HERE IS A NOSTALGIC AND BRIEF LOOK AT THE THEN SO SAY CONTROVERSIAL, DRUG FUELED,DEBAUCHED PUNK ROCK ERA, HERE IN THE UK. FROM IT’S BEGINNINGS IN 1976 THROUGH TO THE EARLY 1980’s FEATURING AN ARRAY OF ORIGINAL MEMORABILIA ON DISPLAY AT THE CRIME THROUGH TIME COLLECTION, LITTLEDEAN JAIL , FOREST OF DEAN , GLOUCESTERSHIRE, UK

Here is a brief look at some of the privately owned items  from former punk rocker from late 1976 through to the early 80’s , Andy Jones of The Crime Through Time Collection , Littledean Jail .

ORIGINAL CLASH TOUR POSTER

 

Andy was also bass player in former Gloucester punk band – Demob and then later in the 1980’s Goth Rock Band “Kiss The Blade” see the video below …. (I am the then slim bass playing geezer in sunglasses and blond hair … still a punk rocker in 1986 )

All the punk clothing items were either worn , or personally acquired by him during this period, as was all the other punk memorabilia  now featured here on display .

Andy says …. “Yes both the Quadrophenia and punk rock exhibitions here on display at Littledean Jail  are of a very selfish interest… In youth culture terms it was in many ways a controversial, ” sex , drugs and rock and roll” fuelled era . Whilst I never took drugs …. it was a brilliant period … AND I LOVED IT. Loads of great multi-cultural music , fashion , beautiful ladies and I travelled each and every highway from 1976 (when I was mere 14 ) through to the early eighties, jumping trains to travel to watch an endless array of punk rock bands, then having missed the last trains back to Gloucester … sleeping in cardboard boxes with tramps at London  Paddington Station on endless occasions (no cardboard boxes or tramps on the platforms nowadays ) . My personal favourite punk bands were… The Sex Pistols, The Clash , UK Subs , The Damned , Siouxsie and The Banshees, 999 to name but a few. I was also a regular at Malcolm McLaren and Vivienne Westwood’s “Seditionaries” and their rival cloth shop “Boy” … as well as Camden Market etc . The plain truth is that  I WAS THERE …

  So for anybody who may well wish to criticize or rubbish these personal collections, I would wish to make it clear that I was never interested in acquiring such items for monetary or investment gains and neither am I a dealer to sell items on  …

As is very apparent if and when you visit Littledean Jail …I am simply an obsessive hoarder and so glad I saved these and a great many other items of interest …. hopefully for other peoples enjoyment too. LONG LIVE PUNK ” .

THE FIRST SEX PISTOLS T SHIRT  ( SO SAY ????) ….

A VERY RARE AND AT THE TIME A VERY CONTROVERSIAL  ….1976 MALCOLM MCLAREN  DESIGNED “SMOKING BOYS” T SHIRT  WHICH FEATURES AN IMAGE TAKEN BY MCLAREN FROM A PAEDOPHILE MAGAZINE ALSO THIS T SHIRT IS COMPLETE WITH IT’S UNTOUCHED ,INNER ORIGINAL SEX SHOP LABEL

WHILST NOT 100% SURE , AND I MAY BE WRONG ???? (PLEASE DO CORRECT ME IF I AM WRONG ???) AS FAR AS I AM AWARE , THIS IS BELIEVED TO BE ONE OF MALCOM MCLAEN’S  FIRST 50 SCREEN PRINTED RUNS  OF HIS FIRST SEX PISTOLS T SHIRT IN 1976 KNOWN AS THE SMOKING BOYS T SHIRT . SEEN HERE WITH IT’S ORIGINAL SEX LABEL  (SEE BELOW) . PRINTED BY THEN SEX PISTOLS BASSIST GLEN MATLOCK USING THE COLLEGE PRINTING EQUIPMENT  WHILST HE WAS STUDYING AT CENTRAL ST MARTINS ART SCHOOL IN LONDON .

IF I AM WRONG IT WAS MANUFACTURED DURING THE NEXT PRINT RUN IN THE SAME YEAR SHORTLY AFTER THE FIRST PRINT RUN  …1976

 

CLOSE-UP OF WELL WORN AND NOW WRINKLED  SEX ORIGINAL INNER LABEL

BELOW: ORIGINAL 1977 … AT THE TIME (AND STILL IS ) VERY CONTROVERSIAL SEDITIONARIES  T-SHIRT . ALSO SEEN HERE WORN BY ADAM ANT ( SEEN HERE WITH SIOUXSIE BACK IN 1977) AND ALSO AMERICAN PUNK ROCK SINGER JOAN JETT .

BELOW ….. CAN’T REMEMBER DATE OF PURCHASE OF THIS ORIGINAL DESTROY MUSLIN SHIRT  FROM MALCOM MCLAREN AND VIVIENNE WESTWOOD’S SHOP “SEDITIONARIES” … SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 1977 AND 1979 ?? BUT DEFINATELY AN ORIGINAL ONE .

HERE BELOW IS ANOTHER VERSION OF AN ORIGINAL 1980 DESTROY MUSLIN SHIRT FOR WHICH I BELIEVE WAS AT THE TIME UNDER A SEPERATE LICENCE WITH BOY CLOTHING AS WAS AGREED WITH VIVIENNE WESTWOOD WHILST MALCOM MCLAREN WAS AWAY IN THE USA ?? … PURCHASED FROM BOY CLOTHING SHOP WITH THE UNDERGARMENT AS CAN ALSO BE SEEN HERE … ALONG WITH THE BOY CLOTHING LABEL ON THE COLLAR .

