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Broadwell Post Office

Broadwell Post Office (39k)

Broadwell Post Office (13k)The sign above the window reads "A Smith General Dealer" The sign in the window offers Hair Dressing. This building now houses broadwell Post Office. Mrs Smith is pictured standing at the gate.

Thanks to Sue Longden, formerly of Christchurch.for pointing out (Oct 2006) "This is my grandma - Annie Elizabeth Smith".

Joyce Lea added (January 2010): "... the A. Smith whose name is above the shop was Ada Smith nee White who was the widow of Milsom Smith who was killed in 1906 in an accident at Broadwell Quarry. Mrs Smith was my grandmother and also the grandmother of Ewart Hawkins who supplied the photograph. Mrs Smith was left to bring up 6 children on her own - no widows pension then!" .

Brian Kear added (February 2011): "... My mother Mrs Mary Kear lived in the house to the right. She was also a widow but brought up eight children, I was the youngest, with little or no help from anywhere".

Jan Easter added (March 2011): "... I used to go to Broadwell primary school as did my father before me. He also sang in the church choir as a boy from 1930. My grandfather William John Taylor had the Old Post Office opposite the church in Church Walk Lane. My grandmother once ran a fish and chip shop from a converted garage adjacent to end house before theirs. When I was there that would have been early 1950's she was Annie Taylor. My dad occasionally used to help out in the butchers at the cross roads. I remember a sweet shop cabin and shoe menders Dick Tye used to be next to the hall where the school had party for coronation of Queen Elizabeth. The Hall was opposite school. Miss Stanton was head when I was at the school".

Rosemary Wilson added (March 2011): "... I used to spend all my summer holidays at the house on the right of post office with my grandmother aunt and uncles and used the post office frequently"

Roger Matthews added (June 2011): "... The headmistress at Broadwell School in the Fifties was in fact Miss Tanter a formidable lady who dressed in Tweed suits and brogues . . . ".

David Evans added (January 2014): "... In the 1950’s the Post Office and shop was run by Mr Frank Mabberley. My father knew him, as we had the shop in Coalway. I remember a time when my Dad’s van broke down and parts were hard to come by, so we borrowed Mr Mabberly’s pony and trap to deliver bread and groceries. It must have been a Saturday or in school holidays because I went along. We did some deliveries in Coleford and I felt quite sorry for the pony having to pull us back up Lord’s Hill. I think the horse was kept in a field on the Cannop Road next to the Post Office. That must have been one of the last deliveries in the district that used a horse and cart".
"I was at Broadwell School too when Roger Matthews was there, I think Miss Tanter was the head of the infants School in the fifties. The head of the Junior School was Mr Phillips who lived in a house at the back of the School facing the Cannop Road. Other teachers I remember were Mrs Oliver from Five Acres whose son Keith went to Monmouth about a year after I started and Miss Horwood who used to teach in a wooden classroom that had been built in the playground. I think she lived in Coleford. There was also a male teacher whose name I have conveniently forgotten, but I am sure I remember him smacking a boy who must have broken some rule or other. My recollection is that he put him across his knee and gave him “six of the best” with a “dap” (I suppose for your younger readers we should say “runner”) It would never happen today!".

Roger Matthews added (October 2014): "... The teacher David Evans refers to was called Mr Gibb. ... I think he lived at Ruardean Hill. I have one very clear memory of the consequences of his behaviour. A mother burst into the classroom one afternoon and berated him for hitting her daughter with a "dap". Then she hit him repeatedly around the head with her hand bag. We kids thought it was marvellous entertainment. Yes - I recall the mother and daughter's names, too. Best wishes to David "Effy " Evans. I think he may have been in the 5th Form when I went to Monmouth in 1955. Not many of us Forest 'peasants' made our way there! Wonder if he still rides his swish racing bike!".

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