Author: Geoff Davis

Wednesday July 20th at 7.00 pm

A visit to St Peter’s Church and Graveyard, Minsterworth, led by Steve Cooper (In conjunction with the Forest of Dean Family History Society).

The joint visit to St Peter’s Church and graveyard at Minsterworth on 20th July 2011 was blessed with excellent weather and over twenty people attended the guided tour of graves in the Churchyard. The participants were equally divided between members of the societies and local Minsterworth villagers. Steve Cooper, who led the event, highlighted a number of memorial inscriptions and the families and events that surrounded those buried in the grave yard. The church had been opened for the event and included in the tour. The original church pre-dated the Norman conquest but was rebuilt in 1870 after repeated flooding. The tour was very well received and will be repeated for members of the society and people from the village later in the year. Steve hopes to write up his research as a contribution to a forthcoming second book by Terry Moore-Scott about the history of the village.

Saturday July 9th 2011 – A talk at Yorkley Village Hall: 7.30 pm

Exploring the River Severn by John Powell, Secretary of the Severn Estuary Fishermen’s Association

John discussed key aspects of the river including the construction of the Old Severn Railway Bridge that did so much to link the communities either side of the River, the history of lave net fishing and the resistance by Yorkley and Viney Hill fishermen to regulation. He showed slides, films and old recordings of life and fishing on the river.

Donations were shared equally between F.W. Harvey Society and Yorkley Village Hall.

On Sunday, July 3rd until Saturday July 9th the F.W. Harvey Society and Yorkley Village Hall presented: An Exhibition of Photographs by Michael Barnes, ‘The Visual Journey of a Gloucester Photographer, from the Mythe Bridge at Tewkesbury to the Severn Bridge at Aust’.

Included in the exhibition was the F.W. Harvey Table (a stone table inlaid with glass in the shape of the river, made by Nigel Cann), F.W. Harvey Photographs (Steve Cooper), lave nets and a putcher.

This event was free with donations shared equally between F.W. Harvey Society and Yorkley Village Hall.

Saturday June 25th –

This lovely walk guided by Steve Cooper and Geoff Davis, began and ended at The Apple Tree, public house opposite Redlands, the childhood home of F.W. Harvey. It featured ten poems that are located or linked to the riverside places, orchards and meadows evoked in his poetry. The walk covered gently undulating ground and includes crossing several field styles.

The cost of the walk was £2, and participants were given a map with supplementary information.

Saturday June 18th, 7.30 pm at Newland Church (Cathedral of the Forest)

Chiswick Baroque are a 5-voice a cappella singing group directed by composer Celia Harper. Based in Chiswick, the singers perform vocal music from 11th – 21st centuries with a particular interest in 17th century and tonal modern compositions, spirituals and traditional music.

Their concert at Newland for Wye Valley Summer Music featured the world premiere of Celia Harper’s settings of three F.W. Harvey Poems: The Horses, Christ and the Fairies and A Son.

Proceeds from the concert will contribute to both the restoration of the church and Riding for the Disabled.

Thursday June 23rd at 7.30 pm , Yorkley Village Hall –

In the 1880’s a remarkable traveller, adventurer and novelist, Captain Mayne Reid, came to live in the Forest of Dean and wrote an historical adventure set locally during the English Civil wars of 1640-1651. The heroes were the Foresters and the Parliamentarians. Doug McLean the Forest publisher talked about the life and adventures of the author on the eve of the launch of a new edition.