 

BELOW IS AN ARRAY OF VARIOUS LATE 1970’S TO EARLY 1980’S  ORIGINAL PUNK ROCK SHIRTS FROM BOTH MALCOM MCLAREN & VIVIENNE WESTWOOD’S SEDITIONARIES AND THEIR THEN  RIVALS  BOY  CLOTHING  BOUTIQUE SHOPS BOTH ON THE KINGS ROAD , CHELSEA.  NOW ON DISPLAY AT THE CRIME THROUGH TIME COLLECTION, LITTLEDEAN JAIL , ALONG WITH A GALLERY OF  VARIOUS  OTHER PUNK ROCK MEMORABILIA INCLUDING ORIGINAL POSTERS , SIGNED MEMORABILIA…. ETC ETC ALL ON DISPLAY HERE AT THE JAIL

ALL IN ALL A GREAT YOUTH CULTURE PERIOD FOR WHICH ANDY WAS GLAD TO HAVE BEEN A PART OF ….. HENCE THIS SELFISH COLLECTION BEING HERE ON DISPLAY FROM WHAT WAS AT THE TIME A BIT OF A CONTROVERSIAL PERIOD IN IT’S OWN RIGHT TOO .

Rear view of parachute harness on original Malcom McLaren and Vivienne Westwood black labelled Punk Rock “Parachute” shirt circa 1977

Close up of button on original Malcom McLaren and Vivienne Westwood black labelled Punk Rock “Parachute” shirt circa 1977

Original Malcom McLaren and Vivienne Westwood black labelled Punk Rock “Parachute” shirt circa 1977

Original Malcom McLaren and Vivienne Westwood black labelled Punk Rock “Parachute” shirt circa 1977

Original Seditionaries product label on Malcom McLaren and Vivienne Westwood black labelled Punk Rock “Parachute” shirt circa 1977

Face on view of parachute harness on original Malcom McLaren and Vivienne Westwood black labelled Punk Rock “Parachute” shirt circa 1977

HERE BELOW IS AGAIN ONLY A BRIEF SLIDESHOW GALLERY OF A FEW OF THE PUNK ROCK MEMORABILIA ITEMS HERE ON DISPLAY AT THE CRIME THROUGH TIME COLLECTION , LITTLEDEAN JAIL . TO INCLUDE ORIGINAL POSTERS OF ALL SIZES , FLYERS , SIGNED ALBUMS AND PHOTO’S ETC, SID VICIOUS’S WELL WORN BOOTS AND WRIST CHAIN ETC, ETC

PLEASE NOTE … DUE TO SIZE AND QUANTITY OF IMAGES IN THE SLIDESHOW , THERE MAY BE A SLIGHT DELAY IN LOADING THEM … SO PLEASE BE PATIENT

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Original UK Subs “Warhead” single poster

 

 

 

BELOW…. A  SEEMINGLY  ORIGINAL AND WELL AGED VINTAGE SEX PISTOLS POSTER SIZED 25.5 INCHES HEIGHT X 14 INCHES WIDTH?? … NOT REALLY SURE OF IT’S ORIGINS. WAS THIS  A ONE-OFF BESPOKE POSTER, OR  WAS IT A LATER DESIGN TO  POSSIBLY INCORPERATE  THE LATER USED   JAMIE REID  SWASTIKA SYMBOL DESIGN ON THE PISTOLS MEMORABILIA ?? I HONESTLY DO NOT KNOW BUT IT’S STILL AN INTERESTING POSTER DESIGN . ????

A BIT CONFUSING FOR ME TOO … AS THE SWASTIKA SYMBOL TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE WAS NOT PART OF THE EARLY SEX PISTOLS SYMBOLISM AT THE TIME OF THE RELEASE OF ANARCHY IN THE UK  …. CAN’T SEE ANY PURPOSE OF ANYONE WISHING TO FAKE OR DEFACE THIS POSTER EITHER … SO ALL IN ALL A BIT OF AN ODDITY ???.

IF ANYBODY CAN SHED ANY LIGHT ON THE ORIGINS OF THIS POSTER PLEASE DO CONTACT US AT THE JAIL BY PRIVATE MESSAGE

Original CRASS poster

Original signed single by Gene October frontman of great early days punk rock band CHELSEA

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A BRIEF INSIGHT INTO THE LIFE AND DEATH OF FORMER MEMBER OF THE SEX PISTOLS SID VICIOUS ( 10 MAY 1952- 2 FEB 1979) AND HIS GIRLFRIEND NANCY SPUNGEN , ALSO FEATURING SID’S TREASURED LEATHER BIKER BOOTS AND BIKE CHAIN BRACELET WHICH ARE HERE ON DISPLAY AT LITTLEDEAN JAIL .

ABOVE: SID VICIOUS WITH HIS GIRLFRIEND NANCY SPUNGEN

BELOW IS THE POLICE MUGSHOT OF SID VICIOUS AT THE TIME OF ONE OF HIS MANY ARRESTS , BACK IN 1979, IN NEW YORK , USA.

BELOW … IMAGE OF SID VICIOUS WEARING THESE BIKER BOOTS WHILST PRANCING ABOUT IN PARIS WHILST FILMING A TV DOCUMENTARY .

