The lakes referred to here are the product of the opencast coal mining in 1969-1971. The clay was also extracted and stockpiled for future use by the Coleford Brick & Tile Co nearby.

The drivers of the huge dumper trucks (mainly from South Wales) lodged with us at Ruardean during this time and always left their work-boots with the grey clay on them, on old newspapers in the back porch overnight.

For anyone interested in the social history of that time a 5½ day working week was still the norm for many trades.