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A program on R4 about dialect in the Forest of Dean.
Like everyone else, I've been there loads to cycle the Freeminer's trail, or get ice cream at the bike shop in Parkend, but usually pretty oblivious to the history of the place:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m000m4b2
Who knew that there are still free miners to this day, and that you mustn't mention the bears in Ruardean?
I was a bit disappointed that they didn't explain the reasoning behind not mentioning bears.
A notable event in the town's history occurred on 26 April 1889. Four Frenchmen and their two bears were making their way to Ruardean, having performed in Cinderford. They were attacked by an angry mob, enraged by claims that the bears had killed a child and injured a woman. The bears were killed and the Frenchmen badly beaten. It soon became clear that the bears had not attacked anyone. Police proceedings followed and a week later 13 colliers and labourers appeared before magistrates at Littledean, charged with ill-treating and killing the bears and assaulting the Frenchmen. All but two were found guilty on one or more charges, with another convicted a week later. A total of £85 (equivalent to £9,464 in 2019) was paid in fines. A subscription was also launched which generously compensated the Frenchmen.
We've moved around a fair bit and for 12 years until me moved again 5 years ago we lived in Gloucestershire. Not in or near FOD, but on the other side of the Severn near Stroud. It soon became apparent that FOD was the place that everyone else in Gloucs took the Mickey out of, jokes about webbed feet, a small gene pool etc. Done in jest I'm sure, but a little unfair. It's a lovely part of the country, everyone I've met from there has been friendly and it's a place I'd consider moving to if it wasn't so awkward to get to and from.
Quite a few miners from FOD worked in my colliery in S Wales.Nice fellas.
Also well worth a listen from R4 is Mark Steel's in Town from Speech House.
He covers the Bears, plus a lot more besides.
Great stuff.
BBC Radio 4 Mark Steel's in Town - Forest of Dean
The Mark Steel show is spot on. Especially when the mayor of Cinderford pops up.
Living in the FofD is like living in a bit of the north down south; people actually speak to each other even if they don’t know them. Wonderful. Get rid of the FC and their hypocritical bullshit and it’d be perfect.
Good link to Mark Steel, and if you ever get an opportunity to see him live, go, get tickets. He’s brilliant and shockingly not at all suitable for Radio-4 broadcast !!
Apologies for slight hijack*
"Get rid of the FC and their hypocritical bullshit and it’d be perfect."
Bit harsh on the FC. Are they the root cause of everything that's bad in the Dean?
Can you explain?