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| Name |
Comments |
| 404) |
Arthur Ayliffe Mellerup |
Location:
Cam Green  |
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 Monday, 1 June 2015 11:07
Lived in the town for the last 90 years.
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| 403) |
Alex Livall |
Location:
Cromhall |
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Sunday, 17 May 2015 15:52
I have just come over a postcard dated Ju10 06 with a picture of Cam Longdown/Cam Peak. It says on the front The New Rifle Range Cam Peak Dursley I know my grandfather used to shoot there as I have a couple of silver spoons he won and I also think the cup they used to shoot for was the Dursley Lee Metford which is now shot for at Bisley Surrey in the first stage of the Gloucestershire full bore championship but my 17 year old would like to know what distance they shot there and when the range was opened and closed. I wondered if you had heard anything about it.
Andy Barton Sunday, 17 May 2015 20:30
Hi Alex
Cam Long Down rifle range was opened on Saturday 27th August 1898 by Miss Mary Wendon. The first shot was fired from the 500 yard range. The total length of the range was 800 yards and they also had 200, 300, 500 and 600 yard ranges. I know the range was still open in the 1920s but I don't have a closure date.
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| 402) |
Geoff Whiley |
Location:
Dursley |
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Tuesday, 5 May 2015 00:12
I've just been listening to a programme "There's More Here Than I Thought" on BBC Radio 4 Extra, available online to early June. It's about the artist and social reformer Winifred Gill; I think it was made in 2009.
Presenter Kate Mosse and Dr Christopher Fletcher of the Bodleian Library, Oxford inspect some of Gill's papers. Around 25:29 the discussion moves on to her Second World War internee relations work and he says (I think I hear correctly):
"[Reading] Notes on the visit of the Bishop of Bristol to the Refugee Institute at [brief pause] Dursley on Monday November 4th 1946. [To Mosse] Has anyone else ever recorded that? Probably not."
Through Google I've found only a passing reference in an Exeter PhD thesis (N Burkitt) to 'another refugee from Dursley, sixteen year old Klaere Loeb' but nothing as 'grand' as an Institute. That and the fact that Bristol, if the wrong diocese for Dursley is at least next door suggest to me that I heard correctly.
Does anyone please know any more?
Andy Barton Tuesday, 5 May 2015 21:00
Hello Geoff
Thanks for that, an interesting observation - you did hear it correctly.
The Dursley Institution was what was once Dursley Union Workhouse, in Union Street, built in 1834 and demolished in the 1950s.
At the start of WW2, many refugees were moved to Dursley from Bristol and the southern part of Gloucestershire as they were deemed “alien protected areasâ€. In June 1940 there were 120 German and Austrian refugees in residence at the Institution and it was run as a hostel. As “Category C†aliens they were all exempted from internment – for the most part they had all been victims of Nazi persecution. To make way for them, Dursley was given 24 hours to evacuate all patients and inmates from the Institution.
The refugees ran the hostel mostly themselves but Miss Winifred Gill organised many leisure time occupations including classes in history, geology, shorthand, musical appreciation, folk dancing and English conversation. The refugees also did knitting for the Red Cross and made toys for child air raid victims.
The Bishop of Bristol may have been the Roman Catholic Bishop as Dursley is in the Clifton (Bristol) diocese. Equally it could have been the C. of E. Bishop of Bristol as the refugees were all moved out from Bristol in the first place.
The refugees were all very appreciative of the assistance they received while in Dursley.
I hope that helps.
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| 401) |
Margaret Beadley |
Location:
Somerset, England |
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Wednesday, 22 April 2015 13:06
I have been talking to Nev Taylor on Facebook. We attended Prince Rupert School in Wilhelmshaven, Germany at the same time and both knew Graham Shotter. I just wondered if it is the same person who posts here
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| 400) |
Kevin Phillips |
Location:
Ottawa, Canada |
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Sunday, 8 March 2015 04:41
What an enjoyable site! I would appreciate hearing from anyone with genealogical information relating to the family of George Phillips (born c. 1814), a shoemaker/cordwainer, and Elizabeth Phillips (born Poulton, c. 1816, in Dursley), who married in Dursley in 1833 and raised a family that included Arthur, who emigrated to the Ottawa valley in the early 1870s.
