The Cottages opposite Laburnum Terrace

Number 11 Gloucester Road, Thornbury

In the 1840 Tithe Survey, the house thought to be number 11 was void.

In 1841, the house is occupied by Michael Canty, a 40 year old weaver from Ireland.  Michael was born in County Cork about 1798.  He was married to Mary born in Bandon, County Cork, Ireland about 1799.  They seemed to be running a lodging house in 1841 as they had 7 other persons living with them, including two persons whose names they didn't know when giving details to the census enumerator.

In 1851 they had moved to larger premises in Back Street, Thornbury (now called St Mary Street).  Here the census confirms they are running a lodging house and shows they managed to squash in 19 people!  Amongst the occupants listed is Ann Jackson, Michael's widowed sister who was a collector of rags and Mary Ann Conner, their granddaughter.  Mary Ann's descendants still live in the Bristol area.  In 1861, Michael and Mary were still living in Back Street although they seem to be living a quieter life - Michael is described as a 'retired weaver', Mary is working as a hawker.  Mary Ann, now a Macdonald is still living with them with her son.

Michael died in May 1866 and is buried in St Marys Churchyard.  Mary may be the Mary Canty who died in Bristol in 1877 aged 76 years.  So far we have been unable to locate her in the 1871 census.

In 1851, number 11 was occupied by Martha Lewis, a shopkeeper.   Martha was a widow aged 55 from Pembrokeshire.  She had one lodger a John Tendale, unmarried, an agricultural labourer aged 50 from Thornbury.  

In 1861 the house was occupied by Henry White, aged 40, an omnibus driver from Sturminster Newton, Dorset.  Living with him was his wife, Cunatia aged 31 from Newent and their children, Sarah Ann aged 6 born in Lydney, William Henry aged 3 born in Bristol and Charles aged 1 born in Thornbury.  The marriage of Henry and Cunatia Phillips had been registered in Chepstow in 1851.  Cunatia died in 1863 aged 32, Henry died in 1871 aged 49.

In 1871, the house was occupied by James Gould, a gardener aged 30 from Nailsea.  James was living with his wife, Louisa aged 24 from Blagdon, and two children, Leah aged 2 and Fred William aged 7 months.  Both children were born in Caerwent, Monmouthshire.  In 1881 James had moved to Stoke Lane, Westbury in Bristol,  He was still a gardener although he now had a new wife, Sarah Ann aged 27 from Eastington.  He now had 6 children.

In 1881 the house was occupied by James Gough, a 47 year old unemployed blacksmith from Thornbury, his wife Lucy aged 55, a cook from Swansea, and their son, James G. aged 18, a shoemaker's apprentice born in Thornbury.  

James was the son of William and Harriett Gough (nee Smith) who had married in Thornbury in 1830.   William must have died because by 1841 Harriet had re-married to George Birt, an agricultural labourer and James was living with them in Back Street (now St Mary Street).  James had married Lucy Dartnell in Bristol in 1859.  Lucy had been working as a cook in service at College Green, Bristol in 1851.  They were still living in St Mary Street in 1861 and in 1871 James and Lucy were living there with their 2 children, Mary J aged 10 as well as James G. aged 8.

James died in Thornbury in 1890 aged 56.   Lucy died aged 77 in 1899.

The 1891 census shows that the house had just 4 rooms.  These were occupied by William Nicholls, aged 27, labourer from Wotton-under-Edge, his wife, Lucy M, 28 from Thornbury, and Dorothy aged 3, and Arthur W. aged less than one year.  William was the son of William Nicholls, tailor and his wife, Hannah.  In 1886, he was aged 22 when he married Lucy Mary Withers, 23, daughter of Thomas Withers, plasterer from Thornbury. on 8th February 1888 the records of what is now the United Reform Church show that their daughter was baptised Dorothy Lucy Nicholls.  Arthur William was baptised in the same church on 23rd July 1890 and Augustus Henry on 4th November 1891.

In 1901 William and Lucy were living in Frampton Cotterell with their 4 children, all born in Thornbury: Dorothy L, aged 13, Arthur W aged 10, Augustus H. aged 9, and Herbert aged 2.  William was working as a gardener.

In 1901 the house was occupied by William Vowles a widow aged 58 working as a journeyman baker and his daughter Millicent aged 26.  William was born in Pill, Somerset and Millicent born in Thornbury.

William and his wife, Mary Ann had moved to Thornbury just before the 1871 census.  At that time they were living in the High Street with their two children, Adelaide Elizabeth aged 2 and Annie Elizabeth aged 1, both born in Bishops Sutton.  Mary had been born in Easton in Gordano, Somerset.  Living with them was a nephew, William Hookway aged 15 from Chew Magna, two servants and a lodger.

In 1881 William and Mary were living next to the Queens Head in High Street, Thornbury.  William was a baker employing 2 men.  By now they had 2 extra children, William Henry aged 8 and Millicent M aged 6, both born in Thornbury.  Mary Ann died in 1886 aged 44, and William was living with Millicent in Castle Street (next to The Plain).  His son, William Henry had died in 1889 aged 16.  William was listed in the electoral registers 1902 and 1903 as living in Gloucester Road.  He died in 1908 aged 66 years.

The next family we can link to the property is that of Ernest Monks.  We have been told by several local people that the Monks family lived in number 11, but we are not sure exactly when he moved there.  We know he was living in Gloucester Road in 1918 when he was in the electoral register.   We have seen an application for exemption from military service in WW1 completed by Ernest in 1916, but that only gives his address as Thornbury.  The reason given by Ernest was that his employer, F.K. Howell, had rheumatism and was unable to carry on his business without Ernest.

Ernest Herbert Monks worked as a monumental mason, initially for F.K. Howell and later for Craik-Smith.  Ernest lived with his wife, Mary.  They had at least two sons, whom we believe were called Daniel Robert and Ernest Harold, and at least one daughter, Ann. 

Ernest's family occupied the house for over 40 years up until 1959.  Daniel Robert is listed as living with his parents from 1926 to 1930. Mary is listed until 1931 after which her name disappears from the registers.  Ernest's name appears up to the War.  Annie Monks name is listed from 1932 through until 1952, and Ernest Harold Monks is listed from 1946 until 1959.

The records of the Pitcher family business show on 25^th Jan 1937 an invoice was created for work done in October 1936 on sewage work to 6 houses in Gloucester Road Thornbury.  On the same bill it says 'at Monk’s house filling up open drain under living rooms and laying 4 inch glazed stone ware drain with back inlet gulley - to cure smells from the street drain outside front window'.   Materials only £2.8.6 the bill was made out to the estate of Miss Wilmott deceased.  Another ledger refers to the fact that the work involved taking up the floor to connect to the sewer in the street and the laying of 27 feet of glazed pipe.

We have knowledge of no other occupants of the house before it was demolished in the late 1960's.  It may be that the Monks were the last family to live there.  Certainly the photos we have seen of the terrace show that number 11 was in poor condition and may have become derelict before the other houses.

Click here to go to: No1, No3, No5, No7, or No9 

This page was last updated: 28/08/2007