Crooked Shears Cottage, Severn Road, Hallen
A Memory of Hallen.
My memories of Hallen are between 1949 - 1959. I was brought up in the above cottage (which was a former Inn) from my birth in 1949 until my parents moved to Clifton, Bristol in 1959.
We were pretty cut off in the cottage. It was situated about one mile outside of Hallen village on the left hand side of Severn Road travelling in the direction of The Philblack Factory.
I remember that there were some red bricked dwellings that everybody called "The "Hostels" built by the army during WW1. They were situated about 1.25 of a mile past the cottage on the other side of the road again travelling towards Philblack. I think they were used as temporary housing after WW2 and I believe they were still occupied after we left the area.
I attended Hallen Infants School between 1954 -1957. The teacher was a Mrs. Griffiths. My sister also attended the school between about 1945 - 1948 her teacher was a Miss Brown.
In the 1950's my uncle built the forecourt and kiosk in the old Petrol Station/Post Office situated on the Severn Road just on the fringe of the village. The owners were a Mr. Ernest Gregory and his wife. Before that the Post Office was occupied and ran by a Mrs. Stokes. I think the shop and Post Office are back there now. I loved living on the Severn Road. It was a lovely remote place to live and I was very upset to leave it, although it had become very industrialised by then. We have no photographs of the cottage today, which we find rather sad as it was demolished in the mid 1960's to make way for more industry that was never actually constructed! I still remember many of the people's names from the area, but I guess I must not go on too much. Please if there is someone out there that thinks they may have a photograph of the old Cottage. I would love to see it listed.
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Comments & Feedback
It's been a long time now since I left the cottage. I will be as helpful as I can. Is there anything in particular that I can help with?
Eddie
The name sounds familiar to me. Some first names would be good. I am 68 in May and although not born in Hallen my family lived there from about 1942. I used to catch the coach which drove through Berwick lane. Did any of your family go to Hallen or Pillning School do you know?
The Hostels as we used to call them are now long gone. They stood roughly to the South East of "Copart Direct." shown on the google Map. Copart Direct now stands roughly where Philblack was. The Hostels as we used to call them were originally built as officers quarters for the British Army during World War One. After World War Two they were mainly used to re-house people who lived in the slums at St Philips, Bristol. That area of Bristol was very badly affected by the bombing you see. As I remember the road to Severn Beach was opposite the turning called Washing Pound lane and so it was like a small crossroads really. The main road being Severn Road. Coming from that junction on Severn Road you would pass a large field on your left hand side traveling towards Hallen Village. There was a wooden bridge that had been erected to give access to the Hostels. I had a few pals that lived there in the 1950's. The buildings were red brick with a asbestos pitched roof as I recall. There may have been some exceptions but I don't recall them. There were a great deal of army buildings in that area during both wars. Particularly along the river front. Some had rounded asbestos rooves All are gone now though! I lived about 1.5 miles away from the Hostels. I am pretty sure that this is the place that your ancestor was. I guess it was just a hostel really but you know what Bristolians are because there was more than one building the just stuck the the s on the end. By the way I think there were about 7 buildings which were semi detached. The rent there was collected by the farmer who owned the land. His name was Hardwick as I recall. I hope I have explained things well enough but if not, make contact with me again.
Eddie