How county could have had own version of this old song
IF you have childhood memories of listening to Children’s favourites, on the radio (or wireless as it was then), you may recall a tune played often with the nowadays un-politically correct title of “Cigarettes and whisky and wild, wild women”.
Gloucestershire could have its own version of this old cowboy song. Cigarettes were made in Cheltenham during the 1920s. The factory stood at the junction of Bath Road with Vernon Place in a building that was once Tilley’s crumpet factory and is now a night club.
Ciggies were sold under the X-service brand name and came in pink packets that featured the motif of a First World War soldier in trenchcoat, well lumbered with his accoutrements. You can inspect a pack in the town’s Wilson museum.
A brand of whisky called Old & Good was marketed by the Gloucester firm of Bayley’s. Based in Southgate Street the long established company was principally a wine and brandy shipping concern.
A 1924 city guide carries an advertisement for Bayley’s offering brandy from vintage 1865 to 1915 and port from vintage 1834 to 1919. Other adverts from the same guide appear on this page.
Bayley’s Old & Good scotch was dubbed “The greyfriars’ blend” on the label, which featured the logo of a red nosed monk with a glass in hand, a smile on his lips and a cheeky look in his eye.
Anyone who liked a splash of soda with their Old & Good probably asked for a Talbot’s. This Commercial Road firm produced fizzy water and soft drinks, as well as bottling bass and Guinness for local tipplers.
Now to the wild, wild women. In the mid 1970s a timber framed house in Northgate Street, Gloucester was demolished. Before the ancient building was knocked down, archaeologists carried out a full survey and established that it was constructed in the 16th century.
For some of its life the building had been a pub, which advertised itself in a Gloucester Journal of 1750 as “The Red Lion in Lower Northgate Street an ancient and well accustomed inn”.
Halfpennies and pennies from the 18th century were found under the floorboards in what had been the bar. And scratched on a pane of glass in a first floor window, a few lines of graffiti were discovered. The etchings included a list of four names “Jos. Chester, Sukey Harris, Betsy Harris and Polly Rayer. 27 March 1770”.
Research revealed that Joseph Chester was at the time, curate of Sandhurst church. Sukey, Betsy and Polly were ladies of the night.
Drink was the downfall of a woman whose sorry story was revealed in the Gloucester Journal of December 25, 1883. “Lettie Davies, a decrepit old woman, was charged with being drunk and incapable. PC Barting found the prisoner lying on the pavement in such a state of drink that he had to remove her to the station in a truck.”
We can be sure that no such indignity every befell Dame Barbara Cartland, who had a strong association with Gloucestershire. Her maternal grandfather Colonel George Treweeke Scobell lived in Walton House, Newtown, Tewkesbury where the young Ms Cartland spent her school holidays.
Just inside the entrance gate from Church Street into the grounds of Tewkesbury Abbey is a memorial to Barbara Cartland’s father, mother and two brothers.
Inside is a monument she installed to the family. She may seem an unlikely contender for the title of wild, wild woman - but Dame Barbara had her moments. Queen of the bodice ripper romance, Ms Cartland was a prolific author with well over 400 titles to her credit that were translated into dozens of languages.
In her youth, however, Barbara Cartland was a racing driver. During the late 1920s and 30s she organised motor races for women at Brooklands and if you visit the museum that now occupies part of the site in Surrey where the banked track was once found, you’ll discover the Barbara Cartland Room.
Strange to think that the personification of taffeta and lace once donned leather helmet, boiler suit, goggles and gauntlets to wrestle at the wheel of a racing car.