Laburnum Terrace

Owners of No. 18 Gloucester Road

We had assumed that number 18 was transferred from John Hodges, the original owner, to his son, George Hodges, in 1865.  Other properties, including numbers 8, 10 and 16 were transferred to George at the same time.  However the 1862 Rate Book shows that George Hodges was the owner of the property occupied by Mrs Williams (and we know from a plan that Mrs Williams was occupying number 18).

George Hodges continued to own the house until his death in 1905, although we have no record of him having ever lived in it.  In his Will George arranged for Trustees to manage the property, and this arrangement continued right up to 1947, when it was conveyed to George Excell.  

The Trustees of George Hodges
On George’s death, his Trustees were 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 and it was on this day that they sold the house to George Excell.

There is an advertisement in the Gloucester Gazette of 15th February 1947 which gives us a detailed description of the house at this time.

The Excells owned the house from 1947 to 1970.  During this period it became known as 'the Smallest Town Hall in England'.  - Click here for more information about the Excells

Bev' Selman owned the house from 1970 to 1971 - click here for more information on Bev Selman

The Hemmings - in August 1971 the house was bought by Roy Anthony Hemmings of 18 Wye Court, Thornbury.  The cost was £3900.  Roy and his wife, Gill, were a newly married couple from Fishponds in Bristol.  They had moved to Thornbury when Roy commenced work in the Work Study Section of the Engineer & Surveyor’s Department of Thornbury District Council.  Before buying number 18, they were living for a short period in a council flat at 18 Wye Court.

In 1973, Roy transferred to a similar job in Newtown, Powys.  They sold the house to Roy’s boss, Chris Doig.  After a few years in Newtown, Roy began studying for a theological degree at the University of Wales (Cardiff). When he graduated, the family moved to Rhyl in 1986 where Roy became a deacon, then a curate at St Anne’s. In 1990, he joined the Army as a chaplain, and served several years in Hong Kong and Germany, and then after returning to the UK, he served overseas for shorter periods, including spells in the Balkans.

The Doigs - Chris & Sandra Doig have owned the house since 1973.
 
Click here to see information on the families who occupied the property as TENANTS

This page was last updated: 04/06/2011