Many thanks for the info sent to me yesterday, it will be very useful

Regards

shanson150

This is the Jovial Colliers pub that George Wilkes (of bear killing fame) lived at. Not the one on Ruardean Woodside.

Many thanks ACP, if you do go back a photo would be perfect, I am a bit too far away in Yorkshire to pop round to do it myself

http://www.forum.forest-of-dean.net/index.php?mode=entry&id=37932

I've just done what I really should have thought of earlier and consulted the excellent Old Maps website.
Use this link, http://www.old-maps.co.uk/maps.html
then enter our postcode "GL17 9XJ" into the search box.
Wait and a modern map of the area will load, the search item (postcode) at centre.
On the righthand side a dropmenu will list the available maps for this area.
Click on the desired map image then the main map will be replaced by the old one, be patient as it can take a while to load.
In this case need to select a highly detailed one, I suggest the "1961 post WW2 1:2500" as we believe the pub was still open then, and the surrounding buildings might still be recognisable to searchers today.

I recommend you now select an overall screen zoom setting of abt 200%, such that the framed map image fills your pc screen yet remains readable. Furthermore, if you click the "spyglass" icon it will then zoom again but with no loss of clarity.
As long as you are able to persuade the site's search engine to load the right map for the area you're hoiping to study (postcode is best way !), and you allow time for images to load, this is a truly excellent & most usefull website.

At centre of this map it clearly labels "Jovial Colliers PH". Sadly no clear pointer but I think it's referring to the long building to right of the text, ie the one I suggested earlier. As per the post above it had a fair few rooms so not a small building. You can select different, older maps too of course, the "Jovial Colliers" is shown on all including the oldest(a First Series Ordnance Survey c1878). However on this map it's less clear to which building the text refers, the map carries several short lines that look like may be "pointers" but are not, I think, as some are not near any text/labels. If anyone knows what these lines denote I'd love to know, please.
Similarly, this map calls the pub a "BH", meaning what ??.
"Beer House" I guess, given that later OS Maps use "PH" for "Public House".

This map clearly shows the local quarry and mine shafts which ensured good trade for the pub then.

Sandy

"By 1841 a beerhouse had already been established at Ruardean Woodside, which became the "Jovial Colliers". It was kept by George Wilks after being acquired by Alfred Wintle's Brewery. John Gibbs was the tenant in 1923 paying a rent of £50 a year. Gibbes was still there in 1937 when the pub was acquired by the Cheltenham Original Brewery, but he had left by 1939. It survived the Second World War, but around 1960 was closed and converted into a dwelling - fortunately the name has been kept."

The book doesn't contain a photo but does have two notices advertising it's proposed sale in 1923:

"THE JOVIAL COLLIERS, Freehold Beer House, Ruardean Woodside, Glos.
Stonebuilt and Rough Cast, comprising
First Floor - Four Bedrooms, Club room, Box room.
Ground Floor - Bar, Tap room, Sitting room, Beer Store, Kitchen, Larder.
Basement - Cellarage.
Outbuildings - Consist of Two sets of Stabling, Granary, Loft, Pig Cots, Urinal & closet.
In Rear - Nice Garden, and Two Meadows, in all about Five arces.

The Property is of Freehold Tenure and let to Mr John Gibbs on Quarterley Tenancy at the Reduced Rental of Per £50 ann"

The everhelpful British History website mentions the pub in it's detailed history of Ruardean.
http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=23261

The recent full address is
Forest of Dean Falconry
Old Jovial Colliers Cottages,
Ruardean Woodside,
Ruardean,
Gloucestershire,
GL17 9XJ
01594 541888

Personally I'm unsure as to whether it's still a Falcony Centre, I find no mention in the usual Tourism websites and there is a long-established world-famous centre only a few miles away at Newent.
The Cottages are also listed online under selfcatering holiday accomodation, so perhaps of use for future history research visits from Yorkshire etc ?. At least the postcode should help pinpoint it via satnav (or so I'm told!).
Using Streetmap and the postcode gives this area. Thatsaid the link appears irregular, if it only gives a nonspecific USA "hit", then just type "GL17 9XJ" into the search box and it will take you to Ruardean Hill.
https://maps.google.com/?t=h&layer=c&cbll=-3.137768,-60.493357&panoid=1ci-8...

The map's red icon highlights Springfield Cottage; I suspect the long L-shaped terrace opposite this is the old pub, on junction of Meend Lane and Baker's Piece Road (who was Baker ?). You can see evidence of a recently removed sign from one of the cottage's walls, perhaps the "old" Falconry Centre sign ?.

Clearly this is another part of Dean I must explore more closely, I've driven around the Hill hundreds of times but never been up it, judging from the beautifull views I must visit soon !

Does anyone have information or photographs of the Rose n Hand, Morse Lane, Ruardean (I think). Also the Jovial Collier which I believe is in East Dean, my ancestor George Wilkes was living there 1891 census. I would be grateful if anyone has

I think that you are looking for the Jovial Colliers in Nailbridge / Ruardean Woodside

Old Jovial Colliers,
Ruardean Woodside,
Ruardean GL17 9XJ

1891 Jovial Colliers
George Wilks abt 1841 Littletean, Gloucestershire, England Head East Dean, Gloucestershire
Harriet Wilks abt 1845 Littletean, Gloucestershire, England Wife East Dean, Gloucestershire
Robert Wilks abt 1869 Littletean, Gloucestershire, England Son East Dean, Gloucestershire
George Wilks abt 1873 Nailbridge, Gloucestershire, England Son East Dean, Gloucestershire
Laura H Wilks abt 1875 Nailbridge, Gloucestershire, England Daughter East Dean, Gloucestershire
James Wilks abt 1879 Nailbridge, Gloucestershire, England Son East Dean, Gloucestershire
Albert Wilks abt 1882 Nailbridge, Gloucestershire, England Son East Dean, Gloucestershire
Adella Wilks abt 1883 Nailbridge, Gloucestershire, England Daughter East Dean, Gloucestershire
Sidney Wilks abt 1885 Nailbridge, Gloucestershire, England Son East Dean, Gloucestershire
Rosie F Wilks abt 1888 Nailbridge, Gloucestershire, England Daughter East Dean, Gloucestershire
George Morgan abt 1881 Nailbridge, Gloucestershire, England Visitor East Dean, Gloucestershire

