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Rodborough, Woodchester & Nailsworth | Stroud Local Oral History -

Rodborough, Woodchester & Nailsworth

Alan is a volunteer with the Cotswold Canal Trust.

AlanBeard Alan
Beard
track description time Play
1 Alan Beard recalls the Ritz cinema fire 0:59
2 Alan remembering the Woodchester railway station 1:39
3 the stationmaster’s house 0:31
4 Alan’s schools and teachers remembered 1:22
5 recalling the various smells that assailed you in 1950’s Stroud 1:30
6 cycling along the canal and the bacon factory at Ebley 0:49
7  more cycling and the printing works on the canal at Ebley 1:27
8  Winslow House in Woodchester and the Rattigan play connection. WW1 war memorial and two of the fallen. 1:29
9  Nailsworth cinema and haircuts there – and the quiff. Do you know what a D. A. Haircut is? And why so called? 1:44
10  after school and the cafe culture. Where they met at various eateries in Stroud. 1:18
11  working in Batemans before training to be a policeman. 1:35
12 leaving the Sub Rooms – the Teddyboys. Gloucesters  v the Valley boys! 1:51
13 shops in Woodchester. And the milk on a horse and cart – ladled-out from a churn. 1:41
14 when the Beatles came to Stroud . (other bands and groups were available – subject to availability) 1:43
15 Tin-I-Aki – the Woodchester version. And Cannon a schoolyard game without a description. Can you remember it? 1:26
16 Alan was a bell ringer in church and with hand bells. 1:59
17 sledging in the snow at Rodborough Fort. 0:26
18 making snow slides in the school playground, and sledging in Woodchester. 1:17
19 collecting old newspapers with friends and selling it. Entrepeneurial skills at 14 years old. 1:50
20 learning ballroom dancing in the 1950s at Audrey Butts & Barbara Pearce. 1:43
21 his mates formed a band in his teenage years 1:29
22 Alan becomes a volunteer police cadet and eventually becomes a regular bobby, and thence promotion to detective. 1:37
23 Great Uncle Walter William Beard, died in WW1 in 1915. 2:04
25 Walter William Beard’s graves in Rouen & Woodchester & memorials. 1:13
26 Great Uncle George Beard, maker of artificial Hampton Stone. 2:03
27 Great Uncle George and his cars like the Blower-Bentley. 0:58
28 Great Uncle George keeps chinchillas. 1:53
29 Church’s sawmill made handles for kitchen and garden implements. Alan describes the processes. 2:21
30 Turning the wood on lathes. 0:41
anonymousM Charles
Brook
track description time Play
1 Charles remembers Nailsworth, the barbers and the Bruton hardware shop and blacksmith’s forge. 1:32
2 Nailsworth cinema and Boys club in the Subscripton Rooms. And films and activities in the building. 2:20
3 remembering his schools and teachers. 1:05
4 Nailsworth vicars, policeman and some shops recalled. 1:15
5 the goods and passenger railways of Nailsworth. 1:48
6
DavidBenton David
Benton
track description time Play
1 With his brother Roger remembering his first photograph at Lightpill, and school. 1:51
2 Discipline in Rodborough school and higher school, how he managed to avoid sports. 0:53
3 Canal and the boat he bought from the Water bailiff. Learning to swim at Stratford Park. 1:59  
4 When the WW2 D-Day training came to David’s garden.. 0:17
5 The Ritz fire, cinema matinees, cafe culture and ballroom dancing. 1:35
6  The Dudbridge Donkey and when the circus and fair came to Fromehall Park. 1:01  
7  Bill Workman the local bobby makes then a catapult! Plus the local vicar. 0:42  
8 Local shops, milkmen and the chimney sweep. 1:17
9 George and Dorcas Juggins came to dad’s shop. 0:35
ColinBurford Colin
Burford
track description time Play
1 Wartime memory from his mother, when the bomber. came to Nailsworth. 1:22
2 The wood sawmill and some characters there, including the POW – Herman the German. 1:23
3 Early days missing school, the teachers at Woodchester school. 1:47
4 Games in and out of school. 1:50
5 Nailsworth school teachers and his mates. Where you get chlorophyll from! 1:50
6 Art classes – hot tap leads to hot water! 0:57
7 Making knitting needle heads and wedges for the rail lines at Workman’s sawmill. 1:16
8 His father’s original job driving a pony & trap. Rail outings to Weymouth when the lights went out. 1:54
9 Full bus tactics, get on going to Nailsworth so you had a seat by the time it got to Woodchester. 0:23
