Meare memories
Here are memories of Meare and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Meare or a Meare photo.
''The Grapevine'' And Others!
My uncle, the late William John Wilcox, was the proprietor of the 'Grapevine' from the mid 1930s through to the early 1960s. I remember it as a truly old fashioned 'pub' complete with a 'games room' with darts, shove ha'penny board and bar skittles. A game with the skittles placed on dots on the board, a wooden ball was suspended by a cord on a vertical pole. The player had to swing the ball in an arc to knock the skittles over. Painted on the Transom over the front door was the 'Legend' W. J. Wilcox, for the most part easy letters to paint, even from the inside, as they were, the J however was reversed - must have been a good brew! My eldest sister was sent to my uncle's to help recuperation from an appendix operation. She met the man who was to become her husband there. He was living with his widowed mother in one of a pair of cottages named 'Porter's Hatch' directly opposite the old Fish House.... Read more
Edna Baker And Carl Dewdney
Edna Baker married Carl Dewdney on 24th Dec 1935 at St Mary's church. Edna's father was James Baker who was a local carpenter. I would love to hear from anyone who has any photographs or can remember Edna or Carl.
Grape Vine Inn/Ring of Bells - Albert Holley
Transcribed from the Central Somerset Gazette of 1891:
16 May 1891 - Meare - "The Friendly and Benefit Society established last 9th Sep, held its first general church parade…After the service, the men reformed into procession and headed by the Glastonbury Good Templar Band…marched around the village and visited the farmhouses and the houses of the resident gentry, where they were hospitably received, and in some instances money given to them. (Dinner at the Ring of Bells was timed for 2:30 p.m., but it was 4 p.m. before the members returned from their perambulations. One can imagine that they had been liberally supplied with cider on the way!). A. Holley was one of the members and a toast was given to the Army, Navy and Reserve Forces. Sargt. Holley, in responding, said he had been in two engagements, and knew something about both branches of the service. They had good Generals and good Admirals, and the Army and the Navy were the finest... Read more
Honeymoon at 'The Old Ring 'o' Bells'
I spent my honeymoon here with my husband, Howard. It was truly idyllic and we were the only guests staying at the time. The stay was a wedding gift from a friend of my husband and his mother, we were on a tight budget at the time and would probably not have gone away at all. It was so peaceful and the history of the building made the whole experience even more special. From the uneven floors, to the orchard, to the old skittle alley and the cellar. We loved it all. We were woken every morning by the sound of the dairy cattle walking past on their way to work! Next year we celebrate 25 years of marriage but we will never forget where it all started. We have been back to see the building many times and keep waiting for it to come up for sale (at the same time that our premium bonds give us a win!). Last time we saw it there seemed to be an... Read more
Ring of Bells
I have a will dated 1865 for Robert Rood "of the Grape Vine Inn known by the ancient name of Brakeland". He bequeathed the property to his wife Mary Rood and it suggests the property was owned and bequeathed to him by his father Thomas Rood. His wife also had a property at Stileway beaqueathed to her.
The Ring o' Bells Public House, Meare
The building on the extreme right of the photograph used to be the Ring o' Bells Public House, owned by my great grandfather, Jesse Laver Difford. It was initially called The Grapevine Inn, or was called that when my grandmother was born there, in 1880 and its name changed to the Ring o' Bells at some time later.
Memories of Somerset
The Roman Way
We moved to Glastonbury in 1994 and left in 2000.
We loved our time there and have wonderful memories of walking our dogs along Wearyall Hill and across the fields at the back of our house then along the banks of the River Brue. We were able to sit up in bed with a cup of tea in the morning and look at the sunrise over Glastonbury Tor. A very special place that we go back and visit often.
My Great Great Grandmother
Hannah Pursey born November 23, 1828, Catcott was my great great grandmother. she married Robert Barnett on February 14, 1850 at Moorlinch, Somerset.
BIRTH PLACE
I was born on the 22nd of August 1968 in Cheese Cottage, 1 Steel Lane, Catcott, and spent the first 18 years of my life in the same house, in the same room, with my brother, and 3 sisters.
When I Was Eight
Our family, living in India at the time, decided to travel to England for the Queens Coronation in 1953. We stayed in Wedmore for two months, in what was known as The Elmset Hall Hotel. It was a fun time for a small boy, me. I went to a school in Wedmore run by an elderly lady, whose name I have now forgotten. She told my mother I would never amount to anything. I made Captain in a major airline just to prove her wrong.
Wookey School
I went to teach in Wookey School in September 1957. My name was Ann Lawrence, "Miss Lawrence!". I came to Wookey after teaching at Dagenham Docks, and Wookey was heaven! The headmaster was Mr. Watts, a lovely man. He lived in the school house,and he and Mrs. Watts attended Wells Methodist Church. My first 3 weeks were spent in the farm next to the school and I then got "The most wonderful digs" in Portway, Wells, with Mrs.Wagland. I cycled to school with Mrs.Flower in hail rain and shine she took the infant class. The school was just one big happy family. We went to Wookey church at Christmas and harvest time. There were flag stone floors and a huge stove in the classroom on which I dried my wet clothes! I arrived one spring morning, nobody was in the school - I soon found all the children at the back fence, with Mr Watts, watching the lambing! The school dinners came from Wells about 10 a.m., we were the first... Read more
Memorybank total
We're very pleased and excited by your response so far to our "Share your Memories" community.
You've shared 26,136 memories of 5,728 towns & villages across the UK - keep them coming!
Find Memories
Simply search for your favourite places to read others' memories and share your own.
Tips & Ideas
Not sure what to write?
It's easy - just think of an important place in your life and ask yourself:
How does it feature in your personal history?
What are your best memories of this place?
How has it changed over the years?
How does it feel, seeing these old photos of your favourite place?
Do you remember stories about the local community, its history and people?
Start now!
It's easy to add your own memories and reconnect with your shared local history. Search for your favourite places and look for the orange "Add your Memory" icon to begin.
Places this week
Here are some of the places you've shared memories of this week:
- Padgate, Cheshire
- Hawthorn, Wiltshire
- Shelsley Walsh, Worcestershire
- Berwick, East Sussex
- Marchwood, Hampshire
- Mitcham, Surrey
- Dartford, Kent
- Northfleet, Kent
- Monk Bretton, South Yorkshire
- Hindhead, Surrey
- Croydon, Surrey
- Frodsham, Cheshire
- Walcott, Norfolk
- Glossop, Derbyshire
- Edlington, South Yorkshire
- Aberbargoed, Mid Glamorgan
- Rockfield, Gwent
- Cippenham, Berkshire
- Bowness-On-Windermere, Cumbria
- Stanhope, County Durham
- ... and lots more - Browse this week's memories now.
Your memories
To jump straight to the memories you have added already to the Community, click here
I Remember When...
This stunning compilation highlights some of the best stories selected from the thousands contributed here on the
Frith website. The result is an absorbing chronicle of British life from the Second World War to the mid 1960s.
A colourful treasure trove of memories, "I Remember When" is an
irresistible mix of personal stories and recollections that affectionately reveal the detail of everyday life in Britain.
