Westward from Stroud the Stonehouse Valley widens out to include Cainscross, Ebley, the Stanleys and then the town of Stonehouse itself before becoming absorbed into the main Severn Vale. In this fascinating book, the reader takes a journey along the Valley, with contrasting photographs demonstrating how landscapes, street scenes and buildings have altered over the last century or so. Edwardian children are seen at play, while early motoring, canal life and shop traders are also depicted.Pageants, carnivals and outings of long ago appear, together with a century-old electioneering scene, a cinema that was converted into a 1920s garage and a steam launch on a restored section of the Stroudwater Canal. Diamond Jubilees more than 100 years apart are featured and - unexpectedly - we meet an elephant in Leonard Stanley. This is a book packed with history, nostalgia and the odd surprise.