Gloucester Road, Thornbury

The Williams Estate

Following the death of John & Emma Williams, both in 1897, their estate was passed to their son, John Hodges Williams.  John was already a successful businessman.  The Thornbury Directory 1897 lists him as a silk mercer, linen draper, family mourning and funerals furnished, and collector of income tax.  It shows him as operating from Victoria House and Bon Marche in the High Street.  In 1902, the words "& house furnisher, The Stores, and glass & earthen ware, The Beehive” were added to his list of interests.  John's eldest son, John Henry Williams was allowed to live in Gloucester road to run the tailoring business there.

When John Hodges Williams died in 1934 his estate was acquired by his son, Henry William Williams.

Henry William Williams was the second son of John Hodges Williams.  He ran a grocer's shop at 'The Golden Key', Thornbury.  Click on the photograph on the right to see a larger image of 'The Golden Key'. Henry William Williams eventually became the owner of much of the 'Williams' property in Thornbury including the properties in Gloucester Road.

We have found a copy of the application for planning permission made by Henry William Williams on 18th December 1936 which details a considerable number of alterations to be made to the property.  This document states that Henry William Williams was the owner at this time.  It gives Mr Williams address at that time as 76 Conway Road London N14.

The Williams family were extensive property owners; documents found so far give the names of John’s descendants (specifically his son, John Hodges Williams and his grandson, Henry William Williams) as the owners of other property which includes a small plot of land opposite 24, Gloucester Road, two dwellings known as Millpond Cottages and other land at Morton near the Anchor, a big plot of land on Easton Hill Road, Numbers 1 and 4 The Plain, 1, 2, 3, 3A, 4, 7, 62 and 64 High Street and three properties in St Mary’s Street, including number 2, and the Old Malt house.  Properties were were however gradually sold off, and at the present time, in Gloucester Road only number 12 is owned by a descendant of the Williams family.  Henry William Williams moved to London where he died in 1960 aged 88.  The remaining properties in the Estate have been managed by his Trustees.

NOTE - around 1965, a Cyril Williams moved into Selwood, 22, Gloucester Road.  Cyril had been an apprentice builder working for Jack Hodges, and later ran his own building business.  Although he bought number 22 from the Williams family and later acquired number 14, he was not connected, at least not closely connected, to the original family of John Williams, the tailor.

This page was last updated: 14/12/2009