The White Lion

The White Lion is located in the centre of the High Street of Thornbury in South Gloucestershire.  From a research point of view, the property that is now “The White Lion” was not located in the Borough of Thornbury and we had to trawl the records of the Tything of Kington in the Parish of Thornbury.  Surprisingly, as you will read below, in spite of not being in the Borough, the owner still had to pay the Borough Rent.

Unfortunately we haven’t seen the deeds of the property so our knowledge is based on documents related to adjoining properties supplemented with our normal sources of census and other records.

We believe that it has been a pub since the 1830s or thereabouts.  The records of the late 1850s and early 1860s show that the name of the pub at that time was ‘The Lion’ and that in the later 1860s the pub was renamed ‘The White Lion’.  The earliest reference we have found to the pub being called The White Lion was in a trade directory of 1868.  We had always assumed that the change of name was to differentiate the pub from the ‘The Black Lion’ in Castle Street.  However it may be coincidence but we note that the publican and owner of the property during the 1860s was John White so it is possible that John added his surname to the name of the pub.

There are various stories about the White Lion which stands on the porch over the door and which has been a landmark in the town for so long.  We have heard that celebration speeches from the winning candidate in elections were made from astride the Lion and that on at least one occasion notably in World War II (when the Maritime Regiment was stationed in the town) the Lion mysteriously changed places with the Swan opposite during the night.

We are fortunate that in 1894, the landlord and owner of the White Lion, Josiah Hall, was involved in a court action with regard to unpaid Borough Rent due to Stafford Howard of Thornbury Castle.  We have given more details below when writing about Josiah Hall, but the case is important as it tells us that according to the Court Rent Rolls from 1671 to 1681 Josiah’s house was then owned by Alice Hopkins.

The 1670 Borough Rent Roll shows that the house owned by Alice Hopkins, a widow, was let to Ms. Wysses at a rent of 6d.  We assume that Ms Wysse was Susanna Wysse who was referred to as a widow deceased who had occupied a property nearby which was left by John Barton to his brother, Thomas Barton and brother in law, Robert Thurston in his will dated 1687.

Alice Hopkins also appears in the 1671 Hearth Tax records which show she had 4 hearths in her building.  There is a will of Alice Hopkins in Gloucester Records Office which was proved in 1680.  In her last will and testament dated 13th December 1680 Alice arranged for five pounds to be paid by her executors out of the rent of the house to her daughter, Elizabeth, and she made other bequests of money and her household goods to her daughter, Joane Croome to her six children and to other grandchildren.  There is no reference as to what should happen to the house so we assume that this was covered by an earlier arrangement, possibly the will of her husband.

We don’t know any more about the property for a long time.   At the time of the 1840 Tithe Survey shows that Plot 54, a house, stable and garden was owned by Thomas Osborne Wetmore and occupied by James Prewett (see below).

Thomas Osborne Wetmore

Thomas was a major property owner in the Town.  He lived next door at Park House and he made a series of acquisitions of neighbouring property to allow him to expand his garden and the access to and from his house and he appears to have taken a piece of the ‘White Lion’ property into that of Park House.

Thomas retained the ownership until his death in 1868.  Read more about Thomas Osborne Wetmore

John Cook – we know from the deeds of Park House that John Cook, a butcher, had rented the property (10 High Street) at some time after Thomas acquired it and before it became used as a public house called ‘The Lion’.  Read more about John Cook 

James Prewett – the 1840 Tithe Survey shows James was occupying the property at that time, but he may have been there a lot earlier.  The baptism records of his children shows he was a shopkeeper in 1809 and 1811, a coachman in 1814, a carrier in 1815, a coachman again in 1817, an innkeeper in 1820 and a coach proprietor in 1824.   The 1830 Pigot Directory shows James was running a ‘Caravan’ to Bristol from Thornbury on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday morning.  The 1839 Robsons Directory lists James Prewett as a retailer of beer, lets horses, van proprietor etc in the High Street.  The 1842 Pigots Directory shows that James was operating a daily van service for passengers and luggage to Bristol.

