Laburnum Terrace

Owners of No. 10 Gloucester Road

The house was owned by George Hodges until his death in 1905.  In his Will, George arranged for Trustees to manage the property, and this continued right up to 1960, when it was conveyed to Ron & Win Jenkins.  

The Trustees of George Hodges
On George’s death, ownership of No. 8 was transferred to his Trustees, his four surviving daughters, Sarah Ann Hodges, Fanny Staley Hodges, Emma Jane Hodges and Laura Evelyn Balls and one of his two surviving sons, Austin Edgar Hodges.

Over the years, these Trustees gradually died off and new ones were appointed to ensure that the Estate was managed properly.  The first trustee, Emma Jane Fry (nee Hodges), died on 14th January 1925.  This was followed in quick succession by Sarah Anne Hodges who died 18th July 1925 and Laura Evelyn Balls who died 5th December 1925.  Fanny Staley Hodges was appointed as her executrix and when she died 9th November 1927, Gladys Evelyn Balls, the daughter of Laura Evelyn Balls and Percy J.W. Balls, watchmaker and hairdresser, was appointed as executrix.

Austin Edgar Hodges died 1st November 1945.  He had moved to Walton on Thames and in 1901 he had been a dairyman there.  On his death, he appointed his son, Geoffrey Stephen Hodges, as executor.

Geoffrey Stephen Hodges and John Hodges were appointed as trustees on 25th March 1947.  Geoffrey Stephen Hodges died 8th October 1953.  He had been living in Weybridge, Surrey.

In 1954 the surviving executors were Gladys Evelyn Ball and John Hodges.  At that time: George Hodges’s estate comprised:
 

• 1, 2, 5 and 6 Laburnam Terrace together with gardens in occupation of Percy Hand, Mrs Organ, L C Smith and George Excell. (These are now 8, 10, 16 and 18 Gloucester Road)
  
  

• land at Gloucester Road in the hands of Charles G. Smith
  
  

• five dwelling houses at Pullins Green.  These were in the occupation of Mrs Higgins, George Ord, P Wilkinson, Frank Biddle, and Hubert Bayliss
  
  

• a dwelling house and land in St John Street in occupation of Miss Green
  
  

• two cottages at Raglan Castle, Thornbury which were in the occupation of Elias Smith and Miss Davis.

The Jenkins family - the house was finally sold by the Trustees in March 1958.  It was bought by Ronald and Winifred Jenkins.  They had married in 1952.  Ron was a stress engineer employed by Bristol Siddeley.  Ron and Win moved in June 1982 to a new house built in Hillcrest where they still live.  Their son, Stephen Graham Jenkins took over the house.  The 1986 electoral register shows him there with Dennis A Glew.

The Thoburn family - in October 1987 the house was bought by Alan and Mary Thoburn who still live there.

Click here to see information on the families who occupied number 10 as TENANTS

This page was last updated: 23/03/2007