Forest of Dean FHT Forum -

House on or near the Plump, Mitcheldean (reply)

Smiler — Sun, 02 Aug 2026 20:16:51 +0000

The shop she remembers was probably connected to the point. Demolished to make way for the new road but there is a house which survived that which used to be the shop that still runs on the main road which should have been next to the old dolemite quary there.. and would have served the houses on the rocks .

The Tilt, Plump Hill, G17 0EZ - not Frottage Cottage (reply)

Smiler — Sun, 02 Aug 2026 20:13:35 +0000

I know tge tilt and your right it is a separate property . It's about 5 doors down from me but the access is from the main plump hill. If coming up from mitcheldean its set back from the road as is part of the original hillside cottage structure where they were all a bit higeldy pigeldy around the hillside from the original road..

Plump Hill sheep arches and King smallholding in 1930s (reply)

Smiler — Sun, 02 Aug 2026 19:58:41 +0000

Ive Just come across this post, I'm not sure if it's still active. Ive literally been researching my house history today and joined to reply.
The name king is associated with my property.. or the property as was . It was originally listed and built as one property now 2 detached as was split. From the census and history it housed workers for the mine ( fairview mines) and was used for multi tenanted accomodation) commonly housing multiple families. From the census details i can access and history Ive gleaned it was linked to 3 families. Buffreys, brain and king. But there are also redacted details on the census which my searches detail could relate to younger children living in the property or war evacuated children.
My house is at the top of the rocks. Those tunnels are half way down. Ive a man still local linked to the brains who was born in my house and remembers what I'd now the wooded area that edges the rocks from the top by the quarry to mid point tunnels being all open grazing land. This i believe from searches was owned as were the majority of sheep by the kings. The trees have been all grown from self seeding. It used to be clear land and he remembers the sheep. He would have been a similar age I guess to your family member (and evacuated children at the time).. there were a lot of children in the area.. families were still working in the quarry. His brother did. He was younger he remembers he and others used to play on the grazing land and roll down the slopes. I can also find information that the kings owned land further down on the rocks where they housed livestock and had lean too building.. this was possibly the parcel of land that has become my now neighbours garden when our houses were split. Now bramble cottage. The bufferys were the main family with the most brought in interest. But there were still other families living in the original house at that time.. so it could be they were living in the property when they divided the houses ? Although there is another original cottage now the peen on the plump i don't know what it was originally called.
If it helps you can find more information looking at the history of my property. Then known as fairview cottage, the rocks but add into the search now October cottage and bramble cottage the rocks . Plump hill. Gloucestershire. I hope they helps... and I learnt diverging I've been here 23 years and never knew what those tunnels were for!!!

Just copied this from. My history and research of my property. Listed as being tenants..

The King Family
As the Fairplay Iron Mine began to decline into the 20th century, the land usage shifted from strict mining to smallholding.Who they were: The King family became highly prominent figures on the Plump during the late Victorian era and into the 1911 census and 1930s.The Connection: They ran smallholdings, kept livestock on the surrounding banks, and are associated with the properties located right on the lower Rocks lane.

Tips for BARNETT/BARNARD Mitcheldean/East Dean (reply)

Smiler — Sun, 02 Aug 2026 19:35:09 +0000

Just been researching my houses history. It was originally built around 1820 to 1840. It was called fairview cottage. It is on the rocks at the top next to fairview quarry
Now 2 houses and not to be confused with the row terrace cottages that still exist now called fairview cottages.. however my house was originally built to house workers in the quarry that was really prominent in 1840 onwards. The house was built out of quaried stone. I have traced back Bernard's living in this house and a number of other cottages on the lane of the rocks.
If you search under fairview cottage. The rocks . Plump hill. Gloucestershire. This should give you more information. They were one if 3 very prominent families associated in this location.
Hope that helps.

Any Gypsy connections? SMITH DUBERLEY Crump 1939 (reply)

deana — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 22:53:22 +0000

150 2

1939 Caravan Crump Meadow
Frederick Dubberley.
My grandad. Romany gypsy

Duberley/Smith/Fletcher Gypsy Connection (reply)

deana — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 21:19:46 +0000

Annies dad was bill (william)and sarah (fletcher) dubberley. She was my grandad freds sister. The whole family moved from the forest of dean to Ballsall common warickshire around 1940. Their descendants still live there today. Bill and sarah were Romany gipsies that were on a census as living in tents and caravans in the forest of dean.

Duberley/Smith/Fletcher Gypsy Connection (reply)

deana — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 21:13:43 +0000

Annie was my grandad Fred Dubberleys sister. He was a gypsy/ traveller . His parents where bill and sarah. his brothers where dennis, stan and christopher. His family were on a gypsy census as "hawkers" and at that time they were recorded as living in tents and caravans in the forest of dean.