I'm pretty sure the Colliers is now being used by
Forest of Dean Falconry – Ruardean Woodside – 01594 541888

Jovial Colliers
There is an old Jovial Colliers in the hamlet of Ruardean Woodside. It is a large white rendered building. Post Code GL17 9XJ. There is some confusion in the documentation over the Jovial Colliers. Another reference to the Jovial Colliers in the 1891 petty sessional divisional records an entirely different pub owned by Thomas Wilce, free of tie but with no details of rateable value. This is listed with the Ruardean pubs. To add to the confusion a Jovial Colliers was referred to the compensation authority in 1907 and was described as being 'on the main road from Nailbridge to Ruardean’ (which is not near to Ruardean Woodside). The report went on to say: 'The trade in 1907 was 102 barrels, the cost being £206.9s.0d. This represented 86 pints per day. In addition they sold minerals and cider.. and some three persons a day were served with bread and cheese.’ One possible conclusion is that the licence was transferred from one property to another but there are definitely two entries. Can anyone help!

Map Reference:

Owner in 1891: A.J. Wintle, Bill Mills, Ross on Wye

Rateable value in 1891: £18.0s.0d.

Type of licence in 1891: Beerhouse (licensed to sell alcohol ‘on’ the premises only)

Owner in 1903: Lydia Wilce (free from brewery tie)

Rateable value in 1903: £18.0s.0d.

Type of licence in 1903: Beerhouse

Closing time in 1903:

Present status:

Landlords:

1891 George Wilks
1903 Arthur Wilce

A local directory site suggests it's still trading, maybe worth phoning or writing, they may email you a photo or indeed have some history ?.

"Rose In Hand"
Morse Lane
Drybrook
Gloucestershire
GL17 9BE
01594 542788

Using Google Streetmap (so fairly recent) it can be found at junction of Morse Lane & Well Lane, with a large carpark to aid finding. The smart whitewash etc suggests it was trading then, so in the last few years. Hopefully this link gets you somewhere near it !?
https://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&q=GL179BE,+United+Kingdom&hl=en...

The book "Pubs of Forest of Dean" by Heather Hurley, Logaston Press 2004, has a photo of its frontage c2002;
"From Drybrook, the ancient Morse Lane & more recent Morse Road both lead to Ruardean. Along Morse Lane is the Rose In Hand, occupied by Richard Read a shopkeeper in 1876, when Thomas Baldwin was a beer retailer & butcher at The Morse. He took over the Rose In Crown at the beginning of the C20th but had left by 1913. Despite being on a quiet road this inn has remained open into the C21st".

These photos are not great but best I can find online.
http://www.cinderford-online.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/The-Rose-in-Hand.jpg

And the rather better
http://www.wheresbest.co.uk/venue/57959/The-Rose-In-Hand/
The photo will enlarge if you click on it, altho the Streetmap link altho very usefull is slightly off the mark, need to "walk" eastwards towards Well Lane.

Earlier posters suggested the excellent Gloucestershire Pubs website produced by author Geoff Sandles. He has just published a book solely about Forest of Dean pubs, altho sadly I haven't seen it (yet) so cannot vocuh for the coverage. As you've found his website can be tricky to navigate but is worth the effort. It also doesn't permit direct links, but if you revisit the home/search page there is an extensive post wrt the "Rose In Hand at Drybrook" with history & old & current photos. Like many search engines too much information doesnt work, in this case enter "Rose in Hand" OR "Drybrook" BUT not both; then browse thro the pages using the icons at the base of each page.
http://www.gloucestershirepubs.co.uk/AllGlosPubsDatabase/AllGlosPubs_view.php

MORE TO FOLLOW wrt the Jovial Colliers, altho VERY sadly the supermarket now beckons... heres a start from what I believe to be the forerunner of the above Glos pubs site, the aforementioned Easywell, sometimes this gives extra detail. This link will take you there, no photos but slightly different text and some history of previous landlords including your George Wilks. Theres also a small item about the Rose in Hand Drybrook.

http://87.248.112.8/search/srpcache?ei=UTF-8&p=jovial+colliers+ruardean&type=61...

UPDATE: Thanks Slowhands for clarifying which of the two Ruardean "Jovial Colliers" was which, apologies for my imperfect link.

Does anyone have information or photographs of the Rose n Hand, Morse Lane, Ruardean (I think). Also the Jovial Collier which I believe is in East Dean, my ancestor George Wilkes was living there 1891 census. I would be grateful if anyone has

http://www.forum.forest-of-dean.net/index.php?id=6227

recent photo
http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/993199

map
http://www.geograph.org.uk/showmap.php?gridref=SO6317

Many thanks for everything, what a marvellous site this is.

http://www.forum.forest-of-dean.net/index.php?mode=thread&id=6226

----

WILCE

Thomas - 43 - Publican & Farmer, all born Ruardean
Lydia - 42
Arthur C.B. 15 - Pupil Teacher
+ other siblings

previous thread:

http://www.forum.forest-of-dean.net/index.php?mode=thread&id=1691