Ted Marshall

In an excerpt from an interview conducted in April 1988 by Derek Fisher, Ted Marshall remembers how he came to work for Fielding’s in 1924, play for Atlas Works Rugby and Gloucester, and Mr Colwell’s garage.

The restaurant on the corner of Spa Road

In 1924, Ted moved with his family to Gloucester. The family bought and ran a restaurant on the corner of Spa Road and Llanthony Road.

Fielding’s staff “came in from the Works for tea and coffee and dinner”. Ted’s father got talking to one or two of the Fielding’s diners who arranged for Ted to begin an apprenticeship in the Machine Shop.

Ted remembers become friends with with Sam Spires who worked in the Foundry and who lived in Church Street.

Sam joined the Navy after finishing his apprenticeship. In 1931, when Ted finished his, “the unemployment in Gloucester was terrible”.

“Fielding’s couldn’t take you on … so you were given your green card and that was the end of it”

Ted went to Sissons and was put on their books before someone suggested he go to R A Listers of Dursley.

Atlas Rugby, Tommy Millington, and R. A. Lister’s

Ted started playing rugby for Fielding’s “Atlas Works” Team aged 18 or 19.

Tommy Millington who worked in the Drawing Office and who played for Gloucester had seen Ted playing for the Works at their ground Hempsted.

“Tommy Millington came down there and he called over to me and had a few words with me and said ‘I want you to go to the Gloucester Club in Kingsholm’ … He said ‘you go on Tuesday’ which was when they trained.”

Ted started training with Gloucester, which involved “running round a track”, and eventually he was picked for the city. As Ted explains, rugby prowess helped him secure a job at Lister’s, where he worked from 1931-1935.

Mr Colwell’s Garage

In order to get to Lister’s, Ted bought a new Morris Minor car from Colwell’s garage, which was next door to his family’s restaurant. Matthew’s furniture warehouse was next to the restaurant too.

Ted took three passengers with him from Gloucester to Dursley who each gave him 1/2 a crown (2s 6d) a day. Ted had to give Mr Colwell £1 a week for a year and a half to pay off the car.

Ted remembers Mr Colwell’s kindness: “When I went to pay him the last pound he said ‘you’ve been so good you can keep that one’”.

If you remember Ted Marshall, Sam Spiers, Tommy Millington, Mr Colwell, or the Marshall’s restaurant or Colwell’s garage, please share your memories by clicking on Add a comment about this page  below.