Bream Timeline

Date	Event		Comment
1462	5 or more dwellings recorded in Bream
1505	St James Chapel of ease recorded
1520	Oakwood Mill recorded		as a corn mill
1618	St James Chapel seated by Thomas Donning		In private ownership, refered to as Castle Hay
1637	First house recorded at Maypole		later to become New Inn
16??	Bream Court Farm
16??	Pastors Hill Farm
1671	Thomas Byrkin farming at Bream Cross Farm
1712	Number of children being taught in Bream Population of Bream	23 300
1729	House recorded on Sun Tump. The Rising Sun Inn has this date on a stone in the wall.		later to become Rising Sun
1787	Rising Sun Inn recorded
1791	Thomas Batten appointed Chapel Clerk and Sexton of St James Chapel		His wife Elizabeth was teaching 12 scholars.
1792	Cross Keys Inn recorded		at Maypole
1814	New Inn recorded
1818	Rev Henry Poole appointed ministerof St James Chapel at Bream		for Coleford and Bream
1822	St James Chapel re-building began		Rev. Henry Poole
1824	Oakwood Mill Deep Level driven.		by David Mushet
c1825	Chapel clerk of Bream teaching 12 children
1826	St James Church and churchyard consecrated		13th October
1826	Oakwood Tramroad built by David Mushet		Parkend to Oakwood Land Level
1828	Bream to Parkend road built		probable date of Pike House
1830	School near Bream Tufts - Number of Children	65	est. by Rev. Henry Poole
1831	Warren James of Pastors Hill in revolt against enclosure of common land		He was subsequently caught,tried and deported to Australia.
1833	St James Church - George Batten made Parish Clerk and Sexton.		George Batten suceeded his father Thomas Batten
1835	Oakwood Mill Deep Level and Oakwood Mill Land Level Iron Mines shown on Sopwith's map.
1841	Bream Schoolmaster William Webb age 35 Thomas Brace age 55 miller at Oakwood Mill William Smith age 45 Innkeeper Bream's Tump
1844	Oakwood Chemical Works in operation		opened by George Skipp
1847	No of children at Tufts school	80
1847	St James Church - Thomas Batten made Parish Clerk and Sexton		Thomas Batten suceeded his father George Batten
1851	Tradesmen in Bream : Blacksmiths Shoemakers Carpenters Grocers	4 6 2 2
1851	Parkend Road Chapel built		Bible Christians
1852	Oakwood Foundry - date on keystone		found in 1999 by Alan Remnant
1854	St James Church - Bream made a separate parish (from Newland). John Baverstock made first vicar of Bream		Rev. John Baverstock
1854	Roman coins found in Devils Chapel. Sir James Campbell Bart, Deputy Surveyor		dated 98-120 AD
1854	Oakwood Chemical Works new owner		Isaiah Trotter of Coleford
1855	Oakwood Tramroad extended to China Engine		by James and Greenham
1856	Bromley Hill Furnace opened by Ebbw Vale Steel & Iron Works		Iron Mines nearby
c.1857	"Bream Sampler" produced by Frances Wildin
1858	Bream's Eaves chapel built		Primitive Methodist
1858	St James Church - Rev. John Baverstock succeeded by Rev. Cornelius Witherby		Rev. Cornelius Witherby
1859	Bream to Yorkley road built
1860	Bream Woodside Chapel in use		by Wesleyans
1861	St James Church - further alterations - Miss Alice Davies benefactor.Glebe House built.		Alice Davies was sister of deputy surveyor Edward Machen
1861	National School built
1862	Tufts school moved to Bream's Eaves - 3 depts. junior boys, junior girls, infants		National School at what is now called Bream Schools
1863	Richard Heighway recorded as postmaster
1865	National School depts run as separate schools Bream Cottage Garden Society formed. First annual Flower Show at Colliers Beach		junior boys, girls infants patron Sir James Campbell
