Forest Folk, Blid'orth


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Before the war, dad worked for a decorating firm. They decorated public buildings. pubs and the like. Mam once told me that he had painted a mural on the walls of a pub in Blidworth. I assumed that it was the Forest Folk. Some years ago I drove out there to see if it was still visible. There was no sign of it, and no-one knew anything about it. Of course it could have been another pub in the village, but the Forest Folk seems the most likely. It is likely also that at some time it would have been photographed, or appeared in the background of a photograph.

 

Has anyone ever seen a picture of it? Have we a Blid'orth historian in our ranks?

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Chulla

I know there was a room dedicated to James Prior Kirk who wrote the book Forest Folk after which the pub was named. James Prior was a Mapperley lad and the book was about the Luddite revolt in Nottinghamshire. The pub had a stained glass window and a lobby that were dedicated to James Prior.

There was a large upstairs room on the corner that often held wedding receptions and if there was a mural of any size it was most likely there. Perhaps someone has photos? I cannot recall any murals in any other pubs/clubs in the village

Suggest that you contact the Blidworth Historical Society at blidworthhistory@virginmedia.com

Just for the record the locals call it Blid'uth

forestfolk2.jpg

 

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Chulla,

 

I stand corrected, in the "Forest Folk" Prior refers to it as Blid'orth.

" How far am I from Blidworth, pray ? " asked
the horseman.

The man seemed disinclined to answer at all, but
after a look and a pause said surlily :

" I'm i* Blid'orth, yo're i' Cauverton ; an* if yo
want ayther Farnsfield or Oxton, they're the tother
side the road."

" Thank you. And which is the way to the village
of Blidworth ? I presume there is more village than
this."

The man uncrooked a surly grimy reluctant finger
and pointed ; the horseman again thanked him and
rode away. But he had not gone twenty yards be-
fore he heard a loud voice behind him, another
voice :

" Tek the first turn to the raight."

 

I first read the book whilst at school and your post has caused me to look it up on line. If anyone is interested it is here

https://archive.org/stream/forestfolk00priouoft/forestfolk00priouoft_djvu.txt

It is a local story written in the Nottingham dialect. The book is no longer in print.

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  • 1 year later...

The only windows remaining from the Forest Folk pub are here, and they took me a long time to find: https://tonyshaw3.blogspot.com/2018/11/the-forest-folk-memorial-window.html I would also like to point out that, although I don't mind people using my photos - such as the one above - and although I don't mind them being used without my consent, I do however insist that they be attributed to me. The net is a great source for finding photos, but please remember that those not in the public domain belong to someone. Thank you.

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Forest Folk Blid'uth.......remember taking me Mam and several Aunts there in the 60s,,i think for a Dart Match............but somehow remember a Pub called ''the Squinting Cat''.............another time,, and going to a party on the Estate at the back.......Christine Mather also rings a bell   :rolleyes:

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4 hours ago, benjamin1945 said:

Pub called ''the Squinting Cat''.

On Mansfield Rd Clipstone. The Squinting Cat could be a bit of a rough pub at times. From memory a Shippo's house alas long demolished. The estate at the back was housing built for the workers at Clipstone Pit

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  • 1 year later...

Does anyone remember an Easter fun fair presented by Hibble and Mellors Amusements (Nottingham). They stopped travelling c.1964, so I guess I might be going back to the '50s. Apparently, it was presented on the pub car park???

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8 hours ago, Max B said:

Apparently, it was presented on the pub car park???

I do, it was on the Dale Lane side of the pub opposite the El Rico café and Madge Duggan's fish and chip shop. The Waltzer, dogems and whiplash always seemed to be there along with the usual side shows, shooting range, coconut shy, hook a duck and some kiddies rides.

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