Background (General)

by slowhands , proud of his ancient Dean Forest roots, Monday, December 26, 2005, 15:47 (6899 days ago) @ admin

A few months ago , some observations were expressed that this (family history / message board) was not only about Census entries.

Whole heartedly agreed with the sentiment, my only defence is that modern technology has brought rapid access to the 1841 - 1901 data, and hence the quickest information that "we" can feedback to your questions is that data.

My own interest is much broarder, how did our ancestiors live, what was the quality of life, what work was done, innovations, social structure, as well as the topographic / mapping etc....

So by chance when I came across this 1930's Forest Guide, aimed at Visitors to the area, I felt it interesting to share the adverts placed by local traders, in the hope that it might offer some links for modern researchers, and also would give a snapshot of "life" at that time, all be it perhaps the view that Visitors might get rather than a gritty view of life in a tunnel at Lightmoor.

So as an example, The Little dean House is advertising accomodation for about 60/- ( shillings) /week. Today that would be , £3.00 ( without allowing for inflation). My best info is that a similar room last summer would have cost £60/night , or say £300.00 /week.

Simple arithmetic puts that as a 100 fold increase over eighty years ( just one example so this is not a valid economic indicator !!!)

One other example the Guide cost 6d ( pence) 2.5p in current Stirling, so using the 100 fold uplift £2.50 today, which is probably in the order that a simple small guide might cost you . ( Incidentally I paid much more than that in the Hay on Wye bookshop, on my "rescue" mission )

regards
S

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