Ernest Hughes and his family lived in Crispin Lane and Pullins Green for many years.
Ernest William Hughes was born in Hill in 1878, the son of Joseph, a labourer and his wife, Hannah. He worked at Eastwood Estate and in 1908 he married Alice Davis. Alice was born in Crossways on 12th December 1881, the daughter of Joseph Davis, a mason and his wife, Ellen. Alice was a trained cook and before she married sometimes worked as far away as London. Ernest and Alice lived in Eastwood Lodge. We have a photograph of Alice Davis with her parents and siblings in our gallery of photographs in the Davis family album
One of the photos in the album shows Nellie about 1914 standing outside the Lodge. She used to wait for carriages coming from the Park – she would open the gates and be given a few coppers in return.
Ernest and Alice had three children: Nellie Louisa born on 17th June 1909, Donald William born on 22nd December 1914, and Pamela Alice born on 24th June 1919. We understand that following their marriage Ernest and Alice lived with William’s parents in Oakdale in The Hackett. In the early 1920s they moved to the house in The Hackett now called Elmside, two doors down from the church. They stayed here until about 1931.
Ernest moved to work as a sawyer at the Sawmill and in 1931 the family moved to a house in Blakes Avenue (now number 6 Crispin Lane). The photo on the right shows the family in the garden of the house in Crispin Lane. They 
lived here until 1936 when Ernest bought the house now called 7 Pullins Green. The family moved into the new house shortly before Ernest’s death. He died on 18th July 1936 aged 59 years and was buried in Thornbury Cemetery on 22nd July 1936.
The house was given the name of ‘Bromley’ in 1936. When the Hughes family into the house from Crispin Lane, they experienced some confusion with the delivery of mail – there were no house numbers at the time and two Hughes families living in the area. (Another Alice Hughes was living in St John Street). The Alice Hughes who had moved to Pullins Green decided to give the house a name to eliminate problems. She noticed the name of the place ‘Bromley‘ in a newspaper and liked it! The name has been in use ever since.
The register compiled in 1939 in preparation for the war shows that the Hughes’s took in lodgers. The lodger there at the time was Edward C’ Williams, a teacher and assistant master was born on 21st August 1910.
Alice continued living in the house until her death in 1968 aged 86 years. Her daughters lived with her, and Pam carried on living there until 1998.
Of their children:
Pamela Alice Hughes – Pam first went to the Hackett School until she was 7 and then moved to Gillingstool School until she was 15. Whilst at school Pam remembered helping out with the ironing in Higgins laundry . She promised to help out one night after school. A student teacher wanted to keep Pam in school because she wanted her to re-do her composition. Pam refused and went home. Next morning the headmaster Mr Nicholls said “Pamela, I want to see you in my office”. She explained the situation and he let off with “Very well, don’t let it happen again”.
Her first real job was with Sidney Gayner at his drapery in the High Street, opposite the Town clock. She worked there until the War when she went into the Inspection Department at BAC, inspecting nuts, screws, and flanges. She moved to Corsham where she worked underground and lived in a hostel there.
In 1950 Pam married William Thomas Lewis, the son of Arthur Henry Lewis, a gardener. He was originally from Oldbury, and had been a bus driver after the War. William was the brother of someone who worked with Pam and when they met he was living in Horfield driving heavy goods lorries for Premier Transport in Bristol. They had two daughters: Janet Ann born in 1952 and Helen Louise born in 1961. Shortly after Helen was born, William became ill and he died in 1966 aged 46 years.
Pam was very active in Thornbury life, particularly in local drama groups, the British Legion and Women’s Institute. The photos on the left show Pam in two productions in the 1930’s.
Pam continued to live in number 7 Pullins Green until 1998 when after 60 years living ‘on the Green’ she moved to Tanners Court. Of her daughters, Janet is married to John Schofield, a local lad, and they are living in Jersey. Helen is a hairdresser and has her own salon in Oakleaze Road.
Nellie was partially handicapped with a curvature of the spine. She didn’t work but lived a very active life. She was taught to play the piano and gave music lessons. She was also a dressmaker although not a trained needlewoman. Nellie died in Bristol Royal Infirmary in 1948 aged 39 years. She was buried in Thornbury Cemetery on 27th October 1948.
Donald started work in the International Stores on an apprenticeship. He stayed there until he joined the 15/19 Hussars in May 1935. The Hussars were merged into the 17 21st Lancers, and with them he went to India in 1936. He remained in India for two and a half years and was stationed at Meerat. In June 1939 he returned to this country and was sent to North Africa in October 1942 where he fought in acti
ons at Kasserine Pass, Tunisia. Previously his regiment was engaged in the defence of Oued El Kabir valley and also took part in the advance on Tunis. Donald was amongst the first to land in Sicily but was later hospitalised with malaria. He then joined the Special Air Service Regiment in June 1943, returned to Italy and was dropped behind the German lines. He and his party were betrayed by an Italian farmer while they were taking cover at night and were captured by the Germans. After being reported missing, his family received a letter from him dated 6th March 1944 which disclosed that he was a prisoner of war.
The parish magazine of June 1945 had a paragraph written by the Rev Rawstorne; ‘We extend a very hearty welcome to those men who have returned to Thornbury from Prisoner of War camps. These include Warrant Officer Stone RAF, Corporal Hughes, Lance Corporal Trotman and Gunner Fryer. It was a source of great satisfaction to the bellringers to have Corporal Hughes with them on the occasion of the ringing for the Thanksgiving Services.’
We believe that he married Doreen Sable in the Uxbridge area in 1946. The Electoral Register of 1946 shows that Donald and Doreen lived at The Baths in Thornbury. The birth of Ian William Hughes was registered in Thornbury in 1947. The mother’s maiden name was Sable and so we assume that this was the son of Donald and Doreen.
By 1948 the family lived in Eastbury Road.
When Donald came home from the War, he worked for the Gas Works, then did a driving job for the quarries, and then became a metallurgist for Rolls Royce. By 1957 the Electoral Registers show them at The Nook in Falfield. His probate record appears to show that Donald William Hughes died 21st August 1985. His address was still given as The Nook Falfield Wotton under Edge. Doreen Alice Hughes died in 2002.