ABOVE AND BELOW …SID VICIOUS PERFORMING SOLO WEARING THESE LEATHER BOOTS ON WHAT WAS HIS LAST LIVE PERFORMANCE AT MAX’S KANSAS CITY , NEW YORK ON SEPTEMBER 29 1978 … LATER TO BE REPORTED IN THE  NME DATED 14 OCTOBER 1978

SID VICIOUS PERFORMING SOLO WEARING THESE LEATHER BOOTS ON WHAT WAS HIS LAST LIVE PERFORMANCES AT MAX’S KANSAS CITY , NEW YORK ON SEPTEMBER 29 1978 … LATER TO BE REPORTED IN THE NME DATED 14 OCTOBER 1978

SID VICIOUS PERFORMING SOLO WEARING THESE LEATHER BOOTS ON WHAT WAS HIS LAST LIVE PERFORMANCES AT MAX’S KANSAS CITY , NEW YORK ON SEPTEMBER 29 1978 … LATER TO BE REPORTED IN THE NME DATED 14 OCTOBER 1978

NME CUTTING DATED 14 OCTOBER 1978 OF SID VICIOUS WEARING THESE BOOTS DURING HIS SOLO GIG AT MAX’S KANSAS CITY GIG … A GREAT RARE CLOSE-UP OF SID’S BOOTS AS WAS LAST WORN BY SID SHORTLY BEFORE HIS ARREST FOR THE MURDER OF HIS GIRLFRIEND NANCY SPUNGEN ON 12 OCTOBER 1978

PURCHASE RECEIPT FOR THE BOOTS … BOUGHT BY ANDY JONES FOR THE CRIME THROUGH TIME COLLECTION AT FRASERS AUCTION HOUSE , LONDON, BACK IN 2000

CLOSE UP IMAGE OF SID VICIOUS BOOTS

CLOSE UP IMAGE OF SID VICIOUS BOOTS

CLOSE UP IMAGE OF SID VICIOUS BOOTS

CLOSE UP IMAGE OF SID VICIOUS BOOTS

CLOSE UP IMAGE OF SID VICIOUS BOOTS

CLOSE UP IMAGE OF SID VICIOUS BOOTS

CLOSE UP IMAGE OF SID VICIOUS BOOTS

CLOSE UP IMAGE OF SID VICIOUS BOOTS

CLOSE UP IMAGE OF SID VICIOUS BOOTS

CLOSE UP IMAGE OF SID VICIOUS BOOTS

CLOSE UP IMAGE OF SID VICIOUS BOOTS

CLOSE UP IMAGE OF SID VICIOUS BOOTS

Above are several images of Sid Vicious most treasured leather biker boots , which he can also be seen wearing in this video of him prancing about in Paris , France . in his alleged suicide note ( many believe that this was actually written by his mother Anne Beverley ) he had requested that he be buried with his leather jacket and these leather biker boots … This was never the case as he was cremated and his ashes were secretly thrown over Nancy’s grave . His mother had subsequently kept his personal clothing last worn by him and later these boots were auctioned off in the year 2000 by Alan Parker through Frasers Auctions , London . Bought by Andy Jones of the Crime Through Time Collection and now on permanent display  at Littledean Jail , Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, UK .

Original painting by Gloucestershire artist Paul Bridgman of Sid Vicious and his girlfriend Nancy Spungen  on display in and amongst our Punk Rock Collection here at Littledean Jail.

ABOVE IS SID’S ( NOW WELL AGED )  BIKE CHAIN BRACELET ALONG WITH IMAGE OF HIM WEARING THIS . ALSO HERE ON DISPLAY AT THE CRIME THROUGH TIME COLLECTION , LITTLEDEAN JAIL .

Sid Vicious, born John Simon Ritchie, later named John Beverley (10 May 1957 – 2 February 1979), was an English bass guitarist, drummer and vocalist, most famous as a member of the influential punk rock band the Sex Pistols, and notorious for his arrest for the murder of his girlfriend, Nancy Spungen.

Vicious joined the Sex Pistols in early 1977, to replace Glen Matlock, who had fallen out of favour with the rest of the group. Due to intravenous drug use, Vicious was hospitalized with hepatitis during the recording of the band’s only studio album Never Mind the Bollocks. Accordingly, his bass is only partially featured on one song from the album. Vicious would later appear as a lead vocalist, performing three cover songs, on the soundtrack to The Great Rock ‘n’ Roll Swindle, a largely fictionalized documentary about the Sex Pistols, produced by the group’s former manager Malcolm McLaren and directed by Julien Temple.

During the brief and chaotic ascendancy of the Sex Pistols, Vicious met eventual girlfriend and manager Nancy Spungen. Spungen and Vicious entered a destructive codependent relationship based on drug use. This culminated in Spungen’s death from an apparent stab wound while staying in New York City‘s Hotel Chelsea with Vicious. Under suspicion of having committed Spungen’s murder, Vicious was released on bail; he was later arrested again for assaulting Todd Smith, brother of Patti Smith, at a night club, and underwent drug rehabilitation on Rikers Island. In celebration of Vicious’ release from prison, his mother hosted a party for him at his girlfriend’s residence in Greenwich Village, which was attended notably by the Misfits bassist Jerry Only.

