Forest Of Dean

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Memory of Soudley

Steam to Stratford, in the early 20's James Joiner (a contractor from Soudley) assembled his convoy of Traction Engines en Route to Stratford Upon Avon to start the new Sewer Contract which was awarded to Joiners for £57,000.
He used Forest Coal miners who were unemployed, to tunnel under the Town Streets to engineer this prestigious contract. My late father, Roy James Bevan was a 15 year old traction engine Driver's mate, starting his own career as a transport pioneer buliding up a Transport business in Soudley with his brother. The photo shows the road to Sutton Vale towards Littledean. When I worked for my father we road tested vehicles on this stretch of road. On a more romantic note, it ...read more here
A memory of Soudley contributed by James Bevan

Stepping back in time

It started when my mother was dying, when we asked her about the family history, and she gave us names and dates. Her family came from France in late 1500. They were Hugenots and they were Puritans, and were chased out of France because of their beliefs. They went to live in Gloucester, where they helped to rebuild the church in Taynton St Lawrence. We went to visit the church and it was the most exciting thing to experience. All our early ancestors are buried down the aisle of the church. One could not be found - the last one - so when we went and spoke to a man who was writing about our ancestors (she had written a book), ...read more here
A memory of Cinderford contributed by brenda mccartie

School holidays

This picture reminds me of wonderful school trips to the west of England from a school based in Oldham called Fittonhill Secondary. This hotel was our base for the weeks holiday and we went out daily on organised trips to Chepstow, Symonds Yat, Slimbridge Wildfowl Trust, Tintern Abbey among other glorious places. Living in a built-up area like Oldham this seemed heaven even as a 13-14 year old. I came on the trip three years running so it must have been magic. I found this site looking for the actual hotel thinking it would be nice to re-visit my youth and book a stay there but I can only assume that it no longer exists. The picture is just as I ...read more here
A memory of Littledean contributed by Lynn Robinson

The Book Shop

My family lived at the Book Shop in the middle of the photograph from 1961 to 1981, it was a shop that seemed to me to sell everything, newsagents, sweet shop, chemists, haberdasherers as well as selling books. I was 6 years old in 1965, I can remember looking up at the jars of sweets in awe, mouth watering at the thought of jelly babies and sherbet lemons. Harold and Nora lived in the Post Office next door and there were several more shops in the village that I can remember, two grocers shops, an ironmongers and a dairy, as well as a pub, rugby club, social club and two chapels. It was a busy place, although we ...read more here
A memory of Berry Hill contributed by Alison Jones