10 Hilliers bacon factory & shop. 0:48
11 His best memory was a holiday in Torquay. 0:24
12 The coronation and the only TV in the village. Mr Lamplo the air ace. 1:41
13 Nailsworth cinema and the barber Mr Clements.  And shops there. 1:35
14 Recalling mates from his first school. 0:45
15 Shops in Woodchester, and how to hide chewing gum from mother. 0:58
16 Mr Whiting the farmer, and hay for the rabbit. 0:30
17 Milk delivered by pails & a yolk. And Mr Chalkly the baker. 1:11
18 The tree that wouldn’t budge. All the village knew about it in the end! 2:51
19 Policeman & vicars of Woodchester. When the first uncovered the Roman mosaic. 1:12
20 The portable steam engine at Woodchester wood yard. 0:44
21 Colin’s origins going back to the 1880s. 0:58
22 Soap box cart that woke the neighbour’s Sunday nap. 0:49
23 Seeing the nuns in the village. 0:38
24 Doctor Dunstan calls every day to check on Colin. 0:48
25 Migraine and chocolate! 0:42
26 First date at the cinema, when 2 feet of snow fell during the film & Saturday morning matinees. 1:28
27 His first job at Longford Mill as a young lad. 2:11
28 His role in Longford Mill, the kind of cloth they made – even for the Pope. 1:54
29 Looms at Longford Mill. 0:10
30 How to measure the width of the cloth. 1:00
31 Characters at Longford like Stan Bleasdale who had one tooth. 0:48
32 When Ashley Staddern created a massive stink bomb. 1:36
33 Synchronising the water turbine generator. Other standby power from submarine engines. 2:01
34 Accidents at Longford, health and safety in those days! A hair raising experience! 1:42
35 The canteen at Longford Mill was very basic. 0:42
36 David Juggins, nephew of George Juggins. 0:43
37 The 42 ton crane sails over the 8 ton bridge at Lodgemore but the factory truck is a problem. 1:54
38 Milliken takes over the Lodgemore Mill. 1:27
39 David Lane at Lodgemore Mill. 0:30
40  Nobby Hall who worked the tar boats and the day the lorry hit Wallbridge. 1:33
41 The rock & roll club in Woodchester was not popular with the oldies. 0:41
42 The Oak & the drinkers there. 0:30
43 The Ritz fire was the thing to see that day. 0:43
44 The motorbike shop fire in Cainscross was pretty spectacular. 0:55
45 Motorbike prang, the Mr Clark was unimpressed! 1:08
NormanNeale Norman
Neale
track description time Play
1 Norman’s first Schools and a few of his teachers.  Plus some of his mates. And starting work at 14. 1:45
2 Games like Tin-I-Aki explained, this game has the same name but differs even though informants lived only a mile apart. 1:16
3 Policemen in Rodborough. In the days when the local bobby knew everyone by name. And the day he got stopped for speeding on a bicycle. 2:03
4 Vicars & Doctors of Rodborough in the 1950s. Thumbs up for the happy ending. 1:57
5 Carol singing to the new bride proves lucrative one day. 0:36
6 Skating on the canal in 1947, and the coke boats at the gas works. 1:37
7 Funfairs at Fromehall Park, including Billy Butlin’s. American soldiers, baseball games with the Frampton Giants. 1:36
8 Motorcycle footbal, and boxing matches at Fromehall Park. Remembering Dick Turpin. 1:27
9 A fete at the Fromehall Park when the band of the Royal Marines came and played. Other times comic football is the attraction. 1:14
10 The circuses that came to Fromehall cart. 0:56
11 The elephant never forgets, especially a meal! 1:44
12 Cricket at Fromehall Park & the Erinoid field that hosted county cricket. 1:10
13 The Albion engined buses to Nailsworth. Sammy Adams  bus driver & his attire. 1:25
14 The bus conductor enlists Norman to be a postman. Very intriguing! But he brought home the bacon. 1:41
15 Bombers flying over Rodborough, and the bomb that dropped on Selsley Common. The home Guard training. 1:37
16 Sledding in the snow, all the way from Rodborough Fort to below the Golden Cross. 0:54
17 The Dudbridge Donkey brings coal to the gas works. Shooting rats there. 1:45
18 Fred Dainty & brother and his horse and cart. Other traders delivering milk and bread by horse and cart. 1:32
19 Working processes at the Erinoid, aplastic made from casein (derived from milk). 2:55
20 Things they made at Erinoid, kniting needles, buttons, counters and biro pens. 0:43
21 The local social club was at Erinoid, the games they played there. 0:33