Kear of Bream & Castleford West Yorkshire. (reply)

Michelle East — Sat, 18 Jul 2026 14:10:29 +0000

Hi l am Michelle Kear born Castleford 1963 my father William Henry Kear his father (my grandfather) James Henry Kear and his father my g g grandfather Elijah Thornton Kear. Hello there.

Update Completed

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Forum Maintenance: 16 July 9pm

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I now plan to update the forum software this evening 16 July at 9pm BST. Both the Forum and the main site will be unavailable for around an hour.

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Richard SHOTT - 1650s 1st son born Westbury on Severn (reply)

domshk — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 18:12:55 +0000

Hi Debs,

I found the apprenticeship contracts on Ancestry it says "John Shott, son of Richard Shott of Berrow" and is dated 1674. I don't know if you'd have seen this already by now.

Dom

Ernest Thomas SHOTT 1876 - 1958 (?) Littledean (reply)

domshk — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 13:44:55 +0000

Hi there,

My family descend from Emmanuel Shott (1847), his son Thomas 1873.

Sadly, I don't know these members yet, but I'm thinking of starting a project to work out all the past Shotts from 1800s back. It'll be a beast of a project to be sure!

If I find Ernest, I'll let you know!

Cheers,

Dom

Richard SHOTT - 1650s 1st son born Westbury on Severn (reply)

domshk — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 13:36:49 +0000

Hi Debbie,

I realise I'm (quite) a bit late to this party, but I'm researching my Shott family history and it's taking me in the same direction!

I was going to dismiss the apprenticeship contracts in London, but saw the fathers were from Pendock and Berrow.

It would be great to see how far you got with it.

Cheers,

Dom

Reverend Jackman Morse - clerk (reply)

cmfenton — Sat, 27 Jun 2026 15:22:33 +0000

The traditional term for Anglican ministers well into the 20th century was "Clerk in Holy Orders".

My late father-in-law used it on his passport when occupations were required and it avoided the potential of awkward questions for him on some of his travels.

Reverend Jackman Morse (reply)

grahamdavison — Sat, 27 Jun 2026 08:11:09 +0000

Interestingly there is a Rev Jackman who is Vicar of Newent in the 1670s, probably where he got his name from, I also note the Jackman is described as a Clerk at his marriage, asnd that his father Abraham is also a clerk.

DNA (reply)

slowhands — Sat, 27 Jun 2026 07:57:23 +0000

DNA will match you to similar samples ( taken from living people, and occasionally historic samples)

so you are on safe ground with living relatives

However historic trees still suffer the same potential (well intended) inaccuracies Im afraid

Reverend Jackman Morse

mollyrigby — Fri, 26 Jun 2026 19:34:25 +0000

Ten years ago, I posted that I was descended from John Morse (1738 - 1797), who married Margaret Jones. There is still a great deal of confusion on Ancestry, and at the time I said that a few of them list John Morse as Rev. John Morse, son of Jackman, but I dismissed this as an error.

Since then, I have had my DNA tested on Ancestry, and lo and behold, it turns out that Jackman Morse is my 5th-great-grandfather, with four DNA matches. John Morse, married to Margaret Jones, is my fourth great-grandparent - from then on, the family tree makes sense. However, I cannot believe that amongst my coal miners and coal owners in the Forest there is an eminent vicar. The sticking point seems to be John Morse, 1738 - 1739, as in various trees on Ancestry, the children are the same as my John Morse, and in some, completely different. I really don't know how to prove this, but surely the DNA can't be wrong, or can it?

Annie KILBY 1911 - 1990 (reply)

slowhands — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 08:42:42 +0000

Deaths 1990 (>99%)
KILBY ANNIE 23NO1911 WORCESTER 29 723

( still looking in 1921 census)

Gertrude Ada Bradley married Edward John Kilby

wwwatkins — Fri, 29 May 2026 23:21:59 +0000

I am trying to locate Edward's family on the 1921 UK Census.

Edward died on the Somme in 1917 leaving his wife Gertrude Ada Bradley (1890-1974) and four (4) children:
Edward William Kilby (1910-1990)
Annie Kilby (1911-?)
Ronald Ivor Kilby (1914-1966)
Iris May Kilby (1916-1986)

Gertrude Ada Kilby (nee Bradley) married William Simmons in the 4th quarter of 1921 at Pontypridd district.

Does anyone know where Gertrude and the children were at the time of the 1921 census?

Thanks
Ian Watkins
watkinsi@ozonline.com.au

1926 general strike and the Forest mines - 100 years on (reply)

slowhands — Fri, 29 May 2026 16:19:16 +0000

Sobering thought the General Strike and lock out is now 100 years ago - May 1926