RIP Salt and Pepper

A Tribute to the Canvey Casino Horses

September 2002

Two majestic horses,
Standing side by side.
Oh, majestic horses,
May I take a ride?

For when I climb upon your backs,
I hear the laughter and the tears,
Of all the people who you’ve met
On Canvey through the years.

September 2002

We’re galloping along now –
“Bonanza” fills the air.
Your cheerful whinnies make me smile,
Oh, what a happy pair!

For over half a century,
You served the children well.
If only you could talk to us…
What tales you’d have to tell!

July 2003

Even after the Casino closed,
You were a link back to the past;
A link to happy days long gone,
Why can’t good things ever last?

For now the ride is over,
You’ve run your final race.
Without you, Canvey seems
A somewhat sad and lonely place.

If only I could turn back time,
And save you from your fate.
Take you inside your stable,
Before it was too late.

My very last view of the horses, as we drove through Canvey on my birthday, May 2009. We “didn’t have time” to stop and take close-up photos and film them as I’d wanted to. Oh, how I wish I could turn the clock back and get my dad to stop the car so that I could see them one final time… 🙁

But dwelling on your sad, sad end,
Does not help you or I,
And so I shall remember times
We shared in years gone by.

Oh, Casino horses,
Your death tore me apart.
But I’ll always keep your memory,
Alive inside my heart.

RIP Salt and Pepper
It took only a second to destroy decades of history, but our love and memories of you will never die.

Comments about this page

  • What a wonderfull and fitting tribute to Salt and Pepper. Your words say it all.

    By Cia Parker (13/07/2011)
  • Absolutely wonderful – reminds me of the sad loss of our Concrete Barge

    By David Bullock (15/07/2011)
  • What a wonderful trubute, I shall print a copy for my dad, Clary Swann, who was the proud carer/owner of the horses from when they first arrived on Canvey in 1947.

    By Liz Swann (15/07/2011)
  • peter keebles horse is still being worked on…1 of the casino horses looks like to be returned as the good news is lots of many hrs or tlc…but it looks good

    By john (13/09/2012)

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