The top photo shows the north end of the partly-demolished Power Station, at Norchard near Lydney.
Bottom photo:
1 Tom Beard, 3 Stan Frowen from Lydney, 4 Ralph Hill from Whitecroft, 5 Stan from Whitecroft, 7 Mr Robins, 8 Don Hancock Ralph Probert from Blakeney, 10 George Rudge, 12 Mr Walter Oaten, 13 Grantley Andrews, 15 Edward [Ted] Drew from Blakeney, 16 Harry Murt, 17 Henry Bearcroft, 18 "Monmouth", 21 Roy Bennett.

Ian Davies wrote (Sept 2006): "Staff at Lydney Power Station 1966. Far left is Don Hancock, to the left of the door is "Monmouth". The little guy in the front wearing a beret is little Stan from Whitecroft. He was a lovely guy and my Mother and I used to sometimes give him a lift back home".
'The Norchard' generated electricity from 1923 to 1967 (A look back at Norchard - Dr Graham J Field - 1978).
It may surprise the younger generation that mains electricity was not generally available for people's homes in The Forest until it was supplied from 'The Norchard' in the mid 1920s. Not everyone took up electricity as soon as it was available and often the first electrical item in a house was a "bare" lightbulb hung from the ceiling.
The Power Station used coal, taken in by overhead conveyor from the adjoining Norchard colliery, and coal brought in by rail.. Researchers should be aware that there was another entrance to Norchard colliery, the New Norchard Level or Norchard Pillowell, near Whitecroft. However, ex-miners that I have spoken to, refer to this simply as "Norchard". If you follow the link below, you'll learn that this entrance was driven up from below to the surface in 1937. - GKD

An excellent account of the Norchard coal operations, by Forest author Ian Pope can be found here: Norchard

Thanks to Ray Brown for pointing out (Oct 2006): "Lydney Power Station was built in about 1924. I was born in 1935 and although we lived about 200 yards up the road from it I can remember not having electric in the house".

Thanks also to Michael Bennett who added (Mar 2007): "I Think number 1 is Tom Beard from Summerleaze Road Lydney".

Thanks also to Brian Drew son of Ted Drew.

Thanks to Harry Murt who added (Oct 2008): "Mr Robins (7) was the Father-in- Law of Grantley Andrews(13)".

Lyn George added (Nov 2008): "The man numbered 1 in the Norchard power station photo is Ted Beard. A very nice chap who seldom removed the cigarette from his mouth when speaking. Ted was very good at getting Stan Reeks to climb onto the messroom table and sing 'Has Anybody Seen My Tiddler'".

Thanks also to Richard Bearcroft.

If you wish to comment on this photo or can supply names of people please click here

WANTED: Old photos, old postcards, ephemera and memories of the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire. U.K.- please click here to make contact.

---