The history of the Jones family is quite complex and we are grateful to a family member, Susan Jones, who has helped us sort out the problems arising from the family’s tendency to use different surnames.
Frederick Jones was baptised in Broadway, Worcestershire on 8th August 1813. His mother was Ann Taylor. By the 1841 census Frederick had become a tailor and moved to live in Thornbury. He was living at The Wheatsheaf in Chapel Street together with two other tailors and a tailor’s apprentice. It is interesting to note that at this time he was using the name of ‘Frederick Jones’.
On 18th December 1841 Frederick under the name of ‘Frederick Jones Taylor’ married Sarah Luce at St James Church, Bristol. Their address at the time of the marriage was Charles Street. Sarah was baptised in Thornbury on 15th February 1818, the daughter of Thomas Luce, a barber and his wife, Mary. In the 1841 census Sarah had been a milliner living with her mother and brother, both hairdressers, in Silver Street, Thornbury. Frederick and Sarah’s son, Frederick Taylor was born in Thornbury in 1843. When their daughter, Mary Ann was born in 1846 she was registered under the name of ‘Mary Ann Jones Taylor’.
In the 1851 census Frederick (under the name of Frederick Jones) and Sarah were living in Silver Street with their two children: Frederick aged 8 and Mary Ann aged 4. Another daughter, Ellen was born in Thornbury in 1856 and registered under the name of Ellen Taylor. When she was baptised on 18th October 1873 she was given the name of ‘Ellen Jones Taylor’. The baptism record shows her parents were Frederick Taylor, a tailor and his wife, Sarah.
The 1859 rate book shows that Frederick Jones was then renting out the house at 63 High Street from Thomas Morgan.
The 1861 census shows the family under the name of Jones Taylor living at 63 High Street. Only their daughters, Mary Ann and Ellen are at home, both of them at school. Their son, Frederick is living in Bristol at 50 Wine Street and working as an assistant in Baker and Burt’s draper’s shop. The 1867 rate book shows that Frederick was renting the house at the time from Thomas Morgan.
In the 1871 census Frederick, Sarah and the two daughters were living at 63 High Street. Frederick is a tailor and none of the others had occupations. Frederick junior was lodging in Broadway, Bristol and working as a draper. In 1875 Frederick junior married Elizabeth Emma Bassey in Bristol. Elizabeth was born in Norwich in 1852 and she was later working as professor in music. Frederick junior and Elizabeth had a daughter, Beatrice Emma born on 26th July 1876, and a son, Frederick James Jones born on 16th November 1877 at 94 City Road, Bristol. However, unfortunately the marriage failed and Frederick and Elizabeth separated.
By 1876 Frederick (Senior) had acquired 61 High Street and 63 High Street. In the 1881 census the family lived at 63 High Street. Frederick Jones was a tailor aged 68 living with Sarah aged 66 and their three children: Frederick junior an unemployed draper’s traveller aged 38, Mary Ann an assistant in a seed warehouse aged 34 and Ellen aged 25 for whom no occupation is given. On 5th November 1884 Frederick paid £400 at auction for the Queens Head, the pub which adjoined his two other properties and which later became known as 65 High Street. He doesn’t appear to have ever lived in the pub and he allowed Hugh Smart to continue to manage it until his death in 1888 and then William Underhill to carry on after that. The pub was finally sold to R. W. Miller & Co. Ltd, brewers of Stokes Croft, Bristol in 1890.
By the 1891 census Frederick Jones had become a retired tailor and he was living at 63 High Street with Sarah, Ellen and a grandson, Frederick James Jones aged 13 born in Bristol. Ellen again had no occupation. We understand from a newspaper article printed in 1888 that little Frederick James Jones had had a difficult upbringing. After his parents separated, his mother re-married, but died shortly after. He came to live with his paternal grandparents, but missed his sister who was living with an aunt in Bristol. Little Frederick a habit of walking into Bristol to see his sister, but was not allowed inside his aunt’s house. The police found Frederick wandering in Bristol and he was taken to court. We do not know the outcome of the case.