22 Erinoid changes hands, and one year the Christmas party was very generous. 0:37
23 Playing sports for Erinoid and the army. Some of the team members. 1:08
24 Erinoid Social club as a community venue. Norman was in the Sea Scouts. 1:18
25 Pubs in Rodborough and Dudbridge. Long gone some of them. 1:51
26 Shops in the Rodborough area. 1:11
27 Shops in the Stroud town centre, and memories of Granny Ball’s. 1:36
28 When the Ritz burned down. 0:24
Mr Astle Mr
Astle
track description time Play
1 Mr Astle was born in 1900 & schooled in London but ended up in Dudbridge Hill . Melvyn Smith , a young schoolboy interviewed him in 1974 . Here he talks about school and avoiding the pain of the cane ! 1:07
2 Schooling in the early 20th century . Prize giving was better than exams 1:34
3 Teachers were strict in the 1910s . Six of the best . Parents were not sympathetic . Mr Astle laments discipline in 1974 . Compare that with today 2:10
4 Education standards in the early 20th century . What was the X7 ? Mr Astle is still lamenting standards today , not complimentary to teachers of today (ie 1974 ! 1:51
5 Women teachers were just as strict . How to exit classrooms in the 1910s . Still lamenting standards today ( ie 1974 ) ! 1:28
6 Mr Astle ascribes Trotskyite leanings to the teachers of today ( ie 1974 ) 0:49
7 Mr Astle left school at 14 and worked towards being a sailor . The General Strike of 1926 affect him 1:36
8 Life was better for Mr Astle in his youth . Isn’t it always ? He eventually worked for the Post Office till retirement 0:54
Ron Heskins Ron
Heskins
track description time Play
1 Ron’s first day at Horsley primary school , his musical beginnings 1:51
2 at 10 , Ron forgot his highway code 0:46
3 memories of Stroud Central school . The Horsley woods where the gang played 1:54
4 the prize for being in the Boy’s Brigade and Horsley Sunday School . Dances in the “ Hut ” 1:51
5 Horsley Scool had an allotment and other ways to eat or make money for parents in the 1930s 1:07
6 Taking stew to the old lady who lived in the old chapel 1:29
7 six horses pulling a cart , lugging timber to the sawmill . Going wooding for firewood 1:51
8 Church Charity relief in Horsley in the 1930s 0:53
9 unemployment in the 1930s . Explaining the Christmas club , common in those days 1:22
10 roads in the 1940s were better than today ! The soap box carts had no brakes ! 0:33
11 Rover coaches and the Horsley Silver Band that played upstairs . Walking to Nailsworth for buses and train to Central School 1:59
12 Cinemas in Nailsworth and Stroud 1:05
13 scrogging apples in Horsley farms . And working at Hilleirs Bacon Curing Company 1:32
14 Characters in Horsley . The green Lanchester with a dickie seat 1:38
15 Horsley prison was a priory in Ron’s day 1:54
16 shops in Horsley and working in Price’s stores in Nailsworth . Rides on Jocko Billing’s motorbike 1:32
17 Another shop in Horsley where he spent his ha’penny a week pocket money 0:52
18 A chap who had to walk across the fields to school 0:42
19 the searchlight and plane flights in Horsley . Blessing the fields on Rogation Day 1:07
20 How Ron’s brother told his mother where he was during WW2 1:15

Anonymous 13		 Anonymous
13
track description time Play
1 Schools and teachers in Rodborough and Kingsdourt , and how to avoid the cane ! 1:13
2 The dentist comes to school 0:40
3 Roborough Sunday school twice a Sunday 0:54
4 Youth club and the King’s Messengers in Rodborough 1:14
5 Lord Apperley’s funeral 1:32
6 Listening to the Salvation Army Band playing in front of Rodborough Fort on the first Sunday in May , and Soldiers with a searchlight 1:26
7 the circus at Fromehall park . The mtorcycle football and the gymkana 1:44
8 fetching water up Kitesnest lane from the stream . The cricket pitch and pavilion move fields 1:38
9 How she got her engagement ring . Father becomes captain of the cricket club on merit 2:24
10 The managers of Erinoid live in the attic at the factory 1:43
11 Working at the Erinoid which became BP 1:16
12 The Rodborough Old Boys football field . Baden Powel came to Stroud and planted trees 1:14
13 The Dainty Brother and their horse and cart . Coal and bread deliveries 0:55
14 Pubs in Rodborough , and the toll meeting 1:49
15 Shops in Rodborough 1:07
16 Road & rail transport in Rodborough 1:53