The above photograph was taken in 2009 showing the row of houses opposite the old Grammar School (later the Castle School 6th Form Centre) in Thornbury. The house which is third from the left (behind the estate agents board) is 17 Gloucester Road, one of the four houses built by Frank and George Tucker who operated under the name of Tucker Brothers. We think that the house was built about 1909 . Click here to read about the row of houses
The house was given the name of ‘Fernleigh‘ which is inscribed on a concrete lintel on the front of the house. The electoral registers of 1909 and 1910 show that the house was occupied by Charles Henry Davies.
The Davies family
Charles Henry Davies was a retired police sergeant. He was born in Stroud on 3rd April 1855, the son of Thomas Davies and his wife, Hannah. Thomas was a waterman at the time of the 1861 census, and by the 1871 census he was a brewer’s man. That census shows Charles started work as a labourer then aged 16.
By 1881 census Charles had become a police constable living at West Dean police station. In 1883 Charles married Amelia Maria Bennett in the Monmouth area, probably at West Dean. Amelia had been born in Tewkesbury on 19th August 1851.
On 6th October 1884 they had a son, Harry Bennett Davies born in West Dean. A daughter, Jessie Blanch Davies was born in East Dean on 28th April 1886 and Florence Gertrude Bennett Davies was also born there in 1889.
The 1891 census shows the family living at Lydbrook. Charles was still a police constable.
By 1899 Charles had moved to Thornbury. The 1899 Rate Book lists him as the occupant of the Police Station under the name of ‘Davies’ so presumably he was fairly new to the town. In the 1901 census Charles was listed as a Police Sergeant at the Thornbury Police Station. He was living there with Amelia and their children: Harry B an outfitter’s apprentice aged 16 born Westdean, Jessie B a pupil school teacher aged 14, and Florence G.B. Davies aged 11, both born in Eastdean.
The 1905 Rate Book shows that Charles was still living at the Police Station. On 7th September 1906 the Western Daily Press reported on Charles’s retirement. He was presented with an aneroid barometer.
In the Summer 1906 Jessie left her job at the Council School to take an appointment at a school in Blakeney.
The Gazette of April 25th 1908 has a report of milk being stolen from Charles Davis. It seems that he had retired as he was referred to as an “ex-police sergeant”. Apparently he had left his can of milk outside his door for the daily delivery of milk. By eight o’clock next morning the milk and the can were missing. Charles cycled along Gloucester Road, where he appears to have been living by that time and apprehended two tramps walking along the road towards Gloucester. Charles searched a suspect and found the empty milk can tied to his belt. The thief was a seventeen year old boy who had been turned out of his home in London by his father who told him to seek his own living. He and his companion had spent the night at the casual ward at the workhouse. The young man was arrested and sentenced to one month’s hard labour.
The 1911 census confirms that Charles was living at Fernleigh in Gloucester Road. He was shown as a retired police sergeant and county court bailiff aged 56 born in Stroud living with his wife Amelia Maria aged 56 born in Tewkesbury. He had been married 26 years with three children. They had one daughter living them Florence Bennett Davies a draper’s assistant aged 21 born in Lydbrook. The house had 8 rooms.
On 14th September 1914 Charles and Amelia’s daughter, Florence married Arthur Knapp in Thornbury St Mary’s Church. Arthur was an undertaker from London and, according to Amelia’s obituary in 1933, Arthur and Florence settled to live in London.
The 1921 census shows their daughter, Jessie Blanch, had moved back to live with them. She returned to work as a teacher at the Council School. She carried on living there until her father died in 1942.
Amelia died on 26th May 1933 aged 81. Her obituary mentions she had been a member of the Mothers’ Union and Women’s Institute.
The special census taken in 1939 just prior to the War shows Charles living in Gloucester Road with his daughter Jessie, an elementary school teacher and son Harry B who was an office equipment manager.
Charles died on 21st February 1942 aged 87. His obituary mentions that during his time in the police force he had been stationed at Thornbury, Pucklechurch and Coleford, amongst other places. At his funeral there was a guard of honour composed of five police officers.
Jessie was employed as a teacher at the Council School. In 1944 Jessie married Charles Pitcher the postmaster and moved to live with Charlie at 28 High Street. Click here to read more about Charles and Jessie
On 1st September 1944 the house was put up for sale at auction. Click on the image of the sales notice on the right to see a larger image.
The Woodwards – the 1946 electoral register shows that the house had been taken over by Albert J and Gladys M Woodward. Albert was Albert James Woodward born in Charfield in 1901. He was the son of Albert George Woodward, a railway signalman and his wife, Edith Kate. In the 1911 census Albert was listed under the name of ‘James’ which might indicate he used his middle name.
In 1930 Albert married Gladys Mabel Tratt, probably at Chilton Polden in Somerset which was her home village. The banns for the marriage were also read at Charfield. According to family trees on the Ancestry website Gladys was Gladys Mabel Tratt, born in Wedmore in 1898, the daughter of Henry Lewis Tratt and his wife Alice.
Albert and Gladys must have moved to Thornbury area after their marriage because their daughter Jill M. was born in the Thornbury area in 1931, followed by Christopher D in 1934.
The 1954 electoral register lists Allan R. Hayward as also living in 17 Gloucester Road.
Albert and Gladys were still listed in the 1958 electoral register, but they were not there in 1959. In 1961 Albert was listed as living in Melita, Crossways. There was no sign of Gladys. Gladys died aged 69 in Bristol on 12th October 1967.
Lionel and Marjorie Dearing – about 1957 they moved to live in Fernleigh from their shop at 3 The Plain. Lionel was the son of Sidney Dearing who for many years ran the shoe shop at 3 The Plain. Sidney took over that shop and later moved to 14 The Plain. Lionel was also a chiropodist. The photo on the left was taken of Lionel and Marjorie with two of their children outside the shop at 14 The Plain. We have a separate page for the Dearing family where you can link to a gallery of photographs kindly given to us by Lionel’s son, Keith Dearing. Click here to read more
The Perrins – the 1980 electoral register shows the house was occupied by Roger and Meinir Perrin.