ABOUT US
Formed in 1982, the Gotherington & Area Local History Society has promoted interest in local history by arranging speakers at monthly meetings, maintaining a lending library of books and pamphlets of local interest, sponsoring classes, and researching and publishing articles and booklets on local history.
Meetings are from September to May on the fourth Tuesday of the month (except December) at 7.30pm, Gotherington Village Hall, GL52 9ER. Membership fees are £15 per year. Non-members are welcome for a visitor’s fee of £3. If you would like to become a member please contact Ken, treasurer@galhs.org.uk
All meetings are followed by coffee, biscuits and the opportunity to browse through the Society’s wealth of local history books.
Chairman: David Aldred chairperson@galhs.org.uk
Acting Secretary: Ken Ascroft secretary@galhs.org.uk
Assistant Secretary: Caroline Ryman secretary@galhs.org.uk
Treasurer: Ken Ascroft treasurer@galhs.org.uk
Committee members:
Jill Collins
Julie Ryan
Philip Watson
FOLLOW US!
The Gotherington History Facebook page highlights our meetings and events. You can also follow us on X @GotheringtonLHS
LATEST NEWS
New Programme for the 2026/27 Season
Upcoming Presentations
Tuesday 24th November 2026 William Tyndale ‘One of the greatest Englishmen’ presented by Alan Pilbeam
More information to follow.
Recent Presentations
Tuesday 27th October 2026 – Gloucester and the Tall Ships from the Home Trade to Hollywood presented by Tony Conder
The history of Gloucester Docks and its legendary tall ships came alive at the October meeting of Gotherington History Society.
In his highly informative presentation, Gloucester docks expert, Tony Conder, explained that the docks at Gloucester were specifically designed for tall ships, which reach the docks by sailing up the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal, which bypasses the difficult and shallow tidal reaches of the River Severn.
The opening of the docks instantly turned the inland market cathedral city into a bustling international port for grain, timber, and other bulk cargo.
Tony brought the docks’ rich history to life with captivating stories and images of these magnificent vessels. He also highlighted the docks’ famous on-screen legacy, noting its use as a prime filming location for major TV series and films, including The Onedin Line, Amazing Grace, Alice Through the Looking Glass, Buffalo Girls, and Beaumarchais.
While the docks are set to celebrate their bicentenary in 2027, high silt levels currently prevent the surviving tall ships from safely entering the main basin for the festivities. Whilst a long term solution is sought, the only tall ship that remains in the docks is the 126-year-old Kathleen and May, which requires work to stabilise its structure before it can be taken to a dry dock for further repairs. Fundraising efforts for the project are underway.
We extend our thanks to Tony Conder for a fascinating presentation which will compel many of us to plan to visit the docks again very soon!
Tuesday 22nd September– Secret Cheltenham– David Elder.
<< As we know, there are known knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns, that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns – the ones we do not know we don’t know. >> Donald Rumsfeld
Our September history society meeting welcomed local author and researcher, David Elder, who captivated a well-attended audience by uncovering the bizarre, quirky, and unexpected secrets buried deep within the local archives of Cheltenham.
Borrowing a philosophical framework from Donald Rumsfeld, the evening was a masterclass in shifting the history of our town. For most in attendance, the stories presented began as true <<unknown unknowns>> – fascinating historical anomalies that we didn’t know existed, and didn’t even know we should be looking for. By the end of the night, David had successfully transformed them into <<known knowns>> – bringing Cheltenham’s vibrant secret history into the light.
The diverse array of hidden characters, events, and historical anomalies in David’s book, Secret Cheltenham, were cleverly synthesized to spell out CHELTENHAM SPA.
For example:
C = General Charles Lefebvre was captured during the Napoleonic Wars and later sent as a prisoner to England, and housed at Cheltenham where he lived for three years.
H = Henry Fossett Harley from Cheltenham served in the 16th Battalion (McCrae’s Battalion) The Royal Scots and was killed in action on July 1, 1916, during the first day of the Somme, just 3 hours after war was declared.
E = The Exmouth Arms is named after Admiral Edward Pellew, 1st Viscount Exmouth. After his historic naval victories, Admiral Exmouth actually came to Cheltenham to convalesce and drink the spa waters.
L = The Lamp Post on Clarence Street, near Imperial Circus was a frequent location for political meetings. One popular speaker being Rosa Swiney of the non-militant Women’s Suffrage Society.
T = Tobacco was grown not only in Winchcombe but also in Cheltenham, mainly at Arle but also at Charlton Kings.
And so on! See the image below for the full list of names.
We extend our warmest thanks to David Elder for a fascinating evening that will have left everyone looking at our familiar streets through new eyes.
Past Presentations
2025/26 ARCHIVE OF PRESENTATIONS
PAST EVENTS AND OUTINGS ORGANISED BY THE L.H.S.
USEFUL LINKS
Gloucestershire Local History Association
The Friends of Gloucestershire Archives
Gloucestershire Family History Society
ANCESTRY
The L.H.S. has a village family tree on Ancestry called ‘Gotherington Connections‘. Find the ‘home person,’ Tom Long, who was born at Gotherington in 1883 and who died there in 1959. He will lead you to over 3,000 profiles of people who once lived at either Gotherington, Woolstone, or Oxenton. The profiles on the tree predominantly incorporate research undertaken by Hilda Bishop in the 1970s and 80s. Access to Ancestry is available through Glos. Archives and at county libraries.
PUBLICATIONS
There are several local publications which focus on the history of our area. Local publications can be viewed by visiting online Courtyard Books
You can also browse in person a range of local books at The Cleeve Bookshop
RESEARCH IN PROGRESS (offers of photographs, newspaper cuttings, or memories gratefully received): –
Workhouses of north Gloucestershire by Jacquie Waine. Email: jmmwaine@gmail.com
Memories of village cricket by Rob Sharp. Email: rob_sharp100@hotmail.com
Why not undertake an investigation of your own?
Currently, members of the Society are researching the history of water in the area. There are always many different aspects of local history which could be researched, for example:
– the history of your house (we have notes on all the houses in Gotherington)
– a particular club/society eg. the Tritons?
– Gotherington Cross Garage?
– Longfurlong Mobile Home Park?
If you would like the Society to send research information to you then a donation to Gotherington LHS would be appreciated. Please contact the treasurer for details.
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