| 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 |