Edwin JONES 1859 -1947 Cinderford grocer Royal Union Stores? (General)

by Jefff , West London, Middlesex, Friday, February 03, 2012, 19:31 (4680 days ago) @ slowhands

Hi Slowhands, thanks for the comedy spot, def Forest humour there, wonder what would have happened if I'd tried such an entry in the 2011 Census...

Re "Royal Union Stores", I've read about Cinderford's shops being "taken over" & eventually dominated by the Co-op (itself a Union of sorts) since their start at Cinderford Bridge in the 1870s. However I've only seen the "ROYAL Union" name in reference to the pub at 8 High Street which closed around 1960 when the old Triangle was demolished.

However the 1902 Kelly's does also contain this possible pointer:
"JONES Alice S. (Miss), grocer & beer retailer & wine & spirit merchant"

The Easywell site list these former landlords of The Royal Union pub;

1856 J. Symonds
1885,1891, Mark Cole
1902,1903 Susan Cole (Mrs Susan Cole in 1902)
1919 Alice Cole (Mrs)
1927 William J. Jones
1939 William Noel Jones

http://www.gloucestershirecamra.org.uk/pubs/glospubs/new/AllGlosPubsDatabase/AllGlosPub...

It was clearly a substantial size building with a side entrance to a yard & stabling.

Do you know whether this pub was also a grocer's shop in some form ?. I don't recall seeing any photos of it which might prove this theory.

Is it possible Mrs Alice Cole was Miss Alice Jones, perhaps responsible for the off-sales side of the pub business & maybe a few groceries too ?. If so is she linked with Edwin's family ?

Just a thought.