Laburnum Terrace

Len Smith, the Carrier of 16 Gloucester Road, Thornbury

Leonard Charles Smith was born in Thornbury in the December quarter of 1906.  Later in life, he was sometimes referred to 'Elsie', a nickname derived on his initials.

We are not sure when Leonard married Mary Louise Clutterbuck.  The photograph on the left is of their wedding.  Mary was born in Thornbury in the first quarter of 1909.  Mary's parents (William and Mary Louisa) were in the 1901 census and at that time they kept a grocer's shop in St Mary Street.

About 1935 they moved to live in 16 Gloucester Road.  On April 3rd 1937 their son Henry Charles Smith was born and his baptism record shows him as the son of Leonard Charles and Mary Louisa Smith of 'Amberley' Gloucester Road, a haulage contractor.  His godparents were Henry Smith, Leonard Charles Smith and a lady whose name was hard to read.

This is interesting because it is the first time that we saw the name "Amberley" used for the house.  The name was used throughout the occupation of the house by the Smith family.   It was discontinued when they left the house.  There are several places called Amberley in England, but we haven't been able to find any link to any of them.  Henry Smith also doesn't know why his parents gave the house that name.

Ken Worsley told us that Len's father, Charlie Smith had a smallholding in the field where Stafford Crescent, Buckingham Parade and the Chantry field are now.  There were 3 small fields there.

Many local residents remember the family as "Smiths the carriers".  Les King said that Len had a lorry for hauling which he parked in a yard owned by the Estate of John Williams between the Elms and the Grammar School.  The haulingway where Len drove his vehicle from the road across the pavement is still visible (directly opposite the junction of Gloucester Road and Stafford Crescent).  The wall also shows signs of where the gateway to Len’s yard/garage was filled in with new stonework.

The Smith family stayed in 'Amberley' throughout the war years.  Another son, John Edward Smith, was baptised on 6th July 1941.  This time the godparents were Albert Claud Warren, Leonard Charles Smith and Norah Mary Smith.  Norah had her own home in Bath, but as she came to visit every alternate weekend, she was given her own bedroom in Amberley.  The photograph here shows Henry and john smith in the back garden of number 16.  The house has since had a new extension for the kitchen and bathroom.

One might think that Thornbury was a quiet place in those times, but there were excitements.  A local man, George Ford, was friendly with Henry Smith and one morning Mrs Smith took George upstairs to show him the hole in the roof made by shrapnel.  The locals blame an anti-aircraft installation called 'Purdown Percy' for the shrapnel but that might be unfair to Percy!  Henry Smith later told us that it was an unexploded shell which was used for many years by the family as a doorstop.  

The family moved to 1 Rock Street around 1954.  About that time he kept his wagon behind  the baker's shop in St John Street.

Leonard Smith died on May 24th 1971 aged 64 years.  He is buried in Thornbury Cemetery with his parents-in-law, William and Mary Clutterbuck.  Mary was cremated but her ashes were buried in the same grave.

This page was last updated: 23/07/2008