In the 1841 census James was a publican aged 54 living in the same place with his wife, Hester aged 54 and children. The 1851 census shows that James was still living in the same place in the High Street although he was then listed as a coach proprietor, and this is the occupation given in the trade directories of that time.  The name of James’s coach was the “Rover” which was the subject of a poem written in 1857 which includes the following references to James and his pub:

“Th’ premmusiz where Prewett lived (Th’ Rover)
Have bin inlarged and nicely painted over
Th’ pleece lucks better than a did afore
And there’s a monstrous lion o’er the door
Wen a wur vust put up th’ landlord vow’d
He’d caaze th’ hanimal to roar zo loud
That wother beasts and birds shood veel dismay
Espeshully the Zwan across th’ way
Howe’er the long neck’t burd was nat alarm’d
And still rests on her bed of flags unharm’d”

The poem raises the possibility that the pub may have been called ‘The Rover’ before it became known as The Lion.  This seems to be confirmed by an article called ‘Memories of Thornbury By an Old Inhabitant’ written in 1922 (published in ‘Aunt Beat’s Scrapbook’ and available in Thornbury & District Museum).  The writer says ‘my earliest recollection is the Rover Hotel, where the White Lion now is.  The coach which was driven to Bristol by old Mr Prewett, landlord, stood outside the door.’

James died aged 72 on 27th April 1855 and he was buried in Oldbury Church.  By 1861 census Hester had moved to Bristol.  Click here to read more about James and Hester

John White – the 1861 census shows John White was the innkeeper.  He was aged 65 from Dorset and living with his wife, Julia aged 49 from Bristol and their daughter, Julia aged 13 also born in Bristol.  The website of Gloucestershire pubs shows John was licensee there from 1858 to 1861.  The 1859 and 1862 Rate Books list John as the tenant of Thomas Osborne Wetmore.

There is an advert in the Bristol Mercury on 2nd October 1858 showing that ‘John White of the Lion Inn, Thornbury having just purchased the Prewett omnibus business has determined on disposing of, by private treaty, the original omnibus which for the last 14 years has left the Antelope Inn, Broadmead in Bristol for Thornbury, every morning; together with four horses and the goodwill of the said omnibus and route.  Note the above is the only omnibus that leaves Bristol for Thornbury in the morning.  For further particulars and to treat for same, apply to John White, Antelope Tavern, Broadmead, Bristol or Lion Inn, Thornbury‘.

On 13th March 1841 John had married Julia Fanny Rolph in Thornbury.  The marriage record shows John was a Lieutenant in the 20th Madras Infantry and the son of George White, gentleman.  Fanny was born in 1819 and baptised on 12th December 1820, the daughter of William Rolph and his wife Frances

John and Julia had a daughter, Julia Isabelle, born in Bristol in 1847.  The Bristol Mercury of April 17th 1847 announced that John White was the proprietor of “the new coach, the Berkeley Hunt 2, that would leave the Berkeley Arms Hotel four times a week at 8 and the Swan in Thornbury at 9 and would arrive in Bristol at 10.30.  There was a return journey from Bristol at 4.30.  In Bristol the coach stopped at the Greyhound, the Antelope and the White Horse, all in the Broadmead area.

The 1851 census shows the family living at The Antelope in Broadmead, Bristol.  John was described as being a coach proprietor aged 55.  Julia’s age was given as 49 which is the same age as she was given in the 1861 census.  This is a bit puzzling as we think she was born around 1819 and baptised in 1820.

The 1868 Directory of Gloucestershire shows John was operating a daily service to Bristol leaving the ‘White Lion’ at Thornbury daily at 8.30am and returning from the Full Moon, North Street, Bristol at 5pm.  This shows that John carried on with his coach service, even after moving away from the Thornbury pub.

