H.W. Carter football team and supporters.

The player's badges show the letters H W C. This is the H W Carter football team.
Row 2: 1 Stan Cox (of Ellwood), 2 Jim Frowen, 3 , 4 Doug Miles, 5 Ray Bullock, 6 Bob Wilkins, 7 John Powell (of Bream), 8 Bernard Williams, 9 Ernie Meredith, 10, 11 .
Row 1: 1 Thomas Greenway, 2 George Trim , 3 Tom Brock, 4 Harold Wintle, 5, 6 Bernard Hale, 7 Jack Bowley, 8 Albert Bowkett.
The photo was taken on Carters own pitch. The players have their backs to Whitecliff Furnace and are facing towards Lambsquay.
Further to this, for those that know the site, Ron Wilson, recalled that the early matches were played on a pitch which was situated behind the bungalow and faced towards the garage.When they became more established the pitch was moved further over on to what became the barrel park.

Thanks also to John Greenway, Mavis Bullock, Charlie Bunn, Dave Nash, Ivor Ellis and Roger Imm.

John Greenway added (August 2012) "... Row 1 number 1 ... is Thomas Greenway. He was my father and died in 1962 so if anyone might know the precise year rather than 1950's Id really appreciate it. Thankyou".

H.W. Carter opened their fruit drink factory on the Coleford site (now GlaxoSmithKline) in the Autumn of 1947. In 1955 H W Carter was acquired by the Beecham group. For many years the Factory was still referred to as "Carter's" by local people.This was probably perpetuated in part by the large H W Carter sign that remained on the side of the 'Kessner Tower' long after 1955!. Despite the fact that the business is now owned by Glaxo-SmithKline (or GSK as they like to be known) many local people still refer to it as Beechams!. The Coleford Community Association publication "A Social Guide" published in 1955 mentions Carter's Football Club, secretary , Mr John Duggan, The Stores, Lower Berry Hill.
Jack Bowley worked on the building of the Coleford site. He later worked in the maintenance dept. and eventually became factory manager.

Angela Mackay (nee Williams) added (January 2016): "... Standing to the right of the photo is my dad Ray Williams who worked for Carters (Bernard Williams was his younger brother). In 1955 when Beecham Foods took over my dad was offered a job in head office in Brentford, Middlesex as an assistant Company Secretary. We relocated from Coleford and went to live in Bucks".

Thanks also to Chris Warren for the following:
"Carters played league football from 1949/50 competing in the Forest of Dean league until they joined the North Glos League in season 1954/55.
They played in this league for 2 seasons before resigning at the beginning of season 1956/57".
From the information that Chris supplied, Carters's record was:
Forest of Dean League:
1949/50 (Div 1) - 9th (of 9),
1950/51 (Div 1)- 6th (of 8),
1951/52 - (7th of 12),
1952/53 (Div 2) - 10th (of 10),
1953/54 (Div 2)- 6th (of 9),
North Gloucestershire League:
1954/55 (Div 3) - 12th (of 12),
1955/56 (Div 3) - 12th (of 12)

Carters highest points total in a season was:

1951/52
FOREST OF DEAN LEAGUE
--------------- Pl Wn Ls D For Agn Pts
MILKWALL ------ 22 20 .2 0 125 .34 40
COLEFORD ------ 22 19 .1 2 112 .34 40
BREAM --------- 22 16 .3 3 104 .40 35
CLEARWELL ----- 22 13 .6 3 .86 .52 29
ELLWOOD ------- 22 .8 .7 7 .52 .66 23
ST BRIAVELS --- 22 .7 .9 6 .56 .70 20
CARTERS WORKS - 22 .7 11 4 .62 .80 18
PARKEND ------- 22 .6 11 5 .52 .72 17
BERRY HILL ---- 22 .6 13 2 .51 .73 14
SLING --------- 22 .4 14 4 .40 .81 12
STEAM MILLS --- 22 .3 15 4 .41 102 10
FORESTRY SCHOOL 22 .1 19 2 .35 112 .4

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