In 1985 Howard Bluett, a Lay Reader at St Mary’s Church, filmed the Pilton Playgroup in Pilton Church Hall. We have now successfully transferred the 30 minute video to a digital medium and, with the help of one of the mothers involved, Anne Chapman, we have managed to identify over 70 of the leaders, parents and children who are shown.
Playgroup Leader Dorothy Forward with two of the children
It was too big a task to go through and identify them on the film but they are all listed on The Pilton Story archive (search for ‘Pilton Playgroup’). We hope this means that anyone searching the internet for themselves or members of their family may find The Pilton Story and open up links back to their time in Pilton.
The Leaders were Dorothy Forward (shown in this image from the film with two of her charges) and Brenda Bryan, and they were helped by Elizabeth Stevens, Ruth Dennis, Jean Ford, Sheena Ferguson and Nancy Bluett (Howard’s wife) and a lot of the children’s parents. If anyone would like to add to what we know about this group and tell us what they are doing today, please contact The Pilton Story.
The last pantomime produced in Pilton was ‘Cinderella’ in 2013 in the Green Man – but now Pilton Panto is back in its old home – Pilton Church Hall – being produced by Pilton Theatre Productions. The plan is to put on a panto every February Half Term and this year’s is ‘Aladdin’, adapted and directed by Lee Smith. It can be seen from 18th – 20th February. This first production is being financially supported by the Pilton Green Man Day Committee and details of times and tickets can be found on