The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland, 1868 describes the following - CINDERFORD, a parish, village and post town in the liberty of Dean Forest, in the county of Gloucester, 3 miles W. of Newnham. The living is a perpetual curacy in the diocese of Gloucester and Bristol, value £750, in the patronage of the crown. The church is dedicated to St. John. The Wesleyans and Baptists have each a place of worship.

Cinderford is named after the numerous mounds of cinders left from early ironmaking in the area. The town proper developed in the late 1700's when an ironworks was built and the large iron and coal mines were opened. Throughout the Victorian era there were numerous beerhouses and inns to supply the thirsty mines. By 1841 three furnaces were producing 12,000 tons of iron every year. The principal coal mines of the area inclded Lightmoor, Trafalgar and North United. Lightmoor was a major employer, supplying jobs to over 600 men in the 1930's. It closed in 1940. Other smaller mines continued iproviding employment n the area until the 1960's. St John the Evangelist was built in 1843, while St Stephens was constructed in 1890. The largest Baptist Chapel in the whole Forest area was built in 1843, while the Primitive Methodists buit a chapel in Church Road, in 1865.

    Top Left - St Johns, Cinderford

    Top right - Wesley Road, Cinderford

    Left - Miners Welfare Hall, Cinderfod

    Bottom left - Baptist Chapel, Cinderford

    Below - Primitive Methodist Chapel, Cinderford

FAMILY living at Cinderford, Gloucestershire, were as follows -

1881 Census at Bilson Green, Cinderford (CS1881-46); George Burgham (publican) born Littledean, Elizabeth Burgham, Fanny White (adopted-dau); RR family tree.

1881 Census at Cinderford (CS1881-68); Edwin Burgham (iron moulder), Ann Burgham, Lewis Burgham (son); Maurice Burgham (son, a puddler), Oliver Burgham (son, a puddler), Charlotte Burgham, Eva Burgham, Thomas Burgham and Silvester Burgham; MM family tree.

1881 Census at Hinders Lane, Cinderford (CS1881-69); Joseph Burgum (labourer), Salome Burgam, Samuel Burgam (son, a coal miner), Drusilla Burgam (dau-in-law), Elizabeth A. Burgam (dau of Samuel) and Ellen Johns (sister of Drusilla); LL family tree.

1891 Census at Victoria Inn, Furnaces, Cinderford (CS1891-14); George Burgum (publican and butcher), Elizabeth Burgum and Fanny White (adopted dau); RR family tree.

1891 Census at Woodside Road, Cinderford (CS1891-16); Samuel Burgum (coal miner), Lucy Burgum, Elizabeth Burgum (dau), Samuel Burgum (son), Mary J. Burgum (dau), George Burgum (son), Ellen Burgum (dau) and Lucy Burgum; LL family tree.

1891 Census at Wesley Road, Cinderford (CS1891-57); William Burgham (engineer, born Redbrook), Ann Burgham, Annie Flory Burgham (dau), Henry Burgham (son, stoker), Arthur J. Burgham (son), Oliver Burgham (son) and Archilaus Burgham (son) - all cildren born Cinderford; MM family tree.

1891 Census at Bilson Green, Cinderford (CS1891-58); Ann Burgham, Lewis T. Burgham (son, iron moulder), Eva D. Burgham (dau), Thomas E.. Burgham (son, blacksmith) and Silvester Burgham (son) and Archilaus Burgham (son) - all cildren born Redbrook; MM family tree.

1891 Census at Woodside Road, Cinderford (CS1891-114); Salome Burgumm (on parish relief), a widow; LL family tree.

1901 Census at Upper Bilson Road, Cinderford (CS1901-7); Frank French, Eva Dorothy (Burgham) French, Ivy French (dau), Maurice French (son), Ann Burgham (mother-in-law), widow of Edwin; MM family tree.

1901 Census at Wesley Road, Cinderford (CS1901-8); William Burgham (engine driver stationary), Ann Burgham, Arthur J. Burgham (son, butchers assistant), Oliver Burgham (son, engine apprentice) and Maud Drew (gd-dau); MM family tree.

1901 Census at Churchway, near Cinderford (CS1901-10); Samuel Burgham, Drusilla Burgham, Samuel Burgham (son, coal hewer), Mary J. Burgham (dau, general servant), George Burgham (son, colliery belt boy), Ellen Burgham, Drusilla Burgham, Eliza Burgham, Mary Ann Burgham and Harriet Burgham; LL family tree.

1901 Census at Woodside Road, near Cinderford (CS1901-13); Edward Buffin (coal miner), Elizabeth (Burgham) Buffin (parents=Sam and Drucilla), Dorothy Buffin (dau) and Salome Burgham (grandmother-in-law); LL family tree.

1901 Census at High St, Woodside St Stephens Cinderford (CS1901-20); Thomas Burgham (shoeing smith), Hannah Burgham, Edward Simkins (stepson) and Sarah Simkins (stepdau); MM family tree.

1911 Census at Wesley Road, Cinderford (CS1911-81); William Burgham (engine driver colliery), Ann Burgham and Maud Drew (gd-dau); MM family tree.

1911 Census at Victoria St, Cinderford (CS1911-112); Thomas Burgham (colliery blacksmith), Hannah Burgham, Edward Simkins (stepson), Sarah Simkins (stepdau) and Maud Burgham (dau, scholar), Thomas Burgham (son) and Harold Burgham (son); MM family tree.

1911 Census at Bilson Green, Cinderford (CS1911-130); Sanuel Burgham (coal miner hewer), Selina Burgham, Harry Burgham (son), Fred Burgham (son), Eva Burgham (dau) and Edgar Burgham (son); LL family tree.