Vicious’ mother had been supplying him with drugs and paraphernalia since he was young, and assisted him in procuring heroin late that night. Vicious died in his sleep, having overdosed on the heroin his mother had procured.

Less than four weeks after Vicious’ death, the soundtrack album of The Great Rock ‘n’ Roll Swindle was released. Later that year, on 15 December, a compilation of live material recorded during his brief solo career was packaged and released as Sid Sings.

In the 1986 feature-film Sid and Nancy, Gary Oldman gave a much-acclaimed performance as Sid.

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ABOVE IS AN EXCEPTIONALLY SCARCE AND RARE SIGNED BY BOTH PHOTOGRAPH OF SID AND NANCY TOGETHER .

 

BELOW IS THE ICONIC AND CONTROVERSIAL ALBUM COVER OF THE SEX PISTOLS …” NEVER MIND THE BOLLOCKS HERE’S THE SEX PISTOLS ” THIS BEING A FULLY SIGNED BY THE ORIGINAL PISTOLS LINE UP ON A RARE RUSSIAN VERSION OF THE ALBUM .

 

 

Nancy Spungen death and Sid Vicious arrest

Sid Vicious mugshot 9 December 1978

On the morning of 12 October 1978, Vicious claimed to have awoken from a drugged stupor to find Nancy Spungen dead on the bathroom floor of their room in the Hotel Chelsea in Manhattan, New York. She had suffered a single stab wound to her abdomen and appeared to have bled to death. The knife used had been bought by Vicious on 42nd Street and was identical to a “007” flip-knife given to punk rock vocalist Stiv Bators of the Dead Boys by Dee Dee Ramone. According to Dee Dee’s wife at the time, Vera King Ramone, Vicious had bought the knife after seeing Stiv’s. Vicious was arrested and charged with her murder.^[He said they had fought that night but gave conflicting versions of what happened next, saying, “I stabbed her, but I never meant to kill her”, then saying that he did not remember and at one point during the argument Spungen had fallen onto the knife

On 22 October, ten days after Spungen’s death, Vicious attempted suicide by slitting his wrist with a smashed light bulb and was subsequently hospitalized at Bellevue Hospital where he also tried killing himself by jumping from a window as well as shouting “I want to be with my Nancy” or other similar words, but was pulled back by hospital staff. In an interview he gave in November 1978, he said that Nancy’s death was “meant to happen” and that “Nancy always said she’d die before she was 21.” Near the end of the interview, he was asked if he was having fun. In reply, he asked the interviewer if he was kidding, adding that he would like to be “under the ground.” It was also at Bellevue that he met his lawyer James Merberg, who did everything he could to keep Vicious out of jail.

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 SID VICIOUS SUICIDE BY OVERDOSE

 

On the evening of February 1, 1979, a small gathering to celebrate Vicious having made bail was held at the 63 Bank Street, New York apartment of his new girlfriend, Michelle Robinson. Sid and Michelle had started dating in November after Sid was released from Bellevue Hospital the previous October. Vicious was clean, having been on a detoxification methadone program during his time at Rikers Island. At the dinner gathering, however, Sid had some heroin delivered by his friend, English photographer Peter Kodick, against the wishes of Sid’s girlfriend and some other people at the party. It was also during this party that Sid had apparently spent the hours looking towards the future; he had plans for an album he was going to record to get his life and career on track should he be off the hook. Vicious overdosed at midnight, but everyone who was there that night worked together to get him up and walking around in order to revive him. At 3:00 am, Vicious and Michelle Robinson went to bed together. Vicious died in the night and was discovered dead by Anne and Michelle early the next morning.

In his first interview, appearing in the Daily Mirror‘s June 11, 1977 issue, Vicious said “I’ll probably die by the time I reach 25. But I’ll have lived the way I wanted to.”

A few days after Vicious’ cremation, his mother allegedly found a suicide note in the pocket of his jacket:

We had a death pact, and I have to keep my half of the bargain. Please bury me next to my baby. Bury me in my leather jacket, jeans and motorcycle boots Goodbye.

Since Spungen was Jewish, she was buried in a Jewish cemetery. As Vicious was not Jewish, he could not be buried with her. According to the book Please Kill Me: The Uncensored Oral History of Punk by Legs McNeil and Gillian McCain, Jerry Only of the Misfits drove Anne and her sister, and two of Sid’s friends to the cemetery where Nancy was buried and Anne scattered Sid’s ashes over Nancy Spungen’s grave. In the same book, it is alleged that the cemetery didn’t want to be associated with Vicious and his inherent negative reputation, and it is speculated that this was of greater importance to them than the above stated reason he and Nancy weren’t able to be buried together.

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DEEMED AND FROWNED UPON BY GLOUCESTERSHIRE TOURISM CHIEFS FOR MANY YEARS AS THE POOR RELATION TO THE COTSWOLDS … THE FOREST OF DEAN HAS RAPIDLY RISEN TO BECOME THE HEART OF TOURISM WITHIN THE COUNTY. WITH PLENTY OF INTERESTING PLACES TO VISIT, STAY AND EAT… VISITORS FROM AROUND THE WORLD FLOCK HERE & ARE ALWAYS MADE WELCOME IN OUR REMOTE, CURIOUS, BEAUTIFUL & UNSPOILT COUNTRYSIDE.

