William Harry Parsloe (1879-1963)
William Parsloe was born in Alvington, the son of a General Labourer. He worked as a boy in the paper mill in Alvington, and later for a short time at Lydney tinplate works. He then joined the service of the Great Western Railway Company at Lydney.
Parsloe spent five and a half years working in the London area before returning to Lydney. He then served at Chippenham where he was promoted to the position of engine driver and also at Gloucester.
He married Maria Price in 1904 and had two daughters, Winfred and Dorothy. For one period during the War, he was a member of the Lydney Rural District Council. Parsloe was also Secretary of the Lydney Trades and Labour Association and was Secretary of the Lydney Branch of the Independent Labour Party. He was an active member of Lydney NUR serving both as Secretary and President.
He later served as Vice-Chairman of Lydney Parish Council. He was a founder member of the now defunct Men’s Own Brotherhood. During his 42 years of railway service, Parsloe was an energetic member of the N.U.R. At different times he has been Chairman and Secretary of the Lydney branch and later as the Secretary of the N.U.R Approved Society (Lydney section). He for several years was actively connected with the Lydney Co-operative Society.