Gerry Brooke answers your queries about footballer Ronnie Dix, prefabs and the Old Sailors' Home on The Grove

Can you tell me anything about Ronnie Dix, the Bristol footballer who died a few years ago?

Frank Long. Ashton

We hear a lot about local hero Eddie Hapgood, who went on to captain England, but schoolboy wonder Ronnie Dix was another great Bristol player from between the wars who did the same.

Born in Bedminster in 1912 he signed for Rovers when he was just 15 years old.

In only his second game, he scored the first goal in a winning match (3-0) against Norwich.

This made him the youngest ever player to score in a Football League match - a record that remains unchallenged to this day.

Modest man Dix went on to captain England against Wales at Eastville.

After leaving Rovers he played for Blackburn, Aston Villa, Derby County and Spurs (as well as England).

During World War II Dix guested for many other clubs, including Bristol City, Chester, Blackpool, Bradford Park Avenue, Wrexham, York City and Liverpool.

His one full cap was against Norway.

Dix, who died in 1998 aged 85, was also a talented cricketer and a Long Ashton golf club member for over 50 years.

Did Bristol really have the very first prefab in the country?

Anne Rees. Horfield.

Yes, it’s yet another Bristol first.

Built by BAC at their Weston-super-Mare factory and erected in Shirehampton, it was officially opened on July 18, 1945.

Known as an AIROH type, it was made of aluminium salvaged from crashed aircraft.

Sir Frederick Pile, the Minister of Works, came down from London especially for the event.

Winston Churchill had arrived here just three months earlier to see the prefabs being built.

With a life span of ten years they had central heating, modern kitchens, built-in cupboards, airing cupboards and even fridges.

The rent was 15 shillings (75p) a week.

Can you tell me what happened to the Old Sailors’ Home on The Grove?

Terry English. Kingswood.

Yes, I can.

The last residents moved out about six year ago when English Heritage took over the lease from Bristol Council.

The three hundred year old listed building has now been converted into offices.

The Sailors’ Home was originally a warehouse belonging to the Bright family of merchants whose mansion, No 29 Queen Square, adjoined it.

In 1851 the lease was bought by a group of Bristol clergy and businessmen in order to provide accommodation for seamen arriving in the City Docks ( Floating Harbour.)

Sailors were thought to be in need of protection from dishonest boarding house keepers eager to take advantage of men who had just been paid.

The Home was to be, said the promoters, "an institution for raising the character and promoting the comfort of seamen.”

One well known resident was the late Erik Ilott, a Bristol shantyman who played the bones around the city’s folk clubs.

Britain’s first Sailors’ Home opened in London in 1835, followed by one in Liverpool.