POLITE WARNING,  WE ARE A “DARK TOURISM ” VISITOR ATTRACTION & MOST CERTAINLY NOT SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN, THOSE EASILY OFFENDED, DISTURBED OR OF A SENSITIVE NATURE SO IF THIS APPLIES TO YOU … PLEASE DO AVOID  VISITING  TO THE CRIME THROUGH TIME COLLECTION AT LITTLEDEAN JAIL.

 AS WE SAY ABOVE … THERE IS STILL LOTS TO SEE & DO ELSEWHERE DURING YOUR VISIT TO THE FOREST OF DEAN… WITH PLENTLY OF FAMILY FRIENDLY ATTRACTIONS

ABOVE: a short video showing highlights of the spooky cult horror 1974 film ” HOUSE OF WHIPCORD” featuring some of the many scenes shot in  Littledean Jail, Littledean Village,Lydney and other Forest Of Dean areas

Being proud to be based , and living here in Littledean , Forest of Dean ….here is our own brief insight and recommendations on where to stay , eat and enjoy during your visit to our wonderful and truly welcoming Forest of Dean area .Great place to visit and  great friendly people ….

Previously and seemingly frowned upon in The County of Gloucestershire by Tourism Chiefs as the poor relation to The Cotswolds ….  there can be no doubt that The Forest of Dean is continually growing in popularity to be one of the country’s most  picturesque and  interesting area to visit …..with a great many visitor attractions, great places to stay, along with lots to do and see .

The Forest of Dean is has become one of the country’s most  popular film location areas with Hollywood, other film makers and TV Companies all using the Forests natural beauty  …. Recent filming in the area has  included Star Wars , The Huntsman (sequel to Snow White and The Huntsman ), Dr Who and Merlin to name but a few .

Incidentally world famous actress Helen Mirren also used to reside here close to the jail  in Littledean .

Helen Mirren pictured here in TV drama Prime Suspect

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BELOW : SAINT ANTHONY’S WELL… A SACRED WELL  BUILT BY THE FLAXLEY ABBEY MONKS …. ALSO USED FOR PAGAN , WICCAN , WITCHCRAFT AND THE OCCULT RITUALS . APPROX 1.5 MILES FROM LITTLEDEAN JAIL .

ABOVE: ELLEN HAYWARD ( OLD ELLEN ) THE LAST WOMAN TO BE TRIED FOR WITCHCRAFT IN GLOUCESTERSHIRE , HERE AT LITTLEDEAN JAIL ….. HER HEADSTONE AND  GRAVE CAN BE SEEN AT ST JOHN’S CHURCH , CINDERFORD

ABOVE: PC SAMUEL BEARD … THE FIRST POLICEMAN TO BE KILED IN THE LINE OF DUTY IN GLOUCESTERSHIRE , WHO WAS STATIONED HERE AT LITLLEDAN JAIL  FOR 16 YEARS WITH HIS WIFE AND FAMILY …. HIS HEADSTONE AND GRAVE CAN BE SEEN AT ST ETHELBERT’S CHURCH , LITTLEDEAN .

ABOVE : Andy Jones “The Guv’ of The Crime Through Time Collection here at Littledean Jail ”  …. deemed by many as the ” Marmite Museum ” … you will either love it or hate it.

ABOVE AND BELOW : Just to remind those who have not yet seen our brief Peaky Blinders Exhibition …. worth a peek !!!

When coming to the Forest of Dean either to visit Littledean jail or any of the other great local tourism attractions in the area, we can highly recommend these places to stay , eat and drink ….

Fern Ticket Hotel, family run  pub and restaurant in Cinderford,

 Littledean House Hotel and Indian Restaurant .. family run establishment  in Littledean and undoubtedly one of the best curry houses in the county .

The Belfry Hotel and Restaurant  … another popular local hotel and restaurant

The Speech House Hotel … Family run and one of the most historic hotels in the area

other great restaurants in the area include ….

The Whitehart, Broadoak  …. A riverside restaurant, pub and child friendly play area.

FOREST HOUSE HOTEL & ANDERSENS RESTAURANT , COLEFORD , Top draw food and family run hospitality

Whitemead Forest Park,Lydney  ….A great family friendly place to stay , visit and eat .

Blaisdon House B & B   …. A great family friendly place to stay

Brayne Court … A great family friendly place to stay

Red Hart Inn , Blaisdon … A great place to eat .

http://thelyoninn.com/  Westbury on Severn … another fab place to eat, meet and greet .

There are also many other Camp Sites and Bed and Breakfasts to stay at in the area .

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For local taxi services we would recommend …

Mark Turner of Onecall Taxi Cinderford

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Local Tourism attractions to visit include ….

The Crime Through Time Collection at Littledean Jail

Puzzlewood

Clearwell Caves

Stockwood

Go Ape

Beechenhurst  Trail

The Maize and Trecking Centre , Littledean

Pedalabikeaway Biking Centre

Taurus Crafts

The National Diving and Activity Centre

Perrygrove Railway & Tree top Adventure.

Symonds Yat Rock

The International Centre for Birds of Prey.

