May added the following story with the pictures she sent us of the Weathercock Dedication pictures
---
There is a story told to me that when the weathercock was repaired at the
time of your earlier picture, that someone (nameless until I have spoken to
him) climbed the ladders and put a (WWI type) tin helmet on top.

Later Les Cole (aka Rommel) was taking bets in the Angel one night that he
would go and get the helmet. He left the pub and a little while later came
back with a the tin helmet.

It was not until daylight the next day that those concerned realised that
the helmet was still on top of the spire and that Les had had another one
hidden somewhere and didn't actually specify the one on top of the spire!
Les was quite a character in the village.

May
---

for thic yung uns...

I'll send in a photo of an old Penny and Farthing etc :-)

remember 4 farthings to a Penny
240 Pennies to a Pound...

--
Ἀριστοτέλης A Gloster Boy in the Forest of Dean ><((((*>

Some English Coins from Slowhands, added to our Miscellaneous Section

Direct Link

Death of Matilda Matthews 1886 Hazel Hill

Sent to us by Susan Drinkwater

Picture of the entry in the Inquest Ledger

Death of Matilda Matthews 1886 Hazel Hil
Added in our Miscellaneous Section

Direct Link

Death of Harriet Goode Russell 1918 Mitcheldean

Sent to us by Susan Drinkwater

Picture of the entry in the Inquest Ledger

Death of Matilda Matthews 1886 Hazel Hil
Added in our Miscellaneous Section

Direct Link

These papers relate to my own great-grandfather Joseph Watkins (1867-1917) and his home at
Cinderhill, Ruardean.

When visiting England in 1992 one of the places I went to look at was the house where my
great-grandfather Joseph lived in the early 1900s. While taking photographs of the house I
was approached by the then current owner who demanded to know what I was doing. After
telling him the reason why I was there he invited me in. Ducking my head so I could get
through the doorway it was all there preserved for me to see including the original
fireplace with the alcove for baking bread and of course much more.

To be in the same rooms that my great-grandfaher and his family had occupied nearly 100
years before, I can say first hand that I had that feeling of being "overcome". To top it all
off I was shown the Indenture (mortgage) papers with Joseph's signature on. The papers he
later photo copied and mailed them on to me.

There were older papers relating to the house and I now wish I had enquired about them to
find out the previous owners were. The original part of the house is believed to be 14th
century.

WATKINS Joseph Ruardean Mortgage Papers 1903
Miscellaneous Documents Section
http://www.forest-of-dean.net/joomla/resources/documents-and-articles

Pictures in the Photo Gallery

Joseph's House Now and Then
Original fire place and the alcove for baking bread
http://www.forest-of-dean.net/gallery/watkins_ruardean/

A little while ago I asked Slowhands if he would kep his eye out for anything he
could find on my Watkins family of Ruardean. Keeping true to his reputation Slowhands
did find a article from a local 1926 Newspaper wih reference to a close relative,
Lloyd Watkins and his cousin Ernest Watkins. Lloyd being a brother to my grandfather
Albert.

I was hoping Slowhands would find some great deed one of my relatives did but no,
that was not the case as what he found was titled "Intimidation Charges" which is a
report of them coming before a Littledean Magistrate.

Intimidation Charges 1926
Newspaper Clippings
http://www.forest-of-dean.net/joomla/resources/documents-and-articles

I wonder what slowhands next find for me will be! <smile>

Sent to us by May Brace
Dedication of Ruardean Weathercock 1998

Million Pennies for Newland Church
Sent to us by Pearl Ager

Miscellaneous Documents
http://www.forest-of-dean.net/joomla/resources/documents-and-articles

Glenn Robertson, Corlette, NSW, Australia has sent us 64 Wills and Letters of
Admnistration together with an index of all the people mentioned in these
documents. These latest additions have certainly boosted our collection.

