The Cottages opposite Laburnum Terrace

Number 5 Gloucester Road, Thornbury

In the 1840 Tithe Survey, the house thought to be number 5 was occupied by Mary Lanfear.  In 1841 Mary is living in Gillingstool Hill.  She is a charwoman aged 40, with Mary Ann aged 20, Louise aged 12, Rosina aged 11, Charles aged 1 and George aged 10 months.   It is possible that Mary was the widowed Mary who married Henry Sargent, a carpenter, in 1847.  In which case Mary was the daughter of Thomas Limbrick, a labourer.  The marriage record for Mary's son, Charles Lanfear in 1861 shows that his father, presumably Mary's first husband, was Nicholas Lanfear.   We know that little George was Mary's grandson, the illegitimate son of Mary Ann.

In the 1841 and 1851 census, the house appears to be unoccupied. 

In 1861, the house was occupied by William Spencer, aged 39, a gardener born in Kington Langley, Wiltshire and his wife, Elizabeth aged 47 born in Bishops Tawton, Devon.  Also living there were their 3 children, Thomas F aged 10 born in Weston, Emma G aged 7 and Ellen A aged 4, both born in Alderley and a visitor, Helen Pullen, a groom aged 15.

In 1871, the house was yet again unoccupied!

In 1881, the house was occupied by Mary Rumbold, a widow aged 54 working as a seamstress.  In 1851, Mary had been living with her husband and 3 other children next door at number 3.  In 1861 they had moved to Castle Street, but Mary was now living with her unmarried daughter, Mary Catherine, aged 34 who was also working as a seamstress.  Mary Catherine died in 1889 aged 43 years.  

In 1891 the house was occupied by a Mary J Collings, a pauper aged 31 born in Thornbury. living with her 3 children, Florence Mary W. aged 5, and George E. aged 3, both born in Thornbury and Arthur E. aged less than 1 year born in South Wales.

Mary is described as a wife, but there is no sign of her husband.  Mary Jane Bevan had married George Wheeler Collings in Thornbury in 1884.  Mary was the daughter of Edwin and Elizabeth Bevan from Castle Street.  Edwin was a mason.  In 1881 Mary had been working in Kingston upon Thames in London as a general servant.  We find no sign of George Wheeler Collings in Thornbury.  A 'possible' contender is the George W. Collings who would be the right age being born in 1859.  In 1891, he is working as a 'clerk in holy orders' in the Holy Trinity Vicarage in Stroud.  Although he may appear an unlikely partner for Mary, he is shown as being married and not living with his wife.  This George was born in Droitwich, Worcestershire.

In 1901, Mary was still in the house working as a seamstress plain needleworker.  Her two sons, Ernest G aged 13, an errand boy and Arthur E aged 10 were living with her.  There was also a boarder, James H Allway a 25 year old tailor from Thornbury.

Following the 1901 census, there is a long period when we don't know who lived the house. 

Florence Dixon - Florence is listed in the electoral registers for Gloucester Road from 1918 to 1932.  She was shown as living in this house in 1924 when the whole row of cottages were put up for sale.

Florence was born about 1867/8.  We don't know her maiden name nor when she married Mark Dixon who was a groom.  In September quarter of 1894 they had a son, Austin.  The 1896 Voters List shows they had moved from Horse Shoe Lane to Outer Back Street (which is now known as Rock Street).  Mark died aged 29 years and was buried on 12 August 1898.  The 1901 census shows Florence and Austin living in Lower Bath Road (which is another name used in that census to denote what we now call Rock Street).  Florence was working as a charwoman.

At some time between 1901 and 1918 Florence and Austin moved to the cottage at 5 Gloucester Road.  Austin continued living with his mother until he married on 28th July 1926.  He was then aged 31 and working as a motor driver.  His wife was  Lily Harris, the daughter of William G. Harris.  Austin died April 27th 1956 aged 61 years.

The next family we have traced is that of Reginald Poulton.  In 1935, the names of Reginald M. and Elizabeth Emily Poulton first appear in the electoral registers.  They had been living in St Mary Street in 1932.   Reg was a master gardener, the son of Maurice John Poulton, a Thornbury chimney sweep.  He and Elizabeth had 2 children, Diane and John.  When Diane was admitted to the Council School in 1938, her address was at Gloucester Road.  John told us he was born in the house and lived there for about two and half years.  Reginald died in 1982 aged 71 years.

The next occupant of the house was Mary Louise Clutterbuck.  It is interesting that she seemed to use her each of her forenames names at different times.  In 1891 and 1901 census, she is referred to as 'Louise'.  In the Thornbury Trade Directories when she was running the grocers shop following William's death, she is listed as 'Mrs Mary'.

Her grandson, Henry Smith, told us that he was living opposite in 16 Gloucester Road when she moved to the house then known as number 3.  Mary had moved from St Mary Street where she had a small greengrocers shop, one house up from the building known as the Church Institute.  Mary Neems had been born in Sherston, Wiltshire about 1865.  She was the daughter of John and Matilda Neems, who farmed under the Duke of Beaufort at Wick Farm, Luckington, Wiltshire.

Mary had married William Leonard Huntsman Clutterbuck - it seems that they married in Bath in June quarter 1890.  In 1891 they were living in 66 Gloucester Road, Horfield in Bristol.  William was described as a stationer and tobacconist.   In 1901 they were at the grocers shop in St Mary Street.  They had Elsie, aged 9 born in Iron Acton, Hannah Elizabeth aged 8 born in Cromhall, and William Huntsman aged 6, Thomas Henry (known as Henry) aged 3 and Matilda Louise aged 1, all born in Thornbury.  She later two more children.

William had been born in Fretherne, Gloucestershire about 1862.  His parents were James and Ann Elizabeth Clutterbuck.  In 1871, James was an agricultural labourer born in Leonard Stanley.  In 1881 James was shown as a bailiff and William had become an agricultural labourer.

Their son Henry was killed in 1917 when he was a private in the 10th battalion the Loyal North Lancashire.  He is remembered with honour in Thornbury Cemetery.  His father, William died on 26/2/1923 aged 61 years.  Mary carried on with the shop for another 20 years before moving opposite to her daughter in Gloucester Road.  She was then aged about 78 and she died a few years later in 1948 aged 83 years.  She and William are buried in Thornbury Cemetery.

The next family shown in the electoral registers is that of Henry and Mabel Woodward who moved to Gloucester Road from Woodford.  They first appear in 1952.  Mabel died about 1959, and within a year or two Henry had moved with his two children to a house in Whitewall Lane.

In 1962, a Mabel Davies is shown in the electoral registers as living in the house.  She is not there in 1965 and there are no further occupants until the house is demolished.

Click here to go to: No1, No3,  No7, No9, or No11

This page was last updated: 22/07/2008