Forest of Dean Sculpture TrailAlso do take a look at the Explore Gloucestershire Website for further activity information in the Forest of Dean area’s

A BRIEF INSIGHT INTO THE UK’S ONLY QUADROPHENIA COLLECTION, 1960’S REVISITED ” A TASTE OF NORTHERN SOUL DOWN HERE IN THE SOUTH EXHIBITION” AND BEYOND HERE AT LITTLEDEAN JAIL, ROYAL FOREST OF DEAN, GLOUCESTERSHIRE, UK

THE ICONIC, TIMELESS….. THEN CONTROVERSIAL , FOUL-MOUTHED , DRUG-FUELLED AND YET STILL BRILLIANT TO WATCH …… 1979 CLASSIC CULT FILM

   QUADROPHENIA

HERE’S SOME MORE GREAT INTERACTIVE FOOTAGE FROM THE FILM QUADROPHENIA . A GREAT BRITISH FILM THAT REMAINS AS ICONIC AS WHEN FIRST  RELEASED BACK IN 1979 . A GREAT COLLECTIVE CAST LIST …. MANY OF WHOM REMAIN HOUSEHOLD NAMES TODAY …. THEY INCLUDE … RAY WINSTONE , PHIL DANIELS, STING, PHIL DAVIS, LESLIE ASH, TIMOTHY SPALL…ETC ETC…

DO COME VISIT THE QUADROPHENIA COLLECTION HERE AT LITTLEDEAN JAIL IN THE ROYAL FOREST OF DEAN , GLOUCESTERSHIRE ,UK .

PRINT OF THE ORIGINAL PAINTING BY GLOUCESTERSHIRE ARTIST PAUL BRIDGMAN. THE ORIGINAL PAINTING IS ON DISPLAY AT LITTLEDEAN JAIL

I’M ON MY WAY TO THE QUADROPHENIA EXHIBITION AT LITTLEDEAN JAIL WITH DEAN PARRISH

 

HERE ON DISPLAY AT THE JAIL WE HAVE THE ORIGINAL “ACE FACE” – GS VESPA SCOOTER AS WAS USED IN THE 1979 ICONIC QUADROPHENIA FILM …. ALONG WITH A 100% REPLICA “JIMMY” … LAMBRETTA SCOOTER BUILT FROM MANY OF THE ORIGINAL PARTS OF THE ORIGINAL SCOOTER AS USED IN THE FILM . CLOTHING , MEMORABILIA  AND MUCH MUCH MORE 

HERE IS A BRIEF LOOK AT SOME OF THE MANY ORIGINAL SIGNED FILM STILLS  FROM SOME OF THE LEADING STARS OF THIS , AT THE TIME … HIGHLY CONTROVERSIAL ICONIC BRITISH FILM . SCROLL DOWN THIS PAGE TO SEE MORE OF THE HUNDREDS OF SIGNED FILM STILLS AND VARIOUS OTHER FILM MEMORABILIA HERE ON DISPLAY AT LITTLEDEAN JAIL’S – QUADROPHENIA COLLECTION .

Don’t worry the original “Ace Face ” GS Vespa Scooter as used in the film and salvaged for posterity is on display here at the jail and is not the one that is seen going over the cliff face and smashed to bits on the rocks below.

Incidently for all Quadrophenia fans out there ….. a total of 5 number “Ace Face” GS Vespa Scooters were built and used in the film….. 3 of which were used for the last scene (going over the cliff) , 1 was written off during filming and destroyed and we have the only surviving scooter that was ridden and used by both the “Ace Face” and “Jimmy”  during filming.

WE HAVE ALSO SINCE ADDED “A TASTE OF NORTHERN SOUL DOWN HERE IN THE SOUTH EXHIBITION ” INCLUDING VARIOUS ORIGINAL NORTHERN SOUL MEMORABILIA AND EPHEMERA .

NOT FORGETTING OF COURSE …. OUR “1960’S REVISITED” COLLECTIONS .

A MUST SEE VISITOR ATTRACTION IN IT’S OWN RIGHT FOR ALL QUADROPHENIA FANS, SCOOTER BOYS & GIRLS, MODS, NORTHERN SOUL FANS , TWO-TONE AND SKA FANS, SKINHEADS. REGGAE SKINHEADS AND TAMLA MOTOWN FANS TOO.

LIAM GALLAGHER FORMER FRONTMAN OF OASIS  AND NOW BEADY EYE SEEN HERE USING THE ORIGINAL “ACE FACE” GS VESPA  AND “HELPLESS DANCER” SCOOTERS  FROM THE QUADROPHENIA COLLECTION HERE AT LITTLEDEAN JAIL FOR A PHOTO SHOOT TO LAUNCH HIS PRETTY GREEN CLOTHING RANGE . THE PHOTO SHOOT TOOK PLACE AT BEACHY HEAD , EASTBOURNE AND AT SALTASH LIDO, NEAR BRIGHTON BOTH SCOOTERS USED BEING FROM THE QUADROPHENIA COLLECTION HERE .

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ABOVE  IS A PICTORIAL SLIDESHOW INSIGHT INTO SOME OF THE GREAT MANY DISPLAY ITEMS RELATING TO THE ICONIC 1979 CULT BRITISH FILM -QUADROPHENIA EXHIBITED IN ONE OF THE OUTBUILDINGS HERE AT LITTLEDEAN JAIL . IT INCLUDES A MASS OF ORIGINAL SIGNED FILM STILLS , FILM POSTERS, CLOTHING, ORIGINAL FILM SCRIPT , CLOTHING AND MUCH MORE……..

NOT FORGETTING OF COURSE THE ICONIC ORIGINAL ACE FACE GS VESPA SCOOTER FEATURED IN THE FILM AND OTHER SCOOTERS ETC.