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| 399) |
Rita Hitchins Anderson |
Location:
Alberta, Canada |
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Tuesday, 3 March 2015 23:31
I am doing family research and it seems most of the ancestors are from Dursley, Bristol area. I am hoping there is a Hitchins who reads this. I am missing a generation or two, I need info before 1650 and most of the males are Richards, supposed to be a connection to Richard III, well, so the story goes.
Hope to hear from someone.
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| 398) |
Pat Piercy |
Location:
Gloucestershire |
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Monday, 23 February 2015 22:26
Hi can anyone help me please. I lived with foster parents in Dursley approx 1958. Foster parents called Mr & Mrs Blake, they had a daughter called Margaret. I would love to hear from anyone that would know of which local school I may have attended. Any contacts of Margaret would also be appreciated.
Margaret Sunday, 26 November 2017 18:55
Hi Pat, my parents fostered many children over the years, don't know how old you were in 1958 but you most probably attended Woodfield Primary School. Do you have a maiden name? I haven't visited this site for years and was so surprised - and pleased - to see this post.
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DarrylPeacock Sunday, 24 January 2021 20:58
Hello. I’m Darryl Peacock. I stayed with the Blakes in the mid sixties. I attended Woodfield Primary. My teachers were Mrs. Harvey and Mr. Hadley. I attended Dursley Secondary Modern School. It would be super to get in touch with people from back then. I am retired now and living in Alberta Canada.
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| 397) |
Joanne Thomas |
Location:
United Kingdom |
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Sunday, 8 February 2015 21:52
Hi, I am hoping someone will be able to help me. My mum, Christine, was born in Dursley and grew up there till her 20's. Her mum was Anne Pegler at the time but then married and become an Ormston. My mum was given some information on who her biological dad was and am trying to find him or information on him and hoping someone on here might be able to help. my mum was born in Nov 1960 and the dad would have been in his 20's. his name was Christopher Stevens/Stephens, unsure of which way it was spelt, he had a younger brother Andrew. 
Derek Morley Thursday, 12 March 2015 22:33
Not that I can help with your immediate question but having lived at Far Green in the 1960's, I suppose you know about Hetty Peglers Tump? If not do a search on same. 
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| 396) |
Denis Booth |
Location:
Dursley |
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Tuesday, 27 January 2015 23:43
Hi to everyone.
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| 395) |
Liz Turnbull |
Location:
Western Australia |
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Sunday, 28 December 2014 05:34
Hello, I will be visiting Dursley & Wotton Under Edge in Feb/March 2015 to see where my family originated from. They were Tilleys who were farm labourers at Huntingford during the mid to late 1800's. I am looking forward to finding out about them!
Maggie Hogan Sunday, 25 January 2015 04:28
Hello, my Nan and Grandad used to live next door to the Tilleys! from 1940s to about 1980s - Woodfield Road. We used to spend our summer holidays retrieving our tennis balls from Mrs Tilley's garden. She didn't get grumpy! She had a great old house where the staircase was behind a door - absolutely fascinated by it as a 10 year old!! Enjoy your trip.
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Sue Sinclair (Tilley) Wednesday, 24 June 2015 20:33
I am also related to the Tilley's of Dursley & Uley would be great to combine our findings.
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| 394) |
Eva |
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Wednesday, 10 December 2014 20:27
Can anyone help please? I was in the children's home in 1948-49 in Nunnery Lane. I can't find anything about it - can anyone help please?
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| 393) |
Adele Jones |
Location:
Australia |
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Saturday, 18 October 2014 17:59
My great great great grandfather was from Dursley (Nathaniel Bloodworth) and my great great grandmother Mary (Johnson nee Bloodworth was born in Uley, settled with her husband in Australia after marriage in St Nicholas Gloucester. Thanks for this wonderful website.
