The Coys and Brays of Muston with some friends from the village.

Old photographs, 1915 - 1978.

By Iain Coy

My grandfather Walter Coy, taken in 1915.
Barbara Bray, one of the Bray sisters.
John Long, son of Harold Long and Susan Coy.
My grandfather Walter Coy, taken mid 1920s.
The Belvoir Hunt, 1920s. Taken at the large building at Woolsthorpe crossroads, on the right as you head up the hill to Belvoir Castle.
Unknown but presumably Muston residents! I think the lady on the right is one of the Shipmans?
Winnie Coy on holiday, Bournemouth, 1920s.
Winne Coy at the Duke's Stables, Woolshorpe, 1920s.
My father Gerald Coy with Mr Gibbons, Barbara Gibbons' (nee Bray) father-in-law, c. 1935.
Iain Coy
The Bray's house, Muston. Uncle Joe Hollingworth, Francis Bray, Gerald Coy, unknown and Winnie Coy, c. 1935.
Olga Shipman from the Easthorpe end of the village relaxing in the sun, late 1920s/early 1930s.
Skegness 1934. Nora Challands (Walter & Lucy Challands' daughter), Walter Coy and Gerald Coy.
Walter Coy with Gerald Coy in their front garden, 1933. This is now 12 Main Street.
My grandmother Winnie Coy at the back door of their house on Main Street, Muston. I remember this with a porch and a huge rainwater tank to the right which I wasn't allowed to drain!
Winnie Coy in the front garden of what is now 12 Main Street Muston, 1933.
Muston School in 1940.
Walter Coy at work on Len Leversley's farm near Muston, 1930s/40s.
The Coy's house Main Street, Muston, 1949. John Bray, Walter & Winnie Coy, Susan, Bill and Cyril Bray with Spot in the foreground.
My grandparents Winnie & Walter Coy with Susan, John and Cyril Bray. Unknown girl to the right and Spot in the foreground. 1949.
Barbara Gibbons' (nee Bray's) shop window in Clifton, Nottingham.
Emma Calcraft in 1953.
Gerald Coy ready for the Korean War, early 1950s.
Susan and Cyril Bray 'borrowing' Gerald Coy's motorbike!
The Coys and Topps' on holiday, Skegness.
Winnie Coy, Clarice Topps, Walter Coy and Kenneth Topps, Skegness. The Topps' lived in Hospital Cottage.
My grandfather Walter Coy with Spot, taken at what is now 12 Main St. Muston.
Mrs Tinkler, Mrs & Mr Pepper, Mrs Taylor, Winnie Coy, Mrs Bradbury and Lucy Challands. I think this was probably taken in the old school.
Winnie Coy and Mrs Pacey, on holiday 1978.
Winnie Coy at the Duke's Stables, Woolsthorpe, late 1920s.
Gerald Coy, aged 5 playing cricket in Muston Church Field behind the church. 1936.
June 1934 on the river bank in the field behind the Bray's house Muston, looking towards Hospital Cottage and the A52. L to R: Gloria Taylor, Annie Bray, William (Bill) Bray, Len Abbott (Annie's fiancee), Fred Taylor, Gerald & Walter Coy.
September 1949 at the Bray's house, Muston. John, Nellie and Cyril Bray.
Mr Hedges, Nellie Bray's father and William (Bill) Bray's father-in-law. Photographed opposite the Bray's house in Muston, 1930s.
Peter Robinson and Gerald Coy, Muston, late 1940/early 1950s.

This is a ‘second volume’ of old photographs of the Coy and Bray families of Muston, mainly from the 1920s and 1930s, together with some photographs with their village friends. A lot of the photos were taken at what was number 3 Main Street, Muston and this house has now been re-numbered as number 12 today. The house is largely the same with the exception of the replacement windows, the removal of the garden gate in the centre of the front hedge and the opening up of a driveway on the right hand side. The old water pump outside is still partly there!

I thought I’d more or less finished this page with the photos in chronological order when my dad found another envelope of old photographs, some of which I’ve added in towards the bottom of the article. He’s assured me he doesn’t think he has any more!

This page was added on 09/09/2013.

Comments about this page

  • Another brilliant instalment. Many thanks.

    By David Middleton (01/10/2013)
  • Lovely photos, really enjoyed showing my children. I think we have some similar photos of old Muston school also Bray, Topps and Coy holiday trips.

    By Clare Harrison (06/10/2013)
  • Dear Clare, It would be great to be able to add some more pictures of Muston School and families to our local history project’s archives. Please contact us by email if we can be of any assistance to you. As with Iain’s wonderful collection, they will be gold nuggets for future researchers into the past of our corner of the world. With best wishes.

    By Neil Fortey (07/10/2013)
  • Just an observation Iain, the shop window photo is not my mothers and it was not in Clifton. My mums bakery and shop which was founded by my grandfather Harry Gibbons who is pictured with horse and your dad in your magnificent selection above. the business was at 53 Kirkby Street in the Meadows Nottingham. I have no idea where the window in your photograph could be. I had never seen the photograph of my mum Barbara Bray (second from the top) and I am so grateful to you for the opportunity to have it. with Kind regards and many thanks, David Gibbons

    By David Clifford Gibbons (11/11/2013)
  • Hi David. My Dad got the label wrong on the shop photo as he said it was his Aunt Barbara’s shop window about the time of the last war! He’s remembered the Kirkby Steet address in the Meadows – can’t think who’s the shop window was though! I hadn’t seen the top photo of my Grandad until recently as it wasn’t with the others and I’m glad we found it. Kind regards, Iain.

    By Iain Coy (13/11/2013)
  • I stumbled across this site to discover photos of my great grandmother Lucy challands and my grandmother Nora Challands it was so lovely to see them. Thankyou to the person who took their time to upload them.

    By Lisa Perryman (23/01/2014)
  • What a wonderful surprise not only 2 pictures of my Daddy Peter Robinson but one that I had never seen before of him on his motorcycle. Fantastic thank you 😀

    By Wendi (03/09/2016)

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