Wills & Adoms
Downloads
http://www.forest-of-dean.net/joomla/resources/documents-and-articles

Index of G Robertson's Transcribed Wills
ASTON - Will of Richard Aston 1829
ASTON - Will of Richard Aston 1834
AWRE - Admin of Charles Awre 1712
AWRE - Admin of Charles Awre 1775
AWRE - Admin of John Awre 1803
AWRE - Admin of John Awre 1812
AWRE - Will of Charles Awre 1682
AWRE - Will of John Awre 1659
AWRE - Will of John Awre 1662
AWRE - Will of Thomas Awre 1572
BARROW - Will of James Barrow 1605
BAYLE - Will of John Bayle 1561
BULLOCK - Will of John Bullock 1603
BULLOCK - Will Richard Bullock 1559
BYRKYNE - Will of Richard Byrkyne 1559
DARBY - Will of James Darby 1831
EATON - Will of Thomas Eaton 1667
EVANS - Will of Samuel Evans 1775
EVANS - Will of Thomas Evans 1710
EVANS - Will of Thomas Evans 1784
GREENING - Will of Henry Greening 1552
GREENING - Will of John Greening 1681
GREENING - Will of William Greening 1680
GREENING - Will of Elizabeth Greening 1578
HAYWARD - Will of William Hayward 1558
HEYWARD - Will of Joan Heyward 1589
HEYWARD - Will of Margaret Heyward 1562
HIGGINS - Will of Johannis Higgins 1679
HIGGINS - Will of William Higgins 1613
HODGKIN - Will of John Hodgkin 1841
HOPKINS - Will of Alexander Hopkins 1545
HOPKINS - Will of Alice Hopkins 1599
HOPKINS - Will of Anne Hopkins 1610
HOPKINS - Will of Richard Hopkins 1627
HOPKYN - Will of Thomas Hopkyn 1555
HULING - Will of Philip Huling 1571
JAMES - Will of John James 1829
JAMES - Will of Richard James 1816
JAMES - Will of William James 1835
KEDICKE - Will of John Kedicke 1579
KEDICKE - Will of Richard Kedicke 1619
KEDICKE - Will of John Kedicke 1578
LANE - Admin of John Lane 1726
LANE - Admin of John Lane 1752
LANE - Will of Francis Lane 1688
PHELPS - Admin of Richard Phelps 1732
PHELPSE - Will of Richard Phelpse 1767
PHILLIPS - Will of Jane Phillips 1717
PHILLIPS - Will of John Phillips 1717
PHILLIPS - Will of William Phillips 1774
TRIPPETT - Will of Alexander Trippett 1656
TRIPPETT - Will of Elizabeth Trippett 1584
TRIPPETT - Will of James Trippett 1592
TRIPPETT - Will of Joan Trippett 1657
TRIPPETT - Will of John Trippett 1570
TRIPPETT - Will of Richard Trippett 1561
TRIPPETT - Will of Richard Trippett 1655
TRIPPETT - Will of Thomas Trippett 1585
TRIPPETT - Will of William Trippett 1626
TRIPPETT - Will of Thomas Trippett 1635
WADE - Admin of Thomas Wade 1731
WADE - Will of Elizabeth Wade 1777
WADE - Will of John Wade 1773
WALL - Will of Elizabeth Wall 1561

Partial list of parishioners who receive Out Door Relief from the Ross Union in the half year April to Septemebr 1866.

Includes people from Ruardean, East Dean and Walford with their Age and Weekly Benefit.

Some Ross Union Out Door Relief 1866
Miscellaneous Documents
http://www.forest-of-dean.net/joomla/resources/documents-and-articles

Direct Link

[On the list is my 4th great-grandmother Martha COLE (HOAR) Born 1782 Goodrich and Died 1870 Ruardean]

Timothy Roberts, Ruardean - poss cousin - 4/- a week plus 36lbs of bread. Most received 6lb a week per person. SEEMS a lot compared to our modern loaves of 800g or so, but gives an indication of the diet then.

I thought he would have had some groats left from his paper round wages!

Sent to us by Jenny Kirby
Newspaper Clipping of William Henry Jordan of Arthur and Edward Colliery, Lydbrook 1950

William Jordan Pit Profile
Newspaper Clippings
http://www.forest-of-dean.net/joomla/resources/documents-and-articles

Sent to us by Robert Davies

This is a Newspaper report of the tragic accident and funeral details of John Thomas Davies in 1932

Tragic End to Cannop Outing
Newspaper Clippings
http://www.forest-of-dean.net/joomla/resources/documents-and-articles

See also: http://www.forum.forest-of-dean.net/index.php?mode=thread&id=10644#p11243