The Ruardean Bears -1889 (General)
I can do no better than point you towards an excellent article on this story and the roots of animosity between Ruardean and Cinderford !
http://www.fweb.org.uk/dean/towns/ruardbears.htm
and http://www.bbc.co.uk/gloucestershire/weirdwest/2004/11/bear.shtml
The bones of the story :-
The two Russian bears came to the Forest in 1889 with four Frenchmen.
It is believed that they had been displayed in Cinderford, and that the animals and their keepers were en route to nearby Ruardean and angry mob gave chase.
Popular myth at the time had it that foreign bear-keepers fed their animals on the flesh of children.
Perhaps inspired by this, a rumour had spread that the animals had killed a child and mauled a woman in the village.
The residents launched a vicious attack, slaughtering the innocent animals and brutally beating two of the Frenchmen.
Individuals from Ruardean witnessed the violence, and came to the rescue. They sheltered and nursed the injured itinerants.
The assailants were later fined heavily for their part in this unfounded attack, but during legal proceedings they were erroneously described as residents of Ruardean.
The mocking refrain, "Who killed the bears?" taunts the people of the village to this day, and visitors are best advised not to mention the sorry episode.
Complete thread:
- The Ruardean Bears -1889 -
slowhands,
2005-08-08, 06:07
- The Ruardean Bears - those punished Part 1 -
slowhands,
2005-08-08, 06:43
- The Ruardean Bears - those punished Part 1 -
swbouton,
2016-08-22, 21:38
- The Ruardean Bears - those punished Part 1 -
Mike Pinchin,
2016-08-22, 22:43
- The Ruardean Bears - those punished Part 1 -
swbouton,
2016-08-23, 20:34
- The Ruardean Bears - those punished Part 1 - MPGriffiths, 2016-08-23, 21:20
- The Ruardean Bears - those punished Part 1 -
swbouton,
2016-08-23, 20:34
- The Ruardean Bears - those punished Part 1 -
Mike Pinchin,
2016-08-22, 22:43
- The Ruardean Bears - those punished Part 1 -
swbouton,
2016-08-22, 21:38
- The Ruardean Bears punished part 2 -
slowhands,
2005-08-08, 06:44
- The Ruardean Bears punished part 2 -
harryh,
2015-11-13, 16:16
- The Ruardean Bears punished part 2 -
Mike Pinchin,
2015-11-13, 20:57
- The Ruardean Bears punished part 2, Welsh newspapers - Jefff, 2015-11-15, 00:09
- The Ruardean Bears punished part 2 -
Mike Pinchin,
2015-11-13, 20:57
- The Ruardean Bears punished part 2 -
harryh,
2015-11-13, 16:16
- The Ruardean Bears punished part 3 - slowhands, 2005-08-08, 06:45
- The Ruardean Bears punished part 4 -
slowhands,
2005-08-08, 06:45
- The Ruardean Bears punished part 4 - obscurasky, 2011-05-30, 14:49
- The Ruardean Bears -1889 - Dennis Meek, 2005-08-13, 13:01
- The Ruardean Bears -1889 -
changeringer,
2009-10-13, 13:57
- The Ruardean Bears -1889 -
rookancestrybest,
2009-10-13, 23:09
- The Ruardean Bears -1889 - andrewbaldwin, 2009-10-14, 11:08
- The Ruardean Bears -1889 -
rookancestrybest,
2009-10-13, 23:09
- The Ruardean Bears - those punished Part 1 -
slowhands,
2005-08-08, 06:43