ASIDE FROM THE QUADROPHENIA COLLECTION AND AS AN ADD-ON WE HAVE SINCE INCLUDED ….. “A TASTE OF NORTHERN SOUL DOWN HERE IN THE SOUTH OF ENGLAND” EXHIBITION AREA AS WELL AS FEATURING A 1960’S REVISITED COLLECTION .THIS INCLUDES A MASS OF ORIGINAL SIGNED  PHOTOGRAPHS , VINYL RECORDS AND OTHER MEMORABILIA ITEMS

NOTORIOUS AMERICAN KILLER CLOWN AND RAPIST JOHN WAYNE GACY. ALSO KNOWN AS POGO THE CLOWN. HE MURDERED AT LEAST 33 TEENAGE BOYS AND YOUNG MEN AND WAS EXECUTED BY LETHAL INJECTION IN 1994 .

DARK TOURISM HERE IN THE UK – WHERE GOOD AND EVIL COLLIDE & WHERE FANTASY MEETS REALITY .

TRUE CRIME , MURDERABILIA, WITCHCRAFT, SATANISM AND THE OCCULT …. IT’S ALL HERE AND MUCH MORE ON DISPLAY AT THE CRIME THROUGH TIME COLLECTION , LITTLEDEAN JAIL, FOREST OF DEAN , GLOUCESTERSHIRE , UK .

John Wayne Gacy, Jr. (March 17, 1942 – May 10, 1994), also known as the Killer Clown, was an American serial killer and rapist. He sexually assaulted and murdered at least 33 teenage boys and young men between 1972 and 1978 in Cook County, Illinois.

ABOVE: Original painting by Gloucestershire artist Paul Bridgman of John Wayne Gacy on display at Littledean Jail .

All of Gacy’s known murders were committed inside his Norwood Park, Illinois home. His victims would typically be lured to this address by force or deception, and all but one victim were murdered by either asphyxiation or strangulation with a tourniquet (his first victim was stabbed to death). Gacy buried 26 of his victims in the crawl space of his home. Three further victims were buried elsewhere on his property, while the bodies of his last four known victims were discarded in the Des Plaines River.

Convicted of 33 murders, Gacy was sentenced to death for 12 of these killings on March 13, 1980. He spent 14 years on death row before he was executed by lethal injection at Stateville Correctional Center on May 10, 1994.

Above: Police mugshots of John Wayne Gacy .

Gacy became known as the “Killer Clown” due to his charitable services at fundraising events, parades, and children’s parties where he would dress as “Pogo the Clown”, a character he devised himself.

BELOW : Various exhibit items to include one of Gacy’s “Pogo The Clown ” suits , handwritten and signed correspondence , a hand painting and various other memorabilia, all of which is on display here at The Crime Through Time Collection , Littledean Jail , Forest of Dean , Gloucestershire, UK .

ABOVE AND BELOW : One of  John Wayne Gacy’s  original worn clown suits. There are two other known Gacy clown suits on display  at The National Museum of Crime , Washington DC , USA .

BELOW: picture of 2 other Gacy clown suits, on display at The National Museum of Crime, Washington DC ….. Previously owned ( not sure if he still owns them )  by Jonathan Davis, lead singer of American Heavy Metal Band “Korn .”

ABOVE: John Wayne Gacy pictured in jail, so say,  shortly before his execution by lethal injection

 

 

DARK TOURISM HERE IN THE UK…A BRIEF TASTE OF THE KRAY TWINS, THE FIRM, OTHER GANGLAND MEMORABILIA, MURDERABILIA, MAIMERABILIA AND BEYOND. IT’S ALL HERE AT THE CRIME THROUGH TIME COLLECTION, LITTLEDEAN JAIL

SEEMINGLY OF  TIMELESS  MEDIA INTEREST …. BRITAIN’S MOST INFAMOUS AND NOTORIOUS 1960’S LONDON GANGSTERS …. RONALD AND REGINALD KRAY …..BETTER KNOWN AS THE KRAY TWINS .

HERE BELOW IS AN  ARTICLE FEATURING THE CRIME THROUGH TIME COLLECTION HERE AT LITTLEDEAN JAIL ,THAT APPEARED BOTH ONLINE AND IN PRINT WITHIN THE DAILY MIRROR ON PAGE 33 -7 MAY 2015 .

ABOVE AND BELOW :  Original oil paintings of The Krays by Gloucestershire artist Paul Bridgman . Also depicts  two of their murder victims Jack “The Hat ” McVitie  who was killed by Reg Kray at Evering Rd, Stoke Newington  and George Cornell who murdered by Ron Kray at The Blind Beggar Pub , Whitechapel Rd

 

HERE BELOW IS A BRIEF TRAILER OF THE  KRAY TWINS FILM ENTITLED “LEGEND” STARRING TOM HARDY PLAYING THE ROLE OF BOTH RON AND REG KRAY SOME OF THE MANY GENUINE KRAY MEMORABILIA ITEMS ON DISPLAY AT LITTLEDEAN JAIL… THESE INCLUDE ONE OF RONNIE KRAY’S SUITS SEEN HERE WITH HIS FORMER WIFE KATE KRAY’S WEDDING DRESS , KINDLY DONATED BY KATE HERSELF MANY YEARS AGO

BELOW IS SOME MORE BRIEF HISTORICAL INSIGHT FOOTAGE INTO THE KRAY’S

EXTRACTS FROM VARIOUS  OTHER NATIONAL NEWSPAPERS FEATURING SOME OF THE KRAY TWINS MEMORABILIA ON DISPLAY AT LITTLEDEAN JAIL IN THE PAST.

