I spoke briefly to my mum today and she has given more thought to the photo and concedes that you are correct with the naming of Mrs Gwen Stearman. She also told me that I was inaccurate in the details relating to my Uncle Reg and where the Adams family lived (they didn’t live next door but a few houses away, the Kelly records should show exactly which house number they resided in). My Uncle Reg had the horse and cart as a teenager when he worked on ‘the farm’. Apparently the horse and cart was used to bring the milk into Coley……he did work for Blundells as did my Uncle Will and also my Dad at some point when he returned from National Service (My dad hailed from Newtown in Reading). She would be able to give you more information on dates etc.
My mum was born towards the end of the year in 1939 and I’m guessing from your email address that you may have been born in 1941 so you were roughly the same age. Her brother John was not too much older than her but the other brothers, Reg, Will and Albert were quite a bit older and although still in their late teens I understand were all away fighting in the war when she was a baby. She can’t remember much about them until they returned when she was about 4/5 years old. I understand that later in his life my Uncle Will collected loads of photos and also inherited those which survived the years from my Nan and Grandad (Winifred and George Maskell). My Uncle Will and his wife passed away a few years ago but their surviving son still lives in their house and I know has the photo’s. I’ll ask my mum to contact him and tell him about your website and quest for information….you never know! I’ve asked my mum to dig out her photos of Coley and I’m sure I’ve seen some old school photos and a Brownie photo. I’ll scan them and send them to you. She has so many memories about the area and especially the people.
Best Regards
Jackie Ward