In 1891 and 1903 the annual rateable value of the Jovial Colliers was set at £18.0s.0d. During those years the beer house was owned by Levi Wilce and was free of brewery tie. Last orders at night were called at 11 pm.
Levi Wilce, the owner and occupier of the Jovial Colliers, was also one of the biggest land owners in Cinderford in late Victorian / early Edwardian times. He was listed as a butcher and farmer in 1894 and a timber merchant and farmer in 1902 There was once a timber yard on the site of Lidl supermarket in the High Street operated by Levi Wilce and the turn of the last century the timber yard employed at least 50 men. Levi Wilce was grossly obese weighing 22 stones. When he died in 1912 it required nine pall bearers to carry his coffin. He was only in his 50’s. Sadly two of his sons were killed in the Battle of the Somme in 1916.
The pub was later known as the Colliers Arms. It was de-licensed in the 1950’s it became the Woodside Furnishing Store which was enlarged in 1959. The property was until recently the offices of the ‘Forester’ local newspaper. The address is 43 to 47 High Street.
Landlords at the Jovial Colliers / Colliers Arms include:
1861 George Morse
1878 Moses Morgan
1879 -1891 Levi Wilce
1903 Alfred George Harris
1910-1912 Enos C. Taylor
1935,1939 George Medcroft (Colliers Arms)