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| 392) |
Mike Luckett |
Location:
Wimblebury, Nr Cannock, Staffo |
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Thursday, 18 September 2014 12:11
A plea for help. Does anyone have any information regarding how I could contact Colin Morgan? Colin was the student Building Control Inspector with Dursley Rural District Council in the late 1960's when I was the trainee Public Health Inspector. I know he lived in Coaley with his wife Anne later but have been unable to find out anything further. If you have any information please email me on mike@mluckett.co.uk
Thanks
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| 391) |
Mike Luckett |
Location:
Wimblebury,Nr Cannock, Staffor |
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Thursday, 18 September 2014 12:06
Hi
Just a quick message to thank Andy for his efforts in placing the 1964 Dursley Grammar School photo in the Heritage Centre earlier this year. I understand there was lots of interest and several names were added to the spreadsheet of names of those on it. We now have a small group of 30 old pupils mostly there from 1961 to 1968 from all over the UK (one from Switzerland) who meet up occasionally. If anyone would like to be involved or even just be kept in the loop please feel free to email me on mike@mluckett.co.uk
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| 390) |
Jack Sharpe |
Location:
Bussage |
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Wednesday, 3 September 2014 09:06
I went to Dursley C of E and Dursley Grammar and played for Dursley Town Football Club in the 50's and early 60's.
I am trying to locate Marion Holtham who became Marion Webb in 1964.In 1958/59/60 she lived in Verney Road in Stonehouse, and worked in the Cadena Cafe in the old Ritz Cinema in Stroud, which burnt down in 1961. Anyone out there know of her whereabouts ? ?
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| 389) |
Ted Hoskin |
Location:
Southampton |
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Wednesday, 27 August 2014 14:43
I worked in Dursley at Eastman's Butchers, 1953-57, now retired British Rail Southern. I am now 80 years old, I visit Dursley now and then to see how the place is. I was wondering if Pat Brainfield is still alive, she was a receptionist at Shaplands Bakery in Parsonage Street.
Rich Thursday, 1 January 2015 15:09
Hello. Was just wondering if Eastman's was the derelict single story building i remember in the 1970's? it was next to toyland.
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| 388) |
Amanda Blake-Bell |
Location:
London |
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Wednesday, 20 August 2014 16:29
Every now and then I return to this site to see how Dursley is doing since I left in 1970. Wonder if Ms Kingham is still alive? She was a teacher at the Church of England school.
Andy Wednesday, 20 August 2014 23:09
Hi Amanda
Thanks for revisiting the site. Yes, I'm happy to report that Joan Kingham is still alive and well.
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Darryl Peacock Sunday, 26 April 2020 00:29
Hi Amanda. I am Darryl Peacock. i lived with your family way back in the sixties.I hope you remember me? Currently, i have retired since January/2020. I am living in Elliot Lake Ontario Canada. Please write if you remember me Amanda? My email address is darrylpeacock3@gmail.com
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| 387) |
Rosemarie Grundon |
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Friday, 20 June 2014 10:28
Sincere apologies to all those replied about my post on Annie Elizabeth Davey, nee Grundon. After the first reply I didn't expect anymore responses and stopped checking until today. How wrong can you be so very excited about all these replies.
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| 386) |
Michelle |
Location:
South Wales |
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Monday, 2 June 2014 23:14
Found this site by accident earlier this evening and have just read all the messages in this guestbook! I was born in Cam in 1976 and also lived in Dursley for a while. My dad was Terry Spencer, a local postman (in both Cam and Dursley) and also a magician. He did kids birthday parties and school fetes, etc. Also did some amateur dramatics (Coaley Players, I think??). My Grandfather Len Spencer lived/worked at Ham Farm up until he died in '36. My Spencer ancestors originated from Coaley and further back again, Stonehouse. Other ancestors include the Sawyers who originated from Horsley and had very close connections to the Quakers Friends Meeting House. Just wondered if there is anyone who remembers my father (who sadly passed away 3 years ago) or if there is anyone who may be connected to my family? 
Andy Sunday, 8 June 2014 17:14
Thanks for leaving the message Michelle. Hopefully someone will remember your father.
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Richard Hughes Wednesday, 6 August 2014 14:13
Hello. Did he have red hair?
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michelle Tuesday, 26 January 2016 23:08
Hi Richard, only just found your reply! My father was dark blonde. :)
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| 385) |
Cheryl Lynn |
Location:
Cedar Rapids, Iowa USA |
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Wednesday, 21 May 2014 06:04
I was born in Berkeley on February 14, 1946. I lived with my mother, older sister and grandmother in Dursley. Within a few months of my birth we came to the US where my father (an American GI) lived. I hope to one day visit Mom's home and all the wonderful places she spoke of.
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