I REMEMBER it well–groups like "The Beatles," "Freddie And The Dreamers" and "Screaming Lord Sutch" were glad to get bookings at places like Lydney.

Police duties for the weekend were framed around dances at Lydney Town Hall. Policemen were paid £15 a week. I had been earning more at Duramin on Lydney's Trading Estate. On a Friday the two till ten men stayed on 'Dance Duty' on overtime. For us married men it was welcome money paid by the Town Hall.

The duty sergeant with van for prisoners (if any) would arrive later on with one or two of the night duty officers.

Hovering would be at least one patrol car (two officers) and maybe the main road motor cyclist, and on occasions even Chief Inspector Bayliss put in an appearance.

He had very little trouble and Lydney Town Hall dances survived long after many dance halls around the country were closed through bad-behaviour.

I was part of the local rugby scene as was John Belcher and at the time rugby was almost tribal with taunts and threats being thrown freely around at work and in pubs (light hearted of course).

Fueled up at such places as 'The Keys," Feathers, Railway, Queens and Swan, just to mention a few drinking holes, and bolstered with beer courage to get on the dance floor the boys arrived for a bit of banter and to meet in some cases their girlfriends. Some of the boys played sport of the Saturday with wonderful hangovers (what would coaches of today say?)

As a policeman I was a good watcher whilst on duty and noted that many of the young ladies arrived to dance at Lydney in pairs and groups long before the lads, and often went away after the dance paired off.

Many of these pairings that took place at this time are still together today as parents and grandparents!

I wonder just how many couples first met at Lydney Town Hall in the 60's and before? Certainly I know of police officers stationed at Lydney who met and married Lydney girls, maybe having first seen them at Lydney Town Hall dances, and over the years I've seen couples around who, I am sure, first met at Lydney dances. – C.R. Miles, Rivermead Close, Gloucester.