Berry Hill, the Post Office c1965

The Book Shop

My family lived at the Book Shop in the middle of the photograph from 1961 to 1981, it was a shop that seemed to me to sell everything, newsagents, sweet shop, chemists, haberdasherers as well as selling books. I was 6 years old in 1965, I can remember looking up at the jars of sweets in awe, mouth watering at the thought of jelly babies and sherbet lemons. Harold and Nora lived in the Post Office next door and there were several more shops in the village that I can remember, two grocers shops, an ironmongers and a dairy, as well as a pub, rugby club, social club and two chapels. It was a busy place, although we opened at 6.30 am and shut at 6, there would often be a knock at the door in the evening so the shop was "open all hours". My father delivered newspapers to all the surrounding villages including English Bicknor, Five Acres, Symonds Yat and Christchurch including the camp site, in fact in the picture of Symonds Yat Log Cabin you can see him looking directly at the camera, whilst all around him are unaware that their photograph is being taken.

Stepping back in time

It started when my mother was dying, when we asked her about the family history, and she gave us names and dates. Her family came from France in late 1500. They were Hugenots and they were Puritans, and were chased out of France because of their beliefs. They went to live in Gloucester, where they helped to rebuild the church in Taynton St Lawrence. We went to visit the church and it was the most exciting thing to experience. All our early ancestors are buried down the aisle of the church. One could not be found - the last one - so when we went and spoke to a man who was writing about our ancestors (she had written a book), and they confirmed we had the right family. His name was Douglas J Parker. He wrote the story of the two churches, the old and the rebuilt one. He told us they were looking for the last to be buried there and how they came to find her.
Let me explain. He said that someone wanted to look in the church. He had the key and went to let him in, but the sun was shining and by the front door were two big stones. He said the sun shone through the crack and he ran to get someone to help him move the stones. When he did there were steps and when they went down there she was in a coffin as new as the day it was put there. The little church is lovely. It has no idols or images or images on the windows. It looks like an upturned ship. I have since been researching the rest of the family and have found nearly all of them. I'm sure a book could be written and I would love to do it but would not know how to start. My ancestor's name is Holder. They owned a lot of land and property and they lived in Jacks House. It is now owned by a pop star from the group the Verve. I would like to one day look round the house. I have written to the person but he has not written back. The Holders made cider, and have mills around the house. I thank my mum that she left us all the details for us to record. The Holders were born in Cinderford, Forest of Dean, Bulley Taynton, and all the surrounding areas. I'm now tracing my father's side, and finding that hard as we never his father, and did not ask the vital questions about where we came from.
Brenda