Highnam Heritage News
April 19, 2021

Highnam Court CC – Started in the early days of the Gambier Parrys

Highnam Court CC, in its current guise, was founded with the kind assistance of the late Mr Tom Fenton in 1976. However, cricket has been played at the delightful ground…
Maurice Atkinson
Highnam Heritage News
April 19, 2021

Highnam Court CC – Reformed by Tom Fenton in the 70s

When the club was reformed as Highnam Court CC in 1976, Tom Fenton became club Chairman (later President), leasing the ground for a peppercorn rent and very often playing himself.…
Maurice Atkinson
Highnam Old SchoolHighnam Heritage News
March 3, 2021

Thomas Gambier Parry’s legacy – Highnam School

The school, (with adjoining small house for the teacher), was built at the same time as the church in 1851. It was a National School and comprised one L-shaped room…
Maurice Atkinson
Highnam Heritage News
March 3, 2021

School Memories from 1970-1972

I was only at Highnam for my last two years of Primary School, having been at 4 different schools around England already as my parents were in the RAF but…
Maurice Atkinson
Highnam Heritage News
March 3, 2021

A Caretaker’s Life – His days at the Old School and Parish Room in 1995

As I approach the end of my second year as caretaker of the Parish Room and Old School, I can look back on numerous events and happenings that have marked…
Maurice Atkinson
Highnam Heritage News
February 24, 2021

Highnam, Lassington, Linton, Over and the Census

The 2021 census is just around the corner, but for the family or local historian it comes with the excitement of a census being released; in this case the 1921…
Maurice Atkinson
Highnam Heritage News
January 27, 2021

The Snow Warden

During a conversation with Jo Smith, she spoke about Godwin's days as snow warden. There was one winter, possibly 1968, when we were trapped in by snow and remember Godwin…
Maurice Atkinson
Highnam Heritage News
January 14, 2021

Rev. Helen Sammon Retires

Highnam Heritage committee would like to thank Rev Helen Sammon for her work in Highnam and involvement on occasions with our group.   We have worked together at various points,…
Maurice Atkinson
Highnam Heritage News
December 1, 2020

The Origins of Father Christmas

Father Christmas / Santa Claus – Normally associated with the bringer of the above gifts, is Father Christmas or Santa Claus. The two are in fact two entirely separate stories.…
Maurice Atkinson
Highnam Heritage News
December 1, 2020

Christmas Gifts

The Victorian era was seen as a time to reward Children with gifts; a celebration and one which was embraced by rich and poor alike. The gifts however differed greatly.…
Maurice Atkinson
Highnam Heritage News
December 1, 2020

How the Christmas Card and Christmas Tree began

Christmas Cards The “Penny Post” was first introduced in Britain in 1840 by Rowland Hill. The idea was simple, a penny stamp paid for the postage of a letter or…
Maurice Atkinson
Highnam Heritage News
November 5, 2020

Highnam Holy Innocents memorial to those who were lost

Private Edward Brain 24829  7th Battalion Queen’s Own Royal West Kent Regiment, formerly 1033, Welsh Horse. Son of Walter and Susan Brain of Hartpury, husband of Fanny Maria Brain. Died…
Maurice Atkinson
Highnam Heritage News
November 5, 2020

Leonard Patience lost on HMS Jaguar

Memorial Stone set in the South Wall of Highnam Church Stoker 2nd Class Leonard Patience D/SKX 411 Royal Navy, H.M.S. Jaguar. Son of Reginald and Annie Patience of Linton, Highnam,…
Maurice Atkinson
Highnam Heritage News
November 5, 2020

Harry William Hyett

Harry William Hyett had his birth registered in Ross, Herefordshire in 1894 to William Edmund Hyett and Louisa (formerly Jones). William was a baker from Ashleworth whilst Louisa was from…
Maurice Atkinson
Highnam Heritage News
September 24, 2020

Liverpool Repatriation

A Plaque honouring prisoners of war who survived captivity in the Far East during World War II was unveiled at a sombre service at Pier Head, Liverpool, in October 2011.…
Maurice Atkinson
Highnam Heritage News
September 24, 2020

