SunGreen web site - Lydney, Parkend, Newnham, Tidenham and nearby areas.

TAP or Click here to show or hide the MENU

Pillowell Methodist Chapel Carnival in 1948.

Pillowell 1948

legend to photo


Chapel Carnival entrants in Alan Price's field 1948

1 Pam Gannon, 2 Joseph Morgan, 3 Gerald Peachey, 4 Joan James, 5 Elizabeth Corney, 6, 7 Winston? Morgan, 8 Marion Thomas, 9 Mary James, 10 Sylvia James, 11 Margaret Dobbs, 12 Pauline James, 13 Michael Hayward, 14 Maureen Peachey, 15 Peggy Parker, 16, 17, 18 Mr Miles, 19 Margaret Fletcher, 20 Marlene Morgan, 21 Margaret Reeks, 22 Rita Watkins, 23 Rene Lee, 24 Cissie Reeks, 25 Barbara Thomas, 26 Douglas James, 27 Margaret Beddis, 28 Janet Dobbs, 19 Ellinor Jones, 30, 31 Mrs George Jones, 32, 33 ? Fletcher, 34 Joan Marshall, 35 Margaret Vedmore, 36 Marion Wilce, 37 Cynthia Jones (Wintle), 38 Sheila James, 39 Alice Fletcher, 40, 41 Betty Kear (Morgan).

The following Press cutting was with the photo (probably from the Lydney Observer?).
21st August 1998
50 years ago
Effort to renovate Pillowell Methodist Chapel

With their chapel seriously in need of repair and renovation, Pillowell Methodists have launched a renovation fund - an admirable project worthy and in great need of sustained support - and an early effort took place on Saturday, when a carnival and fete produced several hours of entertainment on a warm afternoon.

There was an interesting carnival which assembled near Messrs Hirst's shop and paraded to Mr Frank Price's field headed by Pillowell Band.

The entrants were judged by Mr and Mrs A R Miles of Yorkley Slade, and the awards were as follows: Chldren's comic couples - 1 Peter Hayward and Michael Hayward; 2 Margaret Fletcher and Margaret Reeks. Individual characters - 1 - Mrs Fletcher. Best dressed couples children - 1, Elizabeth Corney and Joan James; 2 Rita Watkins and Pamela Ganon; 3 Joan Marshall and Maureen Peachey. Best dressed girl's bicycle - 1, Peggy Parker. Adult group - 1 Betty Kear, Sheila James and Cynthia James; 2 Mrs George Jones and Pauline James Scratch Hands 1 Ellinor Jones, Margaret Dobbs, Sylvia James, Janet Dobbs and Margaret Beddis.

Mr R Maynard Bennett of St Briavels, opened the fete under the chairmanship of the Rev A J Triffit (minister) and he was thanked by Mrs R Dainton. A sports programme was managed by Messrs J and A Wintle, sectretary for the whole event being Mr Alfred Wintle.

GOOD PAINTING

There were several other attractions including the painting competition arrannged by Mrs W H James and judged by Mr T F Barrett, former Principal of Lydney School of Art, who awarded prizes to the following: age 7-11 years: 1, Margaret Elliott, Yvonne Evans, 3 Harold Griffiths. 11-16 years 1, Owen James (for whose ability Mr Barrett had particular high praise); 2 Tony Bleakin; 3 John Savage.

Stallholders and other helpers were as follows: refreshments, the Sisterhood (who worked splendidly in support of this effort); articles old and new, Mrs H J partridge and Mrs Fred Davies; lemonade, Mrs D Turner and Mrs A Wintle; lucky dip , Mrs Marshall and Mrs Fletcher; ice-cream, Mrs George Jones and Mrs Jack Harper; quoits, Mr Jack Harper and Neil Harper; skittles Mr D Wintle and Mrs W H James; competition for man's pullover and woman's jumper Mrs Fletcher and Mrs R Davies; Sunday School stall Miss Muriel Vedmore and the senior scholars; darts, the Youth Club; coal competition, Mrs E Thomas; other competitions, the Sisterhood.

Considerable interest was shown in the go-as-you-please competition, in which the efforts of local musicians under the chairmanship of Mr Charles Baghurst, were judged by Miss D Humphries of Bream and Miss Audrey Higgs of Woolaston.

Peter Essex added: (Oct 2012) "... The renovation efforts seem to have have been successful. In the early 1950's I was taken to this church when my grandfather W F Essex of Lydney conducted a rendering of Stainers Crucifixion and I remember the Pillowell minister in those days as the Revd Ian Lunn. He can be seen in your 1954 photo of the Yorkley Slade church. The minister mentioned here in the 1948 report was therefore probably Mr Lunn's immediate predecessor. It was mentioned to me in those days as controversial that Pillowell still had the words Primitive Methodist Church in the stonework above the main door at this time but Methodist union in 1932 had involved directions that the divisive words Primitive and Wesleyan should be abandoned.
From this photo it seems the word is still there -but I havent been to see.
Ian Lunn reappeared many years later while I was the Methodist organist at Leatherhead and Dorking Surrey. He was then stationed somewhere like Wallington and went on to become Chairman of the London SW District of the Methodist Church. He died in 2010 at Keynsham aged 82. Therefore Pillowell was probably his first station. Pillowell Methodists can thus be happy that their fledgling minister not only benefitted from the renovations but also went on to high office".

Michael Williams added (November 2013): "... I am looking for info on connections of my late uncle Harry Watkins. He was born at Pillowell in 1890, son of George and Elizabeth Watkins, both of whom were also born at Pillowell. George was a coal miner. If I have read it correctly, 1911 census gives all three (Harry then aged 20), in a house 'near PM Chapel, Pillowell'. Harry was a clerk in a tinplate works perhaps Redbrook, later Abercarn, Mon. Do let me know if you have or find anything at all relevant. Thanks".

Colin James added (July 2023): "... James's Walk was named after My great grandfather Rueben James who lived on that very same walk".

If you wish to comment on this photo or can supply names of people please click here

WANTED: Old photos, old postcards, ephemera and memories of the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire. U.K.- please click here to make contact.