WORCESTER

This is where Vesta was born and grew up as a child. It is also the origins of Vesta's mother's family, the BROUGHTONs, who were sailmakers at Diglis in the 19th century. Slater's directory of 1850 has an entry under 'Sail, Cartsheet & Tarpawling Makers':

Broughton, Samuel & Sons, Diglis, Bath Road.

It is also the home of the famous pottery where Vesta's father, William Henry POWLES (stage name Harry Ball), probably worked. To this day, the riverside is a beautiful environment to live and work in and here are some present day images giving some flavour of the place:

The River Severn near Diglis. View towards Worcester and....

... the same shot but further to the south showing the canal entrance to Diglis Basin...

and lower down to the south, reminding us that this is still a working environment.

Not too clear... but gives a rough idea of the relationship of Diglis Basin to the east of the River Severn.

Diglis Basin where I guess the BROUGHTON family worked. Some more shots with the focus very much upon a working marina and boat docks......

... and lastly, some remnants of Diglis where in 1861 Sam BROUGHTON, Vesta's grandfather lived with his family at 2 Court Road. This shot shows the Alma Inn. It gives some idea of how built-up the place has now become.

June 2001

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