Frederick Jones (snr) died on 16th January 1894 aged 82. The 1894 rate book shows that the Queens Head had now been sold, but the other two houses were now owned by ‘F. Jones’, presumably Frederick’s son. The 1899 rate book shows Frederick junior also owned a property in St Mary Street occupied by Charles Hurn. We believe this was the house which became known as 35 St Mary Street. It had been sold to Robert Withers by 1905.
The 1901 census shows Sarah continuing to live at 63 High Street with her son, Frederick, a commercial traveller aged 58, her daughters, Mary Ann Maffia and Ellen Jones and a grand-daughter, Gertrude Maffia aged 15 born in Monmouth. Sarah died on 2nd April 1901 aged 85. The 1905 and 1910 rate books show that both 61 and 63 High Street continued to be owned by ‘F. Jones’ with Frederick living at number 63, presumably with his sister, Ellen, living with him. They were both there in the 1911 census which describes Frederick as a commercial traveller in the drapery trade and Ellen as ‘housekeeping for brother’. Interestingly the Rate Book shows that ‘F. Jones’ also owned 46 High Street, although the abstract of title of this house shows it had been conveyed to Ellen Jones for £130.
Frederick is listed in the Thornbury trade directories as a commercial traveller living in the High Street. He died on 10th February 1914 aged 71. The report of his death published in the Western Daily Press on the 13th February says Frederick had been invited into the Swan by some farmers attending the cattle market. They sat in the commercial rooms in the hotel and he ordered a steak and when a second helping arrived Frederick suddenly fell forward and died instantly. It says that Frederick had been working as a commercial traveller for a Manchester firm selling carpets and linoleum. The report said that no inquest was deemed necessary as the medical attendant said that his death was caused by a haemorrhage to the brain. However plans for the funeral had to be put off when the coroner decided to carry out an inquest after he had received ‘representations from one than one quarter’. A doctor carried out a post-mortem and concluded that the death had been caused by heart failure.
We don’t know when Ellen moved across the street to live at 46 High Street. At the time of the 1911 census that house appears to be unoccupied.
On 22nd October 1919 Ellen put both her houses up for sale at auction. The house at 63 High Street was described as ‘the dwelling house which is in the occupation of Miss Jones, the owner, contains two front sitting rooms, kitchen, pantry four bedrooms and box ditto, and large shed used as wood or coal house at back. There is a good supply of soft water on the premises‘.
It appears that Ellen sold the two houses (61 and 63 High Street) at the auction because in a 1920 document relating to the Exchange Hotel Ellen’s name is crossed through and replaced by ‘W. H. Phillips’. The 1925 valuation list shows the two houses were owned by W. H. Phillips, and Ellen Jones was living in 46 High Street.
Ellen continued to live at 46 High Street. In 1921 she placed several classified adverts in the South Gloucestershire Chronicle trying to sell a small cottage in St Mary Street. We believe this was 35 St Mary Street which she had inherited from Frederick Jones by his will dated 27th April 1908. Ellen sold 35 St Mary Street in an indenture of 18th July 1921.
Ellen died under the name of ‘Ellen Jones-Taylor’ on 19th July 1941 aged 86 years. In her will dated 11th November 1925 she left her property to her niece, Gertrude Eleanor Mary Maffia of Monmouth. Gertrude had married Frederick Collins Williams in Wandsworth on 9th June 1926. By 1941 Gertrude was living in Monmouth when she sold Ellen’s house in Thornbury to Alfred Knowles for £350. The house had been put up for auction on 17th October 1941. It was described as ‘a freehold, double-fronted house which was stone-built, rough cast front, and contains five rooms. Company’s water, main drainage. The decorative repair is good. Let at 8 shillings per week inclusive to Mr A Knowles‘.
Returning to the story of little Frederick James Jones, the son of Frederick Jones junior: in 1890 he managed to obtain a scholarship to Thornbury Grammar School. In 1896 he was employed by the Midland Railway Company as a clerk. On 8th June 1906 he married Charlotte Webley and they had four children. In 1908 he became the secretary for the Winsley Sanatorium at Limpley Stoke and he continued in this position until 1922 when he was dismissed for serious financial irregularities uncovered by auditors. He was tried, convicted and sentenced to three months hard labour at Shepton Mallett Gaol.