Lower Swell, The Village c.1955

Photo ref: L525011

i remember lower swell because it is where i came from i was born 1974 and i lived there with my mum and my brother and nan and gramp till the age of 11 when we moved to stow i went to st marys as did my brother, my mum and my aunt and 2 uncles who where born there except 1 uncle , my gramp and his 3 rothers where born there alsomy old house belonged to my great grandparents ivo and kate taylor who are now buried in the ...see more

My gran's name was Lily Illes and she lived in one of Pineapple Cottages at Lower Swell as a child. She left home at 15 to go and work in London and then moved to Scotland with my grandpa. I have visted and stayed in one of the cottages as a family member still owned it (unfortunately not anymore). Even as a child I thought it was the most beautiful area. I have fond memories of Stow on the Wold ...see more

My Dad and his family lived in Lower Swell between about 1928 and 1940. They must have been quite unusual in those days - arriving in the village from London. My grandmother married a Canadian soldier after the First World War and went to live in Canada where she had 4 children. But it didn't work out and she brought them home, first to London and soon afterwards to Lower Swell. Their name was ...see more

I first came to Lower Swell as a 16 year old boy; that would have been 1967. I had attended Wilsons Grammar School in Camberwell London. Austen Nichols had worked at the school teaching metal work. He told me that he lived in Lower Swell and had a forge there. He and I got on really well. He was a good teacher and became a good friend. When he left Wilsons he invited me to visit him and that summer I did. I ...see more