Upper Bath Road

Number 12

We have no photograph of the house and don't know when it was built and we would love to hear from anyone with any knowledge of the house.

At the time of the 1840 Tithe Survey the house was part of Plot 112 which consisted of two houses and gardens owned by David Greenman and occupied by himself and Job Greenhill.  We have a copy of an indenture which shows that David Greenman acquired the property on 30th September 1837.  The schedule of deeds seems to suggest that David bought the property from Luke Trayhurn who had bought it on 2nd June 1814 from Matthews Mills.

Following David Greenman's death in 1853, the property was transferred to his wife, Mary.  She sold it on 28th March 1857 to John Hodges a builder who lived in Gloucester Road.  On 14th August 1865 John conveyed it to his son, George Hodges, although the Rate Book still showed John as the owner.  John Hodges died in 1877 aged 91.  George Hodges is shown as the owner in the 1880 and 1885 Rate Books.  George died in 1905.  We don't what happened to the property then but by 1916 it was owned by Mrs Shepherd.  This was confirmed by an indenture  relating to the sale of number 10 Upper Bath Road in 1916 indicates that that property was bounded to the south and west by property of Mrs Shepherd.

David Greenman - the 1840 Tithe Survey shows David Greenman was occupying the house.   The 1841 census shows David was a carrier aged 40 born outside Gloucestershire, living with his wife, Mary aged 40 and their children: William a shoemaker's apprentice aged 15, Ann aged 15, David aged 14, Mark aged 10, and Jane aged 4.

In 1851 census David was a general carrier aged 51 from Box, Wiltshire, Mary was aged 53 from Tytherington living with Mark a general carrier aged 20, Jane aged 14 and Samuel aged 7.  Their son, David, died aged 22 and was buried on 1st December 1850.

David died aged 53 years and was buried on 27th March 1853.  We don't know where Mary was in the 1861 census, but she died aged 66 and was buried on 8th October 1862.

On 13th October 1855, their daughter, Jane, married William Rugman, the son of James Rugman, a labourer.

Isaac Clutterbuck - the 1861 shows the house occupied by a widower, Isaac Clutterbuck, a gardener aged 60 and his children: Mary Ann, a house servant aged 20, William an agricultural labourer aged 15, John aged 11, Louisa aged 7 and Fanny aged 5.  Click here to read about Isaac and his family

George Hopkins - the 1871 and 1881 census show that the house was occupied by George Hopkins.  This is confirmed by the Rate Books of 1876 and 1880.  Click here to read more about the Hopkins family

Thomas Ford - in 1891 the house was occupied by Thomas Ford, a widowed carter aged 65 from Thornbury. 

Thomas was born about 1827, the son of James Ford, a labourer and his wife, Mary.  In 1841 Thomas was living with his parents in Crossways.  By 1861 Thomas was married to Ann (maiden name unknown) and they were living in Crossways.  Thomas was an agricultural labourer aged 34 and Ann was aged 40.    By this time they had had children: George  baptised on 5th March 1854, Anne baptised on 4th June 1854 and James and William both baptised on 13th April 1857.  George was not living with his parents in 1861.

In 1871 the family had moved to Upper Bath Road where Thomas was working as a haulier.  They had had another son, John, baptised on 13th March 1862 who died aged 20 months and was buried on 7th April 1863.  Only their daughter, Ann a general servant aged 17 and their son, William, were living with Thomas and Ann.  Their son, George, a labourer aged 20 was living next door on one side with his wife, Ann (the daughter of John Walker) aged 28.  On the other side was Thomas's widowed father, James Ford a labourer aged 73 and his grandson (and son of Thomas and Ann), James Ford another labourer aged 14.

In 1881 census, Thomas was a labourer aged 54 living in Sibland Road with Anne aged 60 with their son, William aged 23 and Mary aged 8.  Mary was baptised on 25th October 1872, the daughter of Anne Ford, whom we assume to be Thomas and Ann's daughter.

Ann died aged 65 years and was buried on 8th February 1887. The 1894 Rate Book shows that Thomas had moved to 4 Upper Bath Road.  Thomas died in 1897 aged 69.

Mrs Collins - the 1899 Rate Book shows the house was occupied by Mrs Collins.  We haven't been able to identify this person.

Elizabeth Prewett  - in the 1901 census the house appears occupied by Elizabeth Prewett and her children.  Click here to read more about the Prewetts

William Young - the 1910 Rate Book shows the house was occupied by William Young.  There were two William Youngs living in Thornbury in the 1901 census.  We do not know which one lived in this house in 1910, nor in 7 Upper Bath Road in 1905.

Elias & Alice Smith - the house was occupied for many years by the family of Elias and Alice Smith.  The electoral registers show they continued to live in 12 Upper Bath Road from 1918 until at least 1954, and in 1958 only Elias is listed as living there.

Elias was baptised on 3rd October 1880, the son of James Smith, a shoemaker from Chippenham and his  wife, Harriett (nee Parsons) who came from Milbury Heath.  In 1881 the Smith family were living in St Mary Street.  James was aged 50 and Harriett aged 31.  They had two other children living with them: Bertha Parsons aged 10 who was Harriett's daughter, and Dorcas baptised on 1st June 1879.  Two doors away, another son of Harriett's, John Fisher aged 5 (who was the son of Harriett's first marriage) was living with Harriett's mother, Amelia Parsons.

By 1891, Elias's father had got into trouble and he was listed as a convict in Gillingham prison in Kent.  Harriett was now living in her 3 room house in Silver Street with her children: Dorcas now aged 11, John Fisher an errand boy aged 15, Elias aged 10, George aged 9, Alfred Merrett aged 4 (who was described as 'dumb'), a boarder. Ellen Baker who was a widowed charwoman aged 48 and a nurse child, Ellenor Curtin aged 5 months.  The census record suggests Alfred Merrett is Harriett's son, but the baptism record shows Alfred was the son of Ann Merrett who was residing at the Workhouse.  We believe that Harriett may have provided a home for children in need of short term care. 

By 1901 Elias's father, James, had been released from prison, but he had not returned to the family home.  Harriet was still living in Silver Street.  She is described as a charwoman living with her children: George a builder's labourer and Nellie aged 7, and a boarder, John Harris, another general labourer.

Elias became a groom and in 1902 he married Alice Maud Haines at Devonport when he was stationed there as a soldier.  Their first son , John Elias (known as 'Jack') was born in 1902 and baptised on 2nd November 1902 at Thornbury St Marys.  Elias and Alice had a daughter, Harriet, born on 7th September 1907 and a son, Charles G born in 1913.