1867	First "Bream Magazine" later known as S. James Parish Magazine
1868	St James Church - Rev. Cornelius Witherby succeeded by Rev J. F. Gosling		Rev J. F. Gosling
1869	Two Swans pub recorded Flour Mill Colliery opened
1871	Census - population of Bream	907
1874	Timothy Mountjoy addresses miners meeting		at the New Inn
1877	Bromley Hill Furnace no longer in use Bream Cricket Club mentioned in a match report.
1878	Bream Rugby Football club founded
1879	National School - No of pupils Pillar box erected Feb 11th	300	very severe winter
1880	Maypole shown on OS map.
1882	Death of Rev. J.F. Gosling, Vicar of St James		October 16th
1883	St James Church - west stained glass window inserted in memory of Rev. J.F. Gosling. Bream Maypole "down" (Oct 23rd)		New Vicar appointed : Rev. Edward Dandy
1885	Census - population of Bream	2,013
1885	China Engine and Princess Louise pits closed		Oakwood valley
1887	Baptisms Marriages Burials	30 3 31	St James Church Parish Magazine No 161
1887	Bream S. James Cricket Club		First Season
1887	Sun Green was given to the people of the village for their recreation.
1888	Bream Pike House ceased collecting tolls Sir James Campbell Bart elected president of S.James Cricket Club, Rev. Dandy captain		turnpike trust abolished
1888	National School, junior schools merged		Infants still separate
1889	Average attendance at school	176
1891	S. James porch moved to it's present position
c1892	Iron mining ceased in Oakwood valley.
1893	National School enlarged		located at Bream Schools
1896	St James Church - Rev. Edward Dandy succeeded by Rev. Ernest F. Eales		New Vicar : Rev. E..F. Eales
1897	Albert J Batten listed as postmaster No of pupils in National School Bream Brass Band mentioned	300	Mr W.F. Mullan, Master, Miss Brain (infants) Leader Mr J Bevan
1900	National School enlarged
1900	Oakwood Chemical Works closed		last owner was Thomas Newcomen
1901	Census - population of Bream	2,429
1902	St James Church - Rev. Ernest F. Eales succeeded by Rev. George William Leonard Cass, B.A.		New Vicar : Rev. George William Leonard Cass
1904	National school overcrowded- No of pupils	382
1904	Princess Royal Colliery - first shaft sunk		depth 140 yards(136 metres)
1905	Bream Silver Band founded ?
1906	Flour Mill colliery became part of Princess Royal
1905	Temporary infants school opened in Primitive Methodists schoolroom.		Bream's Eaves chapel.
1907	Bream Infants School opened		opposite Bream C. of E. school (formerly National)
1908	Village Institute moved to present position, - later to be called Bream Sports Club.
1909	Construction of Co-op and Knockley Cottages
1910	Infants School renamed Council School Bream C. of E. School	153 311	average attendances
1911	Census - population of Bream	2,524
1912	Council School enlarged
1919	St James Church re-seated between 1902-1919. Rev. George W. L. Cass.		Rev. George W. L. Cass
c1920	Aeroplane lands in field next to Bream Avenue
1920's	Electricity and Mains Water arrive		not all could afford them
1921	Cenotaph built
1922	Princess Royal - no of men employed	1,138
c1922	Letherens of Lydney opened first bus service using a small Ford driven by Mr Bert Savoury		Cinderford, Coleford, Bream, Lydney
1923	16 council houses built along Highbury rd. (sometimes called "Piano Street")		opposite Bream Auto Store
1925	Maypole removed - cut off at ground level		7th November
1927	Miners Welfare Hall built
1927	Council school enlarged and re-organised to take junior girls and infants		Junior boys left in the Bream C. of E. school
1928	Flour Mill Colliery - coal extraction ceased
1929	Stan Miles opens his hardware store at Bream Woodside.
1931	Census - population of Bream	2,649
1938	Council School and C.of E. attendance	367
1938	Fire destroys Bream Welfare Cinema
1939	Miners Welfare Cinema becomes Bream Cinema		films cease in mid 1950's
1941	May 1st, 6 German bombs dropped at the Tufts (Brockhollands) at 3 A.M.		1 had a time fuse and exploded at 3 P.M.
1945	Tuesday and Wednesday 8th and 9th May 1945 School V. E holidays Friday 11th May Victory Tea Party after School.		From the diary of a pupil.
1946	Bream Cinema burnt down.		re-built as Miner's Welfare Cinema
1948	20 Pre-Fabs built at Hillside		17 for miners, 3 for disabled servicemen.
