John Dance of The Scowles (General)

by admin , Forest of Dean, Tuesday, March 24, 2009, 02:49 (5796 days ago)

In reference to the photo of John Dance and Family c1882:
http://www.forest-of-dean.net/gallery/fod_variety_2/pages/page_10.html

Hello

I was fascinated to see the photo of John Dance at the Scowles since his name
was part of my childhood. I was born in the house (called the Red House) in 1944
and brought up there. John Dance's name was known to us since he had etched his
initials into a pane of glass in the window on the left and which remained there
for many years, certainly until I left home as an adult. The house had been
extended by the time I was born but the original was clearly identifiable. I
didn't know that he was a mason - as our son commented, 'You'd think he might at
least have got the floors level'. There was one flagstone in particular that
sounded hollow and the family folklore was that it was where John Dance kept his
money!

At some point - presumably when JD went to Australia since the dates look right
- it was taken over by the Roberts family. My mother, Dorothy was born in the
first decade of the 20th century which would be about right, although at Down
Hatherley, Gloucester. I believe it was her grandparents who took over Red
House. At some point her father and mother moved back to the Scowles - I think
at the death of her Granddad. Her father Ben Roberts was also a mason as was my
paternal grandfather, Ben Dowle of Coalway Lane End.

The house is no more as the current owner demolished the original and built a
new house on the site.

David Dowle