A few memories of Frank Beard, 100% Forester. (General)

by Jefff , West London, Middlesex, Saturday, November 03, 2012, 02:06 (4399 days ago) @ slowhands

Frank Beard lived all his life in one house in Bilson, Cinderford, just below my parent's home in Parragate. As a 60/70s youngster we spent many hours playing football in the carpark and tag etc in the alley around the Miner's Welfare Hall, right next door to my best mate's house and 100 yards from mine. We enjoyed occasional jumble sales and later blood doning there, it was the local community centre, home to many traditional clubs (Band, Boxing, Budgies..), three skittles teams and the like. I recall how busy the Hall was most evenings, the large carpark would be packed-full for the Bingo, followed by live entertainment(free entry!) on Saturdays. We knew what time it was of a summer's evening by the trickle of cheerful, friendly "old" people strolling past mum's house to "The Miners" abt 7pm. I recall "accidentally" kicking footballs onto the flat roof of the new side extension built for the Hall's second skittle alley (good view!), and ex PM Harold Wilson's visit, great days in a prosperous busy town.

A few years later abt 1978 "The Miners" was the first "pub" I ever bought beer in, ostensibly while harmlessly playing pool in the skittle alley extension. Soon we'd nip in most nights for a "quick un" before closing time, I even worked the bar there occasionally when extra busy such as private parties, or struggled to time our late "quick un" during confusing Bank Holidays when you didn't know if it was "Sunday" early closing or an extra 1/2 hr extension; not that it mattered as drinkup time could take an hour or so... Abt 1980 a fellow regular was a policeman who worked HRH Charles' Highgrove House security, he spoke abt having to occasionally discretely follow Lady Di when she drove off in a late-night huff !... All this time the "High Sheriff" of the Miners Hall was Councillor Alan Warren(1920-1988), and his Chief Deputy and natural successor was Frank Beard, also a local town councillor and a picture-perfect Town Mayor given his large build and whiskers!. Both were typical of the pub's clientel - most were ex-miners, some still working usually at Ranks Mitcheldean or their satellite Machine Shop in Lower Cinderford, as Alan & Frank both did while I was apprenticed there. Like their fellow drinkers, they were genuine, friendly, men who worked tirelessly to help their fellow "workers", true Labour Party men of the old school. In those days Alan exhibited all the sad signs of an ex-collier, broad shoulders yet stooped back, short of breath, racking cough, and so on, yet still cheerful and proud. Most of the men who visited the Hall did, but they were still real nice chaps who liked a natter about the good old days even to us young'uns. I recall well Frank always wanting to help and encourage us when he knew we were going into local industry, all he ever wanted to do was help his fellow Foresters (as long as we'd paid our Union dues of course ... when the 3 day week came in abt 1979? we apprentices were the only workers rattling around the giant Ranks machine shops, "why did we join the TU ?, we're not allowed to strike!" ;-)
Mind, Frank had a tough argumentative side too; if you accidentally dropped a ball rather than bowled it when playing skittles on their expensive granite alley, or worse let your metal chair leg lean on it, then woebetide you !!

I so recall the stunned look on his face(where's that photo?), and other's of the old guard, around 1992 the evening our lifelong school friend Gill Eagles got married. Sadly we'd all graduated & moved away by then to find work, London, Oxford, Cornwall, Services; but the old friends met up the night before at "our" local (less Gill of course). Frank was clearly pleased about the boost in income and, on hearing why we were back in town, promised a free drink for Gill when he next saw her, perhaps quietly hoping it wouldn't be for several months. Next evening after the wedding at St Stephens, reception at Minsterworth Village Hall (muddy football in best suits!), then coach back to her mum's garden party (Frank(insurance) & Audrey, Lower Station Street), Gill suddenly stopped the coach. Us "young" 'uns trooped into "the Miners" and Gill as usual sank a quick pint of stout, BUT still in her traditional long white wedding dress !. Frank bless him bought her the promised drink, unusually speechless !. (Where IS that photo?).
Nowadays the Hall is a sad shadow of it's former glory, like most pubs suffering a lack of trade and investment, but I still always call in for a "quick un" & a chat when at mum's.

Last year I was sadly unable to attend Frank's funeral but he deserved the great turnout, see photo below. Sure, not everyone shared his sometimes outdated views on Local or National Government aka staunch old-school Labour, but my did he care about and fight for the people he'd always lived and worked alongside, the Foresters.

RIP Frank, a great man of Cinderford & Dean,
a gratefull Jeff.

A few pictures & articles
http://www.cinderfordforester.co.uk/news.cfm?id=33306
http://www.theforester.co.uk/news.cfm?id=35025&headline=Public%20farewell%20to%20Frank
http://way-mark.co.uk/foresthaven/historic/hstcin0g.htm