Family Memories Cinderford

The General Strike

At the outbreak of the General Strike business was very bad. The peak of prosperity in the coal mines had been reached and passed. Depression had set in and then the General Strike. These were hard times for everyone. To provide for old age my father had bought two or three cottages but for months could not get any rents, and there was no shop trade. To pay for my brother Vincent's College Fees (£90), he held an auction sale, which made just enough to cover this expense. I remember paying this amount into the Bank, and later in Birmingham had reason to be thankful that he could carry on with his teaching training.

I remember the Police Escorts for working miners through crowds of strikers who jeered and taunted them. I remember the groups sitting around for months and some playing pitch and toss to pass away the time.

The strain and worry has an effect on my father's health. On 21st October 1926 he suffered a heart attack and passed away from us.

His daughter Winifred had her own prospering Business School, Lionel the eldest son was established as a customs Officer, Vincent was in his last months of teacher training (on probation) but Cuthbert his youngest son and his mother were left to make what they could of the future. For them it was a case of bleak and financially difficult times for several years to come.