Browse Items (27 total)

Frank Finch was born into the well-known farming family in Tunley.In his younger days. Frank was a motorcycle rider and loved playing in the motorcycle football team. He was a keen scrambler and won many cups in scrambles. He was proud of the job…

John Peacey played an active and valuable role in church and community over many years.John Peacey was employed by Benjamin Gardiner at a yard on the Severn bank at Framilode as a boat-builder before his marriage. He left in 1869 because, according…

Oliver Hunt lived all his life in Oakridge. He was an expert tiler, builder and craftsman.Extract from 'Oakridge a History'Oliver became a tiler because he followed his father Wilfred's profession. He recalled in an article in 'What's On' in 1980…

George Hunt's sons reminiscences of his father.George Hunt was born at what is now known as Oakhurst, Far Oakridge, and went to school in Oakridge when William Allen was headmaster. At the age of 12 George often drove the horse and trap to collect…

Ronald Demuth came to live at Watercombe House in 1958.Ronald qualified as an architect while working for Sir Giles Gilbert Scott between 1930 and 1940. He did many of the drawings for Liverpool cathedral, Waterloo Bridge and Cambridge University…

Lord Robertson was a professional soldier and the son of Field-Marshal Robertson.Lord Robertson served in the First World War and was awarded the DSO and MC. He left the services in 1933 and went to South Africa where he became managing director of…

Geoffrey was Mabel and Percy Dearmer's eldest son. He fought at Gallipoli in 1915 and was described in The Times at his death as 'First world War poet and former editor of BBC Radio Children's Hour'.After his two volumes of poetry, Poems (1918) and…

Percival "Percy" Dearmer was an English priest and liturgist best known as the author of The Parson's Handbook, a liturgical manual for Anglican clergy. A lifelong socialist, he was an early advocate of the public ministry of women (but not their…

Dame Margaret Weston, or Peggy Weston as some villagers recall, was born in Oakridge in 1926.Dame Margaret was the only daughter of the village schoolmaster. Her mother and father were both headteachers of local elementary schools, her father of…

In 1880 William Allen was appointed headteacher at Oakridge, where he stayed till his retirement in December 1922.1. Roofing of the School House 2. William Allen with a class of children outside the school, 1902 3. Kathleen Allen, daughter of the…