Occupations -all in a day`s work!

Most of the occupations in the Parish in bygone days used the natural resources in the environment.

The main ones were -    FISHING  -   BASKET MAKING - FARMING  - BRICKMAKING.

My Father "Phil Gaskins,"

would pull his net by hand while walking along the banks of the Severn. He would make his own nets out of hemp which was very tough on the hands to keep the tension on the piece of knitting. They would knit the net in sections then sew them together -this was carried out in the evenings or when unable to fish. You can just see the fish house behind him.  Salmon was the catch.

Reported by John Gaskins - son.

Edgar Bevan Phil Gaskins Chris Smith and the "Long Net."

"We worked with the long net at Apperley
every day for 7 weeks , a quarter of the entire season, without catching a fish. In addition to the license bringing in no return, the net during these 7 weeks was wearing out, for your water is a sore decayer of salmon nets. A net is tarred at the beginning of the season and then again after 3 months. The salmon is a strong swimmer - it could easily break a new net!

HARRY POPE and EEL FISHING.

Harry Pope fisherman of Deerhurst shows his catch with the children - a large eel
that had been caught in the putcheon-once they swim in this home made net they sense food is there then they can`t do a u turn-
 their fate has come!

BASKETMAKERS and LEN ROBERTS by daughter Lilian.

"My father was a basketmaker in Apperley," reported Lilian Morris his daughter. "His base was the black shed at Yew Tree Farm where Chris Andrews lived and here there was a basketmakers cottage industry. He would cut the withies on the banks of the River Severn -then dry them - strip them -soak them until they were pliable to make baskets. He would make fruit baskets, potato baskets, kypes (for catching fish) and bicycle baskets."