Our House

Our House, the Birthplace of L.F.C.Knight born 18 August 1912, and the home of his father H.F.Knight and his family, was at Lower High Street, Cinderford, Glos.

Below is the ground-level set out and the front elevation of the business premises of my father H.F.Knight.

Upstairs consisted of one long narrow bedroom over the kitchen and looking over the small garden and the lawn at the rear. There was a room at the top of the stairs with no windows and used as an upstairs lounge. One side was crammed with books which overflowed to the adjoining side. There was a sewing machine, a dressing table and so on. In fact it was in the nature of a retiring room. At the front there were three bedrooms, one used by my parents, one spare and one for my brother, Vincent, and myself.

Outside our bedroom stairs led to the loft which was properly floored and which had a photographic dark room built in. It also served as an indoor play area where toy railway lines and all that went with them could be laid out. There was a large box full of rails, signals, engines, trucks and so on. A part of the spacious loft was reserved in season for storing apples which were laid out in rows and varieties. From one end of the loft a dormer window led out on to the roof, very intriguing but we were under strict orders never to venture through.

Light came from skylights. After dark the loft became uncanny and many a time I have lain in bed apprehensive lest ghosts should descend the loft stairs which were directly outside my bedroom. The death of Granny Smith in the front bedroom did not help ease my mind in this respect.

In addition to the business premises in Lower High Street there was also the large garden and bungalow a little way up the side lane on the left, where my father spent days and hours of labour and leisure.

Our premises faced other shops across the street. On the left-hand side of the lane was the garage and large yard which housed the Viking and the Violet, very early versions of the motor bus. The Viking was used for outings, maybe such occasions like engagements of the Cinderford Town Silver Band. The Violet was in constant use to and from Drybrook as a bus service. The owner was a clever mechanic, and looked the part with his poked cap, dirty blue overalls and always smoking his pipe.

Up the lane beyond the sale-room was a bungalow which housed the local dentist and his wife. He was a tolerable dentist but always red in the face from the alcohol he drank, not beer but spirits. His breath always smelt from this failing of his. It paid to look after ones teeth so that the ordeal of visiting him could be avoided.

Continuing down the tramway route opposite our house was the extensive open spaces of Bilson Green where many a game of cricket or football was played by us and where, in one corner was situated St. Stephens Mission Hall. On one side of the Green, backing on to some houses, were the stables where Mabel Rickett's horses were kept.

Opposite the bungalow and garden, up the side-lane was a pit mound with the walled derelict pit shaft at the end of it. The mound was an excellent playground for us, one favourite pastime being the use of old car mud-guards for sledging from top to bottom.

The woods which were oaks, commenced here and continued for several miles as far as the Forest Church (Holy Trinity), Drybrook on one side and nearly to Micheldean and Littledean on the other.

What a wonderful playground for us!

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