Flagpole, Ruardean Hill.
Courtesy of: Geoff Davis. Uploaded: 2007.
This is how Mrs Nancy Watson-Moore recalled seeing Halley's Comet in 1910 after seeing it again at the flagpole in 1986 (reproduced by kind permission of Mr Brian Moore):
The Forest of Dean is one of the most
beautiful parts of Britain. It lies between two world famous rivers,
the Severn with its record high-spring
tides and its salmon fishing lies to the east; the Wye-also famous for
its salmon fishing, and wonderful scenic beauty-lies to the west. It is an area of small towns, villages, farms, woodlands and forest,
valleys and hills. The highest hill is Ruardean Hill, well over nine
hundred feet about sea level.
Ruardean Woodside is a scattered village situated approximately three
quarters of a mile from the top of the hill. The school there was built over a hundred years ago, and is still in good use.
It was built of excellent quality stone, locally quarried. The timbers are
of high-grade 'Heart of-Forest' Oak.
I attended this school for eight and a half years. The headmaster was the late
Mr. Edward Thomas Burton. He was an outstandingly excellent headmaster, with
a remarkably devoted staff, every subject was very well taught.
Several months before the comet was due to appear over England, we had had
many talks about it, and the universe. The life and work of Professor Edmund
Halley - a world famous astronomer, astrologer and navigator was also included
in these talks.
There is an old pit mound quite close to the school. This mound was always
spoken of as 'The Slad' and the school was always known locally as the 'Slad-School.'
The slad pit had produced good quality coal for a considerable number of years
in the nineteenth century, but had been closed for a long while.
The mound was quite a large one, and our headmaster had decided that on the
top of it would be a good place to get the best sightings of 'Halley's Comet'
when it was nearest to England.
Excitement built up among both scholars and staff for several days, but eventually
the 'great day' arrived. We all knew that it had last been sighted seventy-six
years previously, and would not be near to Earth again for another seventy
six years.
We were told to go straight home and have our tea, and then to come back to
school and wait. About half an hour before it was due to appear we left school
and scrambled up the gullies of our old slad mound-not an easy task even in
daylight, but we all managed the climb and assembled on the top.
It was a beautiful clear night, no clouds to be seen, but hundreds of shining
stars. We passed the time chattering or singing, but were silenced shortly
before the comet was due to appear.
Mr. Burton placed his silver watch in his waistcoat pocket, and took out his
telescope in order to obtain a clearer look of the comet.
Suddenly a hush descended and we were all absolutely silent and spellbound
as we watched the comet's approach, and then disappear miles and miles away
over the Forest hills, the Welsh mountains and the Bristol channel.
It seemed to approach from far beyond the Malvern hills, we had a perfect
view of it streaking horizontally across the horizon, the tail was clearly
visible and reminded us of a kite with a long tail.
We had seen many 'shooting-stars' in the past, but never such an important
one as 'Halley's Comet.' It was an event that once seen you could never forget.
The following day the older scholars wrote about the event, and drew or painted
their impressions, and the younger ones did their pictures with either crayons,
chalk or pencils.
The following night my mother wanted to see it. The comet was due to appear
again as it orbited our earth, but at a later time and would be farther away
. from us.
We were taken up our winding attic stairs, at Herbert Lodge, and crouched around
the window, which was facing west, and waiting expectantly.
Herbert Lodge is one of five ancient Forest lodges built three hundred and
fifty years ago. The other four Crown-Keepers Lodges were Latimer Lodge, Cinderford-it
overlooks the Forest, the Severn, the Cotswolds and Gloucester city-Danby Lodge
near Yorkley, Worcester Lodge near Coleford, and York Lodge, Parkend.
All the other four lodges are still inhabited today.
We all sat and crouched and waited expectantly for the comet's appearance.
Suddenly we saw it approaching far, far away in the distance. It appeared to
be bending away from earth and we again saw its tail as it curved away from
us.
I have never forgotten our headmaster's words to us on the day after we had
seen Halley's Comet from the old slad mound. He said: 'I shall not be alive
in seventy-six years time- 1986-but I hope that some of you will be alive then,
and will see 'Halley's - Comet' again.'
The top of Ruardean - Hill, near the 'Old Flag Pole' was a good view point
when it reappeared this spring.
John Wilkes asked (Aug 2007): "Does anyone know what flag is flying in this picture?"
Thanks to Ian Riddell who added (Oct 2007): "It looks as if the picture
may be hand-coloured, in which case the actual colours of the
flag may not be the same as shown.
flags.net gives the flag as "Signals
Flag 4", i.e. the international signal flag for the digit
'4'. I'm not sure if this helps!
Thanks also to Maurice Bent who added (Oct 2008): "The folks in the photograph
are: The lady in the white skirt - Granny Warren, Flagstaff Cottage,
Ruardean Hill, and the man standing by the pond is William Higgins, son of
Thomas and Alice Higgins of Ruardean Hill, uncle of Maurice Bent".
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