Very true. Also as the mines, iron works and so on in the Forest declined, those in neighbouring South Wales, often owned by the same companies, were booming, so many FoD folk "emigrated" to Wales. Not that conditions there were any better, but at least there was work to be had not only in heavy industry but also the infrastructure - building houses etc.

Joss

My gg grandfather Beriah Meek and his wife Jane took their family from the FoD to South Wales, then to the Staffordshire potteries and then onto the North East coalfields in Gateshead eventually living in the Teams area. Beriah and his sons worked in the mines and along the way he and Jane brought up brought up 12 children only to lose two sons in WW1 We don't know how good we have it now!
regards
Nigel

often wonder if the families knew each other before they left Gloucestershire

The simple answer is there will be a mix of independent "families" as well as those who moved either as a group or with friends and relatives.

The later group - those with relatives are easy to prove from Census data - the others would need letters or similar supporting documents.

My grandfather, Albert Hawkins emigrated in 1909. The Lustitania's manifest shows one Isaiah Stephens as his contact in America. The two were actually third cousins. Isaiah was born in the the U.S., so the families obviously kept in contact, for over forty years! Albert later married Isaiah's niece.