Number 14

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

We are grateful to South Gloucestershire Council for letting us see the deeds that they hold for this house and for number 12 Upper Bath Road  both of which were owned by the same families for much of their known history. This has given us access to information about the close of ground on which the plot was built.  It was called the Paddock and we have been able to trace how this close of land was divided up and sold to become building plots. Click here to see the 1840 Tithe Map of the Paddock and an explanation of what happened to each section.

The information given to us by South Gloucestershire has also enabled us to trace the owners of the land from the early 1700's.  Click here to read the early history.

We have a copy of schedule beginning 14th August 1865 that refers to an indenture which shows that David Greenman acquired the property on 30th September 1837.  The schedule of deeds seems to suggest that David bought it from from the trustees of William Clark in 1835.  William Clark bought the property from Luke Trayhurn by a release of 25th March 1820.  Luke  had bought it on 2nd June 1814 from Matthew Mills.  We know from the deeds of 10 Upper Bath Road that in 1821 12 Upper Bath Road was a cottage and garden owned by William Clark.  This probably applies to 14 Upper Road as well.  This means that by 1820 William Clark was probably the owner of the two houses.  We do not know what Luke Trayhurn the tailor owned.  It may just have been field before the houses were built.

William Clark. We believe that William Clark bought this property by a lease and release of 24th and 25th March 1820 from Luke Trayhurn, although we do not have the details of the indenture neither do we know whether there were two cottages here at that time. This would have been William Clark the younger. Please click here to read more about William Clark

David Greenman.  At the time of the 1840 Tithe Survey the house was part of Plot 112 which consisted of two houses and gardens (now 12 and 14 Upper Bath Road) owned by David Greenman and occupied by himself and Job Greenhill.   We believe that David Greenman may have lived in this house, that later became 14 Upper Bath Road.

We have learned from the Ancestry website that David Greenman was baptised in Box in Wiltshire on 23rd September 1798.  He was the son of David Greenman and Sarah nee Perks.  He married Mary Ball in Tytherington on 10th April 1821.

David and Mary Greenman were the parents of Samuel Greenman who was  baptised on 5th May 1822 (who died aged 5 and was buried on 14th December 1828) and  Ann Greenman who was baptised on 26th March 1826.  At the time of both of those baptisms David was said to be a labourer.  By 5th December 1830 when Mark Greenman was baptised David had become a carrier.  A second daughter Jane was baptised on 1st March 1833.  Jane must have died as baby because another daughter called Jane was baptised 19th March 1837.  When Jane was baptised on 19th March 1834 David was described as "hallier."  The Trade Directory of 1839 confirms that David Greenman now advertised as a carrier.

The 1841 Census shows that David aged about 40 was working as a carrier and living with Mary who was the same age.  Their eldest son William was a shoemaker's apprentice.  The other, children Ann aged 15, David aged 14, Mark aged 10 and Jane aged 4 were still at home.  A Trade Directory of 1841 describes the carrier service as going to Bristol on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.  It says there are two carriers "Baylis" and "Greenland".  We are aware of the Baylis family who ran a carrier service in Thornbury and conveyed people and packages in various horse drawn vehicles.  However we have no knowledge of Greenland and think this must be an error and that Greenman is the actual name.  The Pigots Directory of 1842 says that W Baylis and "Thomas Greenman" run a service from their homes.  We cannot explain why the name was "Thomas."

Samuel Ball Greenman, who appears to be the youngest child of David and Mary Greenman, was baptised 12th November 1843.

On December 7th 1850 the Bristol Mercury had an announcement of the death of David Greenman aged 22 on November 26th and that announcement said that David was the son of David Greenman the carrier for Thornbury.

The 1851 Census shows that David was then aged 51 and that Mary his wife was aged 53 and born in Tytherington.  Their son Mark aged 20 was a general carrier like his father.  Jane aged 14 and Samuel aged 7 were still at home.  On July 20th 1852, according to the Bristol Mercury, Mark the son of David Greenman the carrier married Harriet the fourth daughter of Samuel Hughes also of Thornbury.

David died aged 53 years and was buried on 27th March 1853.  On 13th October 1855, David and Mary's daughter, Jane, married William Rugman, the son of James Rugman, a labourer.   We don't know where Mary was in the 1861 Census, but she died aged 66 and was buried on 8th October 1862.

John Hodges. Following David Greenman's death in 1853, this property and number 12 were transferred to his wife, Mary.  Mary Greenman sold the whole property on 28th March 1857 to John Hodges a builder who lived in Gloucester Road.  By 1865 and some time after 1840  a house had been built next to number 14 on the same land. 

This new house (which later became 16 Upper Bath Road) was sold to John Williams, the son in law of John Hodges  on 15th August 1865.  On 15th November 1873 John Hodges sold number 14 Upper Bath Road to his son George Hodges.  George Hodges had already acquired 12 Upper Bath Road in 1865.  John Hodges died on the 8th June 1877 aged 91. 

Numbers 12 and 14 Upper Bath Road then continued to be owned by George Hodges until his death in 1905 when they continued to be owned by trustees of his estate. Click here to read about the trustees of George Hodges.

On 11th March 1959 John Hodges and Gladys Balls as trustees of George Hodges' estate sold two houses, