Email: christophex2003@yahoo.co.uk

Subject: Trying to contact a relative

Message: Hi, I'm trying to contact my cousin Janet Vowles, daughter of Les and Doris Vowles who used to live at 134 Claverham Road. Janet married Jim and they emigrated to Perth , Western Australia and they had a daughter Angela. Unfortunately, I have lost their address since my mother died. Janet was best friends with Gail Skuse. Any help would be greatly appreciated. ThanksChris

Email: janefrankland2020@yahoo.com

Subject: Trying to trace an old friend

Message: I am trying to trace an old friend who I have corresponded with for years since we met way back in the early 70's on a judo course- but sadly over not the last few. Her name is Jean Perry ( maiden name Parkin) and she has two children Paul and Lyne-marie who must be late 20;s early 30's now. Jean's last known address was broadcroft avenue, Claverham, Bristol. but I think she may have moved. If any one knows of Jean please tell her Jane is still at the same address in Maidstone and would love to make contact again . I can be contacted by email: janefrankland2020@yahoo.com

Email: stevewebster7@msn.com

Subject: Market Gardens in Claverham

Message: As a fifteen year old I left Ireland and resided in Claverham from 8/3/1957 to 30/11/1959 and worked at a Market Garden owned by a one armed gentleman and, sadly, cannot remember his name.I enjoyed my brief time in Claverham and would like receive some information about the Market Garden and the owner, a very good table tennis player!My uncle, Arthur Webster, lived in Clevedon, and I cycled across the moor to Clevedon most weekends.For a short period i was a member of Cleeve Cricket Club and played in the Bill Alley testimonial match.

Steve Webster

Email: gareth.wonfor@dsl.pipex.com

Subject: Yatton People

Message: Hi,I wonder if anyone who reads this notice board could help me? I am trying to find out about some people that lived in my house on Yatton high street in the past and in the house that was there before it.

I would also be very interested in any memories people have of the top part of the high street around Edwards butchers; especially prior to the 1930's

The people who owned/Rented the house are as follows:

Email: daveandlorraine@btopenworld.com

Subject: Miss F Penny, The Rosary, Claverham Road

Message: Can anyone confirm whether Miss Penny who used to live at The Rosary, Claverham Road, actually did run the Post Office in Claverham? I have been living at The Rosary for approximately 12 years and have been told by some of my neighbours that Miss Penny was the Post Mistress in Claverham. The bunglow was built in 1920 and Miss Penny lived for sometime next door (number 37) with her sister Mrs Bromham, but I believe that the bungalow was built for Miss Penny and she moved in alone. If anyone can fill any gaps, I would be pleased to hear from you.

Email: salp111@btinternet.com

Subject: Voles in Claverham

Message: Is there anyone out there who knows if there are any water voles in Claverham? Or bank or common voles? If so, what are their habits...good, bad and otherwise?I look forward to any response. Sal

Message: My Mum was born in Prospect Villa, Claverham Road in 1920. I wonder whether anyone knows where Prospect Villa was?
Jan

I am most interested in trying to ascertain information about a family perhaps from that region: Sir Nicholas Stalling(e/s), who lastly married the widow Florence Ken(n). Sir Stalling purchased Manor of Yatton about 1598 and passed it to his wife upon his death about 1605. You mention in your site about Stalling’s Cross and I wondered if there is an association and what that actually is. If you could provide any information relating to his family would be very appreciated.

Thank you,
Dianne Stallings Walker
Charlotte, NC, USA

Any info please reply direct to Dianne dwalker@eagleeyenc.com

Email: dave.pinnock@berr.gsi.gov.uk

Subject: Authorship

Message: Discovered Claverham Village website by accident when tracing details on Yatton Station - very intense and detailed Plan but why ashamed of ownership.The Apology for length of time loading etc at the start is Anonymous - surely the author of this fine work should be acknowldeged. Or if a combination of authors the Chair should be named.

Email: mcalamatta@yahoo.co.au

Subject: Claverham Village

Message: Hi,I live in Sydney Australia but have visited Claverham several times when my parents lived in Dunsters Road.My father, a builder, actually built their home at 6 Dunsters Road and I have lots of pictures of it in various stages of construction.When my parents lived there, there was an open field at the back but I believe that this area has since been built up even further.I do hope that the village doesn't get built up too much and lose it's lovely character.Regards, Margaret Calamatta.

Email: gillianwills2562@yahoo.co.uk

Subject: visiting arizona

Message: Hi,I just found this website while flicking through the www,I arrived safely in Arizona and I am having a wonderful time,I was wondering if the high street got flooded again after the torrential rain on friday?Also I lost the email for the post office and would like to know whats happening,whether we have had any news about closure,I am sure that the shop will stay open I hope so as I still want my job back when I get home!just thought it would be nice to catch up with anyone while I am away,Missing all my morning chats with everyone,I promise to send some sunshine your way

Gillian

My name is Chris and I would first of all like to congratulate the village for having such an accessible and visually pleasing website. Kudos must go to the team that created and maintain it.

My wife and I are professional people currently living in Bedfordshire. We are looking to relocate to a quiet corner of North Somerset to lead our lives in a peaceful environment away from the madness of town, but still be close enough to earn money to pay a ridiculous mortgage!

We have been scouting the area and visited Claverham very recently. It appears a delightful place to live and ticks many of the mental boxes we created to help our search.

It has become apparent that there are some concerns with the land owned by Claverham Limited at the back of Franklins Way.

I noticed that there have been a couple of postings in the past with concerns about the company's plans for that land. Will they be building on this land in the future? Have any plans been touted yet? I have checked and no formal submissions have been made recently.

Any information that anyone has would be most appreciated.

The school has always been a main part of the village and for as long as I can remember the local children have been allowed to play in the grounds outside of school hours. There has always been odd bits of trouble and I expect there always will be but on the whole its been a safe place for the children to go.

However it seems now that without any warning the policy has been changed and the children are no longer welcome there. Wouldn't it have been better for you to have put a notice up about this rather than have letters threatening action against trespassers sent out to some parents. As far as I am aware the majority of the village are still unaware of this new policy, and having spoken to a school governor found that she wasn't either.

I think this has spoilt the whole feel of the village and am sure a lot of others will feel the same.

I would just like to add that the older children are not allowed in the park but have been given a bench at the other end of the village. Are these children, most of which attended the school now outcasts having reached their teens?

Carolyn Baker

I was born in Claverham and lived in a house called Wayside which was built by my parents. Delma Viney lived next door, and Grace Matthews, who lived across the road from us, had my teddy bear which growled, we had swopped bears! I wonder if she still has it?

My parents were Frederick and Beatrice Dolling, and next door lived my grandparents (prior to the building of Wayside) Caleb and Rose Dolling. My grandfather was a retired Metropolitan policeman formerly based at Putney, London

I remember starting school at the Interdenominational School in Yatton when I was only three years old, and have vivid memories still of being in the playground when a German plane returning from Bristol started to drop bombs, some of which landed on the Railway Station. The headmistress ran into the playground ringing a handbell and we all had to put on gasmasks and get under the coat racks in the cloakroom.

We moved to Weston as a family in 1941 following the death of my grandmother, to be near to my mother’s relatives. However my father remained working at Wake & Deans for most of his working life.

Your website also mentions the Methodist Chapel at which my father was organist for over 40 years.

I remember returning from an evening service, being carried by my father, and seeing the sky bright red from the fires blazing following the bombing of Bristol.

I have few ties in the area now and after travelling about the British Isles and abroad as a Salvation Army Officer for the last 46 years am now retired and living in Chesham, Buckinghamshire.

It was good to come across the site, and I have enjoyed reading the information provided.

Derek Dolling

derek_dolling@hotmail.com

It is too many years ago since I spent a few happy years of my childhood living with my Aunt and Uncle and cousin Grace. Their name was Mr Alfred and Mrs Kate Matthews and Grace Matthews. I came to live with them around 1940 as my Father was a service man and stationed in India. Unfortunately my Mother and Father were divorced hence the latter arrangement.

I was born in India and at the age of six months old I contracted polio, that still plagues me to this very day as I now have Post Polio Syndrome which is a later effect of polio. Little can be done for the later effect at the moment according to the medical profession. Whilst on the subject of Post Polio, is there anyone living in Claverham with this problem?

Referring back to my years in Claverham. Prior to attending at the tiny school in the small church (Miss Watkins and Miss Earl were the names of the two teachers there), situated just near the start of Bishops Road and opposite the Post Office, (run by a Mrs Lawrence in those days), I attended Barberry House School in Yatton.

When I first came to Claverham my Aunt used to have to push me everywhere in a wheel chair and Mr & Mrs Croft who lived next door to us in Shenstone (the name of their bungalow was called Ovingdene), Mrs Croft used to push me in the chair to Sunday School every Sunday at the Gospel Hall (was it called?). However in a very short time I taught myself to ride a two wheel bicycle which was a turning point in my life at the time as it enabled me to go out and play with my friends. Also I could cycle to school and sunday school etc etc. As I wore a caliper on my leg most people knew me, if only by sight, seeing me tearing around the village on a bike with my friends... they were happy carefree days.

Compared with today we did not have anything like it then but we were content. I reckon that we lived with the seasons like going conkering this time of year, primrosing and bluebelling in Spring, we'd picnic up in Cadbury Woods, tadpoling down at Stream Cross, carol singing round christmas time. In those days there were no street lamps and we had to rely on our bicycle lamps when necessary. Remember there was a war on at the time with blackouts in force in all the houses etc. My Aunt used to send me on my bike with a list to get groceries from Tutts Stores in Yatton. When I was in Yatton I used to love popping over to Miss Ayres book shop as it was then known, situated opposite the vicarage and also near what used to be a village school that I understand is now a car park in front of Yatton church.

I actually paid a visit to Claverham back in 1986 and drove along through the old haunts and visited Mr & Mrs Croft who still resided at Ovingdene next door to Shenstone. I still keep in touch with a school friend from Claverham. She is now living in Devon but up until about five years ago Brenda and her husband lived in Congresbury where they had a fruit and vegetable shop called Excellence situated right at the top of the Rhodyate Hill next door to the Star Pub. Recently she sent me a cutting from a paper in which there was an announcement of the death of Mrs Croft from Ovingdean bungalow, apparently she passed away in a nursing home in Clevedon I think it was.

Of course you may print this on the website if it is of any interest to anyone this day and age.

My name was Joy Witheridge then as it remains today. Opposite to us at Shenstone there was a semi detached older style house. In one side lived Delma (only daughter) of Mr & Mrs Viney I think the surname was, and next door to them lived Mr & Mrs Player who also had one daughter, her name was Molly Player, she joined the land army during the war.

Some one may know something about things I have mentioned and if I can remember all this there must be others who can too. Delma, whose married name I dont know, may still live around Yatton or nearby.

When I left Claverham I went to India, my Father had come back to England on leave for the first time in 10 years and was staying with his parents, my Nan & Grandad who lived in Weston super Mare. He had decided that it was time he took responsibility for me and took me back to Bombay in January 1945. I hated this change - having always lived in the country this was not the adventure I wanted. But I never ever forgot my happy times in Claverham.