The 1871 census shows John and Julia had moved to 31 Kingsdown Parade and John was running the pub there (which is now called Kingsdown Wine Vaults).  John was aged 73 and Julia was aged 53, which matches our understanding of her correct age.  They were sharing the premises with their daughter, and her husband, Charles William Craymer, an accountant whom she had married in the Clifton area in 1866.  They had two children: Lily aged 3 and Violet aged 2.  The Bristol Lost Pubs website notes that John White was licensee at the Kingsdown Wine Vaults from 1871 to 1877.

William Riddle 1879

The advertisement shown above was published some time around 1879.  It seems that John White might no longer be running the carrier’s trade as Walter Riddle now had a business based at the White Lion – at least between Thornbury and Patchway.   The 1881 census shows that Walter Riddle was a 36 year old bus and fly properietor living with his family on the Thornbury Road in Oldbury on Severn.

John White must have died before the 1881 census because at that time Julia was shown as a widow living with a cousin, Nassau Senior, a barrister, in Chelsea.  Julia carried on living in London, although we can’t trace her in the 1891 census.  In 1901 she was boarding in a house at 22 Edbury Street, Knightsbridge.  She died on 7th November 1910 at 141 The Mansions, High Street, Kensington.  One of her executors was her brother, William Mair Rolph.

Julia is mentioned on a memorial board in St Marys Church in Thornbury which lists charitable bequests and donations.  Julia is shown as leaving ‘£500, the interest to be applied at the discretion of the Vicar and Churchwardens for the assistance of poor persons living in the Parish of Thornbury being members of the Church of England’.

Samuel Crew – the 1867 Rate Book shows Samuel had taken over the tenancy from John White.  We know from the deeds of Park House that Samuel was renting the stables of that property from Thomas Osborne Wetmore.  Samuel didn’t stay at the White Lion long.  An auction of Samuel’s effects was held on 19th September 1869 as he was said to be leaving the inn on 29th September.   Click here to read more

The Halls – the 1871 census shows that James and Hannah Hall and their two of their children (Josiah and Edith) and a nephew, Henry E. O. Hall were living at the White Lion Inn in the High Street.  Josiah aged 36, was running the pub.  James was shown as the head of the household aged 59 and was referred to as “a retired innkeeper”.  The 1876 Rate Book shows James as owner of White Lion.  We assume that James had bought it at the sale on 21st December 1868 following the death of Thomas Osborne Wetmore.

The Bristol Mercury has an advert printed on 1st April 1876 showing that the White Lion was available to let, with immediate possession.  It was described as ‘an established and well accustomed double licensed house where good business is being done.  The premises are well situated in the very centre of the market, have a bar and bar parlour, smoking-room, taproom, sitting room, bedrooms, kitchens, cellar, coach-house and stabling.  There is a brewhouse, large bowling saloon, large clubroom, Foresters’ and Oddfellows clubs, with nearly 300 members and a good walled garden and yard‘.

It is interesting to note that reference to a ‘brewhouse’ suggests that the pub had made its own beer.  The mention of the ‘bowling saloon’ is the earliest reference we have found to a skittle alley in Thornbury.

By 1880 James had moved away and left Josiah and his wife, Mary Ann (nee Aldrick) at the White Lion.  Josiah was involved in a court action in 1894 with regard to unpaid Borough Rent due to Stafford Howard of Thornbury Castle.  This rent was a sort of leasehold arrangement whereby residents of the Borough of Thornbury paid a rent to the Lord of the Manor.  The argument made by Josiah’s defence council was that Thornbury was not a Borough in the sense defined by law.  There was not a wall around the town.  The case was decided on the grounds that rents had been paid in Thornbury for so long.  Council for the plaintiff showed that Alice Hopkin’s house for which she paid rent as shown by the Court Rent Rolls 1671 to 1681 was now the White Lion belonging to Josiah Hall and rents should continue to be paid.  Costs were awarded against the defendants.