BELOW IS A BRIEF GALLERY OF KRAY TWINS ITEMS INCLUDING 2 ORIGINAL PAINTINGS FROM BOTH RON AND REG, WHILST IN JAIL AT HMP PARKHURST , ISLE oF WIGHT , PAINTED BY THEM IN 1971 THAT WERE SOLD TOGETHER FOR £4800 + FEES, ETC  AT CHISWICK AUCTIONS , LONDON IN MARCH 2008 .

AFTER GOING AROUND VARIOUS OTHER AUCTION HOUSES SINCE THEN,  THEY HAVE NOW ARRIVED HERE AT LITTLEDEAN JAIL ACQUIRED FROM A PRIVATE COLLECTOR   AND ARE NOW ON DISPLAY TO THE PUBLIC  ALONG WITH VARIOUS OTHER KRAY TWINS ITEMS .

BELOW IS THE  PRESALE REPORT ON THE PAINTINGS AS SEEN IN THE DAILY MAIL  ON THE 9 MARCH 2008

Yours for £2,000, oil paintings by the Kray Twins (currently owned by a ex-convict who won them in a card game)

Gangsters with an artistic streak: Reggie (left) and Ronnie Kray in the 1960s

One famously shot dead a fellow gangster in an East End pub for a verbal sleight. The other knifed to death another gangland member at a party  But it appears Ronnie and Reggie Kray also had a more sensitive side – as landscape painters. These oil canvasses by the infamous twins, painted after they were both jailed for 30 years, are to be auctioned in London this week.The one of a white cottage next to a road was painted by Ronnie. His brother’s is an image of a river running through a green valley with an ominously dark sky in the background.  Both twins began painting after their 1968 trial at the Old Bailey, often creating the same scene in picture after picture.  A spokesman for Chiswick Auctions in West London, where the paintings are being sold, said: ‘The same themes are repeated over and over again in their work, with very little variation. We expect these two to go for between £800 and £1,500 each.’ Both pictures are being sold by a former inmate who won them from the twins during card games in jail.The auction house spokesman said: ‘The seller has given us some interesting insights into the Krays’ minds.

 

Dream house in the country: Ronnie Kray’s

  ‘He says Reggie always, always painted with a dark sky. This might reflect his state of mind and the dark thoughts he had. He was known for his moods and being aloof. Ronnie, on the other hand, always painted a white cottage because that was his idea of a dream house, a place in the country.

Ronnie’s paintings are more aspirational, whereas Reggie’s tend to reflect his sombre state of mind.’The images were painted in oils on to card. They are both eight-and-a-half inches by 11-and-a-half inches.

A similar painting by Ronnie sold at an auction in Lincolnshire in 2005 for £2,200, twice the expected fee.

The spokesman added: ‘The seller told us paintings were used in games of cards as currency. If they were by Joe Bloggs, they wouldn’t be worth £5.’

The Krays ran a brutal gang known as The Firm in London’s East End during the late Fifties and Sixties. Revelling in their image of sharp suits and flashy cars, they began to believe the law could not touch them.

That bravado allowed Ronnie to walk into the Blind Beggar pub in Whitechapel and shoot dead George Cornell in front of customers for calling him a ‘fat poof’.

A year later, in 1967, Reggie stabbed Jack ‘The Hat’ McVitie to death in a flat in North London.  But Scotland Yard closed the net and the twins were given life sentences and told they must serve at least 30 years.  Ronnie died of a heart attack in 1995 after collapsing in his cell in Broadmoor. Reggie died in jail in 2000.

 

Moody: Reggie Kray painting

MORE EXTRACTS OF MEDIA COVERAGE OF THE CRIME THROUGH TIME’S KRAY TWINS EXHIBITION

BELOW ARE MORE EXHIBIT ITEMS

Picture By:Jules Annan Picture Shows:Original paintings by both Ronnie and Reggie Kray painted in 1971 whilst both were imprisoned in HMP Parkhusrt, Isle of Wight . Previously sold at Chiswick Auctions, London back in 2008 and now on display at the Crime Through Time Collection, Littledean Jail, Gloucestershire Date ;10/06/2014

Picture By:Jules Annan Picture Shows:Original paintings by both Ronnie and Reggie Kray painted in 1971 whilst both were imprisoned in HMP Parkhusrt, Isle of Wight . Previously sold at Chiswick Auctions, London back in 2008 and now on display at the Crime Through Time Collection, Littledean Jail, Gloucestershire Date ;10/06/2014

Picture By:Jules Annan Picture Shows:Original painting by Ronnie Kray painted in 1971 whilst imprisoned in HMP Parkhusrt, Isle of Wight . Previously sold at Chiswick Auctions, London for £4, 800 plus fees and VAT back in 2008 and now on display at the Crime Through Time Collection, Littledean Jail, Gloucestershire Date ;10/06/2014

Picture By:Jules Annan Picture Shows:Rear of original painting by Ronnie Kray painted in 1971 whilst imprisoned in HMP Parkhusrt, Isle of Wight . Previously sold at Chiswick Auctions, London for £4, 800 plus fees and VAT back in 2008 and now on display at the Crime Through Time Collection, Littledean Jail, Gloucestershire Date ;10/06/2014