Ode to Oddie’s

There cameth the man, then cameth the hour

And William Oddie weighed out his flour

He kneaded his dough and he trusted in God

God liked what He tasted, and blessed William Odd.

 

Will opened his doors in 1905

And Colne looked no further for parkins and pies;

A dozen shops followed, as justly, he flourished

All of his customers tastily nourished

 

They gazed, salivating, expectant, in queues

At eclairs, and meringues, and cream horns – what to choose?

A custard? Jap Fancy? A cream-piped fruit tart?

Fig pasty, or parkin? But dear to all hearts –

 

Most fondly remembered of these tempting eyefuls-

The little waxed cartons of Oddie’s fruit trifles.

We bought them for treats, we bought them for parties

We bought them as balm to sooth someone’s heartache:

 

Little to do with the tongue or the belly

More a hug made from custard, from cream, fruit, and jelly

Oddie’s supplied us not only with treats

They furnished our tables with funeral meats

 

We ordered pork pies, sausage rolls by the dozens

To feed the departed’s old colleagues and cousins

And many a thousand Lancastrian bodies

Have been bidden farewell with ham tea cakes from Oddie’s.

 

And surely St. Peter, when opening the gate

Must ask: “’As tha thowt ter bring owt up from’t wake?”

For treats and for teatimes, to console and to cheer

None thought but that Oddie’s would always be here:

 

A time-honoured constant ‘cross north-eastern Lancs

Is now just a memory, like best china, and banks;

Thanks for what was, and what we wish was here still

You leave holes on our highstreets, and in our hearts, Bill.

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ColneLife Sep/Oct/Nov 25