When Josiah died on 16th November 1900 aged 65, his wife, Mary Ann took over the running of the pub.  She died on 27th September 1908 aged 56.  The memorial card printed by her children to notify people of her death clearly says the pub was called “The Lion Hotel.”  We have here a newspaper article which appeared in the Gazette on October 3rd 1908 reporting on her funeral and referring to her health after the death of her husband;

The Western Daily Press of 19th November 1908 reported on the petty sessions at which the licence of what was then called “The White Lion Inn” was transferred from the late Mrs M A Hall deceased to her son Frederick Josiah Hall.  Despite this it seems that two of Mary Ann’s children, Mabel and Frederick Josiah ran the pub jointly until Mabel got married in 1917.  The report of Mabel’s marriage in the Gazette of May 26th 1917 says that she married Joseph Edward Roach Young of Mount Pleasant, Rockhampton.  

The newspaper commented that “this widely known hostelry (The White Lion) has been owned and faultlessly conducted by the Hall family for upwards of half a century, and since the death of their widowed mother, nearly nine years ago, the management has been ably carried out by the bride and her brother Mr Frederick Josiah Hall, who have jointly maintained their ancestors’ reputation and this, together with their affability has gained them a host of friends and neighbours who spontaneously regret the disposal of the hotel and change of occupancy which will doubtless follow.”

We have no further information about Frederick after the War.  Read more about the Halls 

The Brownings – the next owner and publican of the White Lion was Grantley Gilbert Browning.  He is listed as being in the High Street in 1918 electoral register and the 1921 electoral register shows him at the White Lion Hotel.

Grantley Gilbert Browning was born in Fishponds in 1871.  He was the son of Edwin Browning and his wife, Sarah (nee Smith) who had been running the Queens Head in Stapleton in 1861 and the Black Horse in Fishponds in 1871 and 1881 censuses.  In 1897 Grantley married Elizabeth Ann Freebury in the Bristol area.  The 1901 census shows Grantley was the publican at The Golden Lion at Fishponds in Bristol.  Grantley and Elizabeth had several children: Sarah May born in Fishponds in 1897, Lilian Emma born on 23rd August 1899, Worthy born in Fishponds on 17th August 1901, Claude (or Claudius as it is shown on FreeBMDs) and  Stuart born in 1903.  The  couple then had twins Leslie Grantley and Violet Elizabeth who were born in Fishponds on 24th December 1908.

We don’t know when the Brownings moved to Thornbury, but Grantley is listed in the High Street in the 1918 electoral register.  When the Western Daily Press reported on the divorce of Gilbert and Elizabeth Browning on May 22nd 1920 it described him as licensee of the White Lion Hotel in Thornbury.

The 1921 Census shows Grantley Gilbert Browning aged 53 and born in Bristol was the licensee of the White Lion.  He was living with his family of five children.  His daughter Lilian Emma Browning aged 21 was an assistant. The oldest son Worthy Browning aged 19 was described as ‘driver of motor car & assisting in Licensing Premises’  Claudius Stuart was aged 17 and he was described as an assistant in the business.  The twins Leslie Grantley Gilbert Browning and Violet Elizabeth Browning were both 12 years and six months old.

Grantley died on 24th November 1922 aged 52.  The obituary in the Gazette mentioned that ‘In his early years he had been a well known and successful athlete on the cinder track and recognised as one of the best authorities on poultry, his speciality being bantams’.

The 1927 Electoral Register lists Claude Stuart and Worthy Browning as living at the White Lion and the 1931 Register shows Claude Stuart Browning and Leslie Grantley Browning living there.  However, we believe that Grantley’s daughter, Lilian, and her husband Herbert Henry Parsons, took over the running of the White Lion.  We don’t know where Elizabeth Ann went to live as she is not listed in the Thornbury electoral registers.  She died on 8th May 1947 aged 73.

Of Grantley and Elizabeth Ann’s children:

• Sarah May (known as May) married Frank Tucker in 1920 in the Wheatenhurst area.  She died on 29th February 1956 aged 59 when her surname was Knight.
• Lilian Emma married Herbert Henry Parsons in Thornbury in 1923.  They took over the running of the White Lion following the death of her father. (see below).