COFEPOW – It all began with a diary

Out of the death camps, my fathers book of love. Starved and racked with disease, soldier Bill Smith recorded his ordeal at the hands of the Japanese in a secret…
Maurice Atkinson
Highnam Heritage News
September 24, 2020

The Railwayman – Winner of the 1996 NCR book award

VJ Heroes   We have been remembering some of the horrific stories of those brave soldiers who were fortunate enough to survive the horrors of the war at the hands…
Maurice Atkinson
Highnam Heritage News
August 13, 2020

COFEPOW – Children of the Far Eastern Prisoners of War – Changi Chapel

COFEPOW or Children of Far Eastern Prisoners of War was a group set up in the mid 1990s. At that time there were still many FEPOWs alive and it gave…
Maurice Atkinson
Highnam Heritage News
August 13, 2020

John Franks – From Railway of Death to Changi POW Camp

The following account is that of John William Franks, Regimental Quartermaster Sergeant who was captured and forced to work on the Burma-Siam Railway during WW2 and his subsequent move to…
Maurice Atkinson
Highnam Heritage News
August 13, 2020

John William Franks – Recollections of his time in Burma and Changi

For years I have struggled to understand exactly what happened to us in the jungles of Malaya, Siam and Burma. The full effects are plain to see at this late…
Maurice Atkinson
Highnam Heritage News
July 9, 2020

Highnam Court – The House and Grounds

The main approach to Highnam Court is from Chepstow Lodge in the centre of the south side of the park, close to the east end of the lake. A drive…
Maurice Atkinson
Highnam Heritage News
July 9, 2020

Highnam Court – A brief history

In the Middle Ages the manor of Highnam belonged to the abbot of Gloucester. It was granted by the Crown in 1542 to John Arnold (d 1545), who had leased…
Maurice Atkinson
Highnam Heritage News
July 9, 2020

Highnam Court Lakes

In 1607 there were ten pools on the brook west and south of Highnam Court. To the west were Shoell Pool, Horse (later Dog Kennel) Pool, and Orchard Pool, while…
Maurice Atkinson
Highnam Heritage News
October 11, 2019

Lassington Oak

In Lassington Wood, less than 100 yards from the playing field, was a famous, very old and enormous oak tree. It came down in a gale in 1960, but the…
Maurice Atkinson
Highnam Heritage News
October 11, 2019

St. Oswald’s church, Lassington

St. Oswald's church was originally built by Saxons who lived in the settlement in Lassington. Their village was near Atman's Farm on the opposite side of the lane. As well…
Maurice Atkinson
Highnam Heritage News
April 24, 2019

Mrs. Baldwin’s Memories

I was only six when at Lassington Oak, that was 73 years ago. In those days there were very few houses in Highnam. We lived in a cottage by "The…
Maurice Atkinson
Highnam Heritage News
February 28, 2019

Highnam wins Bledisloe Cup

John Gough’s stirling efforts earned Highnam the coverted Bledisloe Cup for the best kept large village in Gloucestershire. John was out mowing the lawns and making repairs around the village…
Maurice Atkinson
Highnam Heritage News
February 28, 2019

The Daffodil Line

Daffodil Sunday thirty years ago meant an expedition on the Gloucester – Ledbury railway, through the woods and valleys of the Ryeland countryside; it was one of those pastoral routes…
Maurice Atkinson
Highnam Heritage News
November 27, 2018

Over Hospital

1893 - Contagious disease was prevalent all over the country at this time and for many years there were outbreaks of scarlet fever, whooping cough, measles and diphtheria in the Gloucester…
Maurice Atkinson
Highnam Heritage News
November 27, 2018

Lassington Oak

Citizen 18.01.1980 - NEW OWNER FOR FAMOUS OAK TREE Lassington wood at Highnam - home of the famous Lassington Oak - may go from the ownership of Gloucester District Council.…
Maurice Atkinson 0
Highnam Old SchoolHighnam Heritage News
November 27, 2018

Highnam Old School

Highnam Old School (with adjoining small house for the teacher) was built at the same time as the church of the Holy Innocents. It was a National School and comprised…
Maurice Atkinson