1948	C.of E. school accepts controlled status
c1950	Jubilee Well demolished		between 1947 and 1953
1951	C. of E. school became junior mixed school. Girls dept of Council School became Bream Secondary Modern School with 200 pupils.		Pupils passing the selection process went either to Lydney Grammar School or Bells Grammar School
1952	St James Church - 1st Sheepdog Trial
1955	Highbury Rd. council houses extended		to Bream Woodside
1960	Rugby Club take over Cinema. Bought for £1800 . Many local people also loaned £1 each		Trustees :Cyril Edwards, Cyril Miles, Maurice James, Bert Rickards
1962	Princess Royal Colliery closed		30th March
1963	First Annual Sheepdog Trial at Trow Green Farm		Ellwood AFC Supporters Club
1964	Bream Young Wives group formed
1965	Princess Royal pit-head gear dismantled
1965	Stan Miles sells his Woodside Hardware Store to Haviland, James and Wildin.
1966	6 murals erected on the side of Shire Hall Gloucester		made in Bream at BlueRock by Mr Peter Saysel
1968	Miles Merchants moves to the former Williams & Cotton premises at No 1 High St Bream.		The Miles Merchants premises becomes Marcliff Boutique.
1973	Bream Secondary Modern school closed. C. of E. School moved to Secondary School buildings across the road		200 plus Pupils were absorbed by surrounding schools - notably Whitecross, Lydney and Five Acres Coleford
1976	Bream Avenue Chestnut trees under threat of felling due to their "unsafe" condition		Sick trees felled, the remainder were reprieved
c1977	Stump of Maypole found by workmen
1979	Conversion of 2 classrooms at the former C of E school into a library
1980	Library at top of Whitecroft Rd closed		In the "Tin" building
1981	St James Church damaged in fire- Services held in Maypole Garage		courtesy of the owner Mr Brian Franklin
1983	St James Church re-opened with modern interior
1988	Downhams Forest Bakery closed
1989	Census - population of Bream	3,200
1991	Bream's Eves chapel closed
1992	Old Park Pit the last local (to Bream) freemine closed.		Worked by Donald Johns and Gilbert Kear
1992	Bream School became "Bream C of E (Voluntary Controlled) Primary School".	222 pupils .	Old C. of E. junior mixed school became Youth Centre and Library
1992	St James Church - Rev. Alastair Kendall succeeds Rev Phillip Rees Bream Eaves Chapel was bought by St James Church and fully re-furbished for church and community use		New Vicar : Rev Alastair Kendall
1994	Parkend Road Post Office closed		Tessa Elliot had worked in the PO for 45 years.
1995	Miles Merchants Hardware Store closes.		Run by Roy Haviland since 1965.
1998	Bream Community Centre (former Youth Centre and Library) threatened with closure.		Community protests avert the threat.
2000	Bream School buildings extended
2001	Retrieving Wenty's Sturty Bird published, the story of Bream Cenotaph. Foot and Mouth disease closes the forest.		Author Ian Hendy
2002	Restoration of Bream Cenotaph - re-dedicated 20th September.		Community effort
2003	138th Flower Show held indoors at Bream RFC. - 16th August		All others had been in tents outdoors.
2003	Princess Royal "Pit Baths" building under threat of demolition.
2004	4 Dean Forest Boundary Stones re-erected in Bream - unveiled 19th August.		218 were orininally erected around the Forest boundary
2004	"City of Truro" boiler restored at Bream.		- at Bill Parkers works at the former Flourmill Colliery
2004	International cricketer Jack Russell M.B.E. brings a Gloucestershire XI to Bream for 40 over testimonial match.		Wednesday September 1st
2005	Broadband arrives in Bream (at last)		January
2005	Bream's Public Conveniences demolished.		Weds 27 April
2005	VJ 2005 Commemoration Parade and laying up of the standard of the Forest of Dean Burma Star Association.		Sun 14 August
2005	Rising Sun "Skittle Alley" converted to flats.
2005	Gloucestershire cricketer Tim Hancock brings a Gloucestershire XI to Bream for 40 over testimonial match. International fast-bowler Syd Lawrence bowls at Bream.		Friday 15 September
2005	Planting of the"Nelson Oak" to mark 200 years since the Battle of Trafalgar and the death of Nelson.		On the site of "The Hard Up Tree" - Friday 21 October
2005	New wing added to Bream Community Centre
2006	St James Church - Rev. Alastair Kendall leaves Bream
2006	Survey to investigate iron mines beneath buildings in Bream including St James Church
2007	New houses built between the former Downhams Bakery Bakehouse building and Highbury Road. New Houses built also at Princess Royal Way.		Two or the original council houses in Highbury Road demolished.
2007	Bream (former) Sawmill buildings demolished		at the Tufts

Old Photos of The Forest of Dean

Bream Timeline