Row 3: Archie Humphries, Charles Lewis*, Buller Lewis*, Elsie Brown, Dorothy Hale.
Row 2: Rev. Colinwood, Flossie Sterry**, Arthur Sterry**, Mrs Emily Pryer (groom's mother), Clara Sterry (nee Pritchard), Henry Sterry, Oscar H Sterry**, Frank Sterry**.
Row 3: Henry Sterry's mother (nee Coles)#, Dolly Pryer***, Ivy Sterry**, Frank Essex, Frances Sterry**, Louise Pryer***, Bert Smith, Hilda Sterry**.
* brothers - sons of Rose Pritchard from previous marriage
** children of Henry and Clara Sterry
*** step-sisters to Frank Essex - but see below.
# see below.

Roger added (July 2007): "Rose Pritchard, Clara Sterrey's youngest surviving sister, was born Rosina. Charles and Buller Lewis were sons by her first marriage to Charles Lewis. She later married a Dovey. If she is also Rosanna Mary Pritchard (on the I.G.I.), there was a third marriage to one Henry Robert George Trigg, this being on 9 Aug 1897. She would then have been only 25 years old - which seems to be pushing the envelope somewhat!"

Peter Essex added (July 2007): "William Frank Essex, born 1887, left home in Cheltenham and pitched up in Lydney. We do not know his means of travel, or the date of his arrival, but I think my father said the departure from Cheltenham was at age 16. The story goes that William entered Lydney in much need of a glass of water and came by such refreshment at a house containing Sterrys, which was how he met our grandmother Frances. My embroidery is that he staggered down Highfield Hill, turned right into Albert Street gasping for liquid, was pitied at 29 Albert Street, and lived happily ever after. Ivy Salcombe nee Sterr(e)y was still living at 29 Albert Street in my lifetime".
"... only recently have we detected, through Rog, that in a 1910 directory (also showing H Sterry - thus spelt - at 29 Albert Street) there was a G Essex at 6 High Street, Lydney. The 1891 census gives William Frank Essex and his elder brother George Edmund Essex at home in Cheltenham. But now, from the latest transcriptions on forest-of-dean.net, we have one Leonard George Essex being baptised at Lydney on 20 December 1908, the father being George Edmund Essex. In the absence of another known Essex around that time around Lydney, I hold that 6 High Street contained not only G Essex but also his wife
and son. However, these Essexes are otherwise a mystery to the living, and any traces on them would be welcome ".

Peter Essex further added (Nov 2007) : ""...information from Peter Webb - the great-grandson of Emily Pryer, formerly Essex, nee Hyde. Following the disappearance of William Henry Essex (probably around 1890) his wife, Emily, married Henry Pryer in Cheltenham in 1910, and she is highly likely to be the "Mrs Pryer" in the photo. The Webb tree indicates that Dorothy (aka Dolly) Pryer was the half-sister of William (Frank) Essex".
" Louise Pryer" in the photo may have changed her name to Pryer following her mother's re-marriage but now appears more likely to be Frank Essex's full sister (whom some of us recall as "Auntie Lou in Cheltenham"). The Webb tree confirms that William Frank Essex had such a sister, as well as the brother George mentioned in my addition to the annotation.
Other research (mainly on sterryworldwide.com) has indicated that the elderly woman at the left end of the front row, if indeed Henry Sterry's mother, was called Eliza, nee Jay, and not named Coles at any stage as far as we know".

If you can help further, please see below.

Ruth Probert (nee Lewis) added (April 2008): I believe the man in the back row - second from left is my grandfather - Charles Lewis - can anyone help with further information to clarify this. My father (deceased) also referred to an uncle 'Buller'. Could this be them? probertfamilyATtiscaliDOTcoDOTuk

Peter Essex added (July 2009): "With the help of research by Ruth Probert, I report a tragedy that occurred after this wedding, as well as explaining the presence of the hitherto mysterious 'Archie Humphries' Scrutinise this photo and you observe that Archie's hand rests on the shoulder of Flossie (Florence Maud) Sterrey. According to a transcription of an inquest report in the newspaper archive of 31 October 1913 at Cinderford Library, he (shown in the report as "Arthur Humphrey") had come with girlfriend Flossie from Leicestershire for the wedding of her sister Frances. Flossie had somehow gravitated from Lydney to Hinckley to work in a hosiery factory. The day after the wedding, they left 29 Albert Street get back to Leicestershire, but Flossie collapsed on the platform at Lydney Town station where she died, aged 23, of heart failure. The report tells how the Coroner's jury had been to Albert Street and viewed both the body and the still strewn confetti".

Peter Essex added (April 2010): "Mysteries continue to unfold. The G. Essex living in the High Street, Lydney in 1910 is highly likely as there are no other candidates to have been George Edmund Essex whose son Leonard George was baptised at Springfield Church in 1908. From the seemingly inexhaustible well of this photo and from 'Genesreunited' and the 'Wellcome Institute Library' we can say that George Edmund joined the Royal Army Medical Corps and in the 1914-18 war won the Military Medal and bar for exploits in the trenches. Afterwards he became the chief nurse of the Devon County Asylum which had its own fire brigade of which he was also chief. He was also prize winning conductor of the local brass band. Leonard George was his second child by his wife Louisa nee Barnfield whilst their fourth was Ronald Essex killed at El Alamein in 1942. We have traced Ronald's daughter living at Orpington Kent. She had believed she might be the only surviving Essex with Lydney roots. But no, there are a few of us still dotted around even if none as far as we know remain in or around the Forest".

Peter Essex added (December 2011): "... As for what happened to the Sterrey branch research is now complete. The name is still running just.
Of my grandmother's brothers Frank became a fitter at Lydney Junction marrying Lil McLean who nursed at Lydney Hospital. Their son is in his 90th year and still living in Lydney although widowed and childless.
Oscar Sterrey married successively the daughters of Mr & Mrs Fred Lott. Fred was a guard on the Severn & Wye (railway) who later ran a shop at Tutnalls. Oscar and his son Bob were postmasters at Bourton-on-the-Water. Bob's widow died quite recently. They were childless.
Arthur Sterrey married Rose Houldey and worked at Lydney Docks. Their son Bert married Kitty Baxter. They lived in Ridler Road Tutnalls. Their son Gregory and his wife Jean who is still alive had a son who is married and living in Oxfordshire with two small sons who thus constitute the tail of the Sterrey spelling out of the many local Sterrys descended from Richard married at Minsterworth in 1794.
By DNA we have now linked the one remaining Sterrey in Lydney to the Sterrys from Longhope whose progenitor was born about 1660 but we can't prove the exact line of descent because of damaged or missing registers.
Of my grandmothers sisters Flossie died at 23 as above. Ivy's one grandson was Peter Beard who died 2006 without issue. It fell to Hilda to keep up the good work. By their various married names her three married or widowed daughters and their descendants remain numerous in or near Lydney.
As for the Essexes of this line, William Frank Essex and Frances nee Sterrey had sons Sidney and Robert. They both had sons who have both had one or more sons and grandsons by the name of Essex who inhabit various parts of the country. W F Essex remains commemorated in Lydney. The memorial plaques on the Hill Street level crossing are long gone but there's a pulpit bible at Springfield Church and his first election to local councils in 1946 is still shown in the reception area at Lydney Town Council".

Gilda Harris added (August 2018): "... I can tell you that the young man, second from rt.. in the middle row is Oscar H Sterry. There is a copy of a photo and two others in WW1 uniform in my house. He did marry Mildred and later Kathleen Lott, both were the younger sisters of Mabel Lott my grandmother. He and Mildred had a son and a daughter, she died a few years ago. Uncle Oscar and Aunty Kath had no children but were much loved and loving family members".

If you wish to comment on this photo or can supply names of people please click here

WANTED: Old photos, old postcards, ephemera and memories of the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire. U.K.- please click here to make contact.

---