bigfoot.com
Richard Dombkowski is remembering his late father Bruno Dombkowski for a particular reason today. He writes ~ “Hi Dad, can’t believe that you would have been 89 today. I hope you like the prayer I’ve written for you. Love you so much. Richard. x.”
Richard’s Prayer ((My Father / Our Father)
My Father Who believed in heaven Was taken by the Lord In two thousand and ten We still love him and miss him Go to his portrait and then kiss him Talking of our troubles Since his passing back then Time will never heal us The pain will continue to peel us As we ponder and wander thru life Looking up to the sky Our Father Our guidance We go on and we struggle But our faith in your presence Will never ever die My Father Our father Amen.
Photograph, submitted by Richard, showing one of his sisters, Mrs. Janet Graham, with her father Bruno Dombkowski.
Richard Dombkowski has contributed some more of his song lyrics to dannyhowell.net for our readers to share. These particular lyrics are truly local, are partly in the regional dialect, and give an insight into Richard’s late father, Bruno (Michael) Dombkowski, who worked for many years for Tom Bazley at Boreham Farm, Warminster.
A Farm Worker From Boreham (Doo-lah-loo-lah-loo-lah-rieu)
Come on everybody Let’s sing And let’s dance Doo-lah-loo-lah-loo-lah-rieu Doo-lah-loo-lah-loo-lah-ray Doo-lah-loo-lah-loo-lah-loo-lah Loo-lah-lay
A farm worker known as Michael From Boreham Had muscles like Popeye ‘Ee ‘ad to insure ‘um He was strong as an ox Could juggle hay bales and rocks And once pulled a combine With a rope to the docks From Warminster and all the way down To Southampton Only stopping once for a break To ‘ave a sandwich a cup of tea and a cake And ‘ave a row with the coppers Who’d clamped ‘um
A farm worker known as Michael From Boreham Give him his due you’d ‘ave to applaud ‘um Always graftin’ laughin’ and wearing a grin Scratchin’ his gurt dimple and stubbly chin A true gent with an outstanding decorum
Doo-lah-loo-lah-loo-lah-rieu Doo-lah-loo-lah-loo-lah-ray Corn and straw ~ turnips ‘n’ swede And a whoppin’ juicy lookin’ monstrous pumpkin Doo-lah-loo-lah-loo-lah-rieu Doo-lah-loo-lah-loo-lah-ray If you’re from Wiltshire It’s good to be a country bumpkin Doo-lah-loo-lah-loo-lah-rieu Doo-lah-loo-lah-loo-lah-ray Oh ooh arrrh ooh arrrh ooh arrrh ~ hey hey Doo-lah-loo-lah-loo-lah-ray A farm worker is a good trade to ‘ave ~ to be Hey hey.
Photograph of Bruno (Michael) Dombkowski.
The photo is taken by Richard Dombkowski from the original 1986 portrait created by Steve Dombkowski.
Rikardo, who has penned many songs and poems under the guise of ‘The Bard of Boreham’, has submitted to dannyhowell.net the following verse which he refers to as “a home grown limerick”.
Mrs Money Penny A Warminster lady called Gwenny Never hesitates in picking up a penny. With her head always down When walking through town Her eyes become sharper than many!
Accompanying the limerick is this photo (below), of Gwen Dombkowski, who lives at The Dene, Warminster. No doubt then, the Gwenny referred to as ‘Mrs Money Penny’ is Mrs Dombkowski herself.
Our thanks to Rikardo for his rhyming contribution, something to make us all smile in these austere days.
Richard Dombkowski, of Warminster, has contributed this photograph which he refers to as “The tranquil and beautiful Battlesbury and Little Me.”
Richard writes ~
This photo was taken by my late father Bruno Dombkowski in the 1950s. The little chap in the picture is me. I seem to be balancing pretty well for the pose, on my one leg [joke]. I haven’t a clue what happened to the other one. I’m okay now, I have found both legs to walk around on, but it must have been very difficult for me as a young lad, hopping around while everybody else walked normally! Battlesbury Hill, in the background hasn’t changed much. I wish I could say the same for little me in the picture!
Danny Howell responds ~
Thank you Richard for sharing this picture. I should think, Richard, that you are aged two to three years in the picture, which would make it circa 1957.
For the amusement of readers I took Richard back to the same spot this morning ~ Wednesday 26th June 2013 ~ some 56 years on, to take a photo of Richard as he is now. Richard was most willingly to do this and I know he enjoyed reminiscing as we re-staged the photo shoot.
The location is near Big Gates, just north of Home Farm, Boreham. Temple’s Plantation (Primrose Wood) is right of the road (Morgan’s Drove Lane) in the picture. The field immediately behind Richard is the Camp Ground which is part of Boreham Farm (once farmed by Tom Bazley, who was the employer of Richard’s father Bruno for many years). The Camp Ground is currently farmed by Gore Cross Farms.
Battlesbury Hill in the background, as Richard says, doesn’t seem to have changed much at all, but there is one major difference, and that is in regard to Battlesbury Wood on the south-facing front of the hill. Up until 1964 (during the time when the first picture was taken, Battlesbury Wood was deciduous, with many oaks, chestnuts, ashes, elms, and plenty of box bushes. Just about all of the deciduous trees were felled in 1964 and the wood was replanted with firs, which make up the scene today, although one or two of the chestnuts and a lot of the box bushes can still be seen today.
Anyway, before we digress too much about things arboreal, our thanks once again to Richard, and it was my pleasure to make this a “then and now” opportunity. Here below is the “now” pic, with the “then” pic reproduced once again, alongside it, so dannyhowell.net readers can compare the 56 year gap for themselves. ~
Left: Richard Dombkowski, photographed by Danny Howell on Wednesday 26th June 2013.
Right: Richard Dombkowski, photographed by Bruno Dombkowski, circa 1957.
Yesterday we featured a photograph of the late Bruno Dombkowski, when he was serving as a soldier during the Second World War. The photo was submitted by one of Bruno’s sons, Richard Dombkowski. Richard has now sent us another photo of his father during wartime ~
Richard writes ~
This photograph of my father was taken during one of his last stints serving with the Polish Army in Italy. I think the picture dates from around 1943-1944.
Danny Howell notes ~
“Alexander Club, Rome” is printed in ink on the back of the photo.
Richard Dombkowski, a regular contributor to dannyhowell.net, wanted to share this photo with readers of the website ~
Richard writes ~
This is a photograph of my beautiful father, Bruno Dombkowski, when he was serving with the Polish Army during World War II. Later he came to settle here in Warminster, where he met my mother Gwen. They were both working at the time at Beckford Hospital, at Gipsy Lane, Warminster.
My father lived in Warminster for more than 60 years. He was born in Starogard, Gdansk, Poland. Sadly, dad passed away on 6th December 2010. Then and now is still like a gaping hole. We all miss him immensely.
Richard Dombkowski has sent dannyhowell.net this photograph taken 55 years ago ~
Richard writes ~
This photo was taken back in 1958, when my family lived at 153 Boreham Road (near Boreham Crossroads), Warminster. My father [Bruno Dombkowski] was working at Boreham Farm for Tom Bazley at that time.
In the picture is my father and I’m sat on his knee. Also in the picture is my baby sister Janet [now Mrs. Graham] who is being held by my grandmother.
My grandmother, who was Polish, had come over to England to visit us. It was the first time she had seen my father in well over 15 years, since he had left his home in Poland to go to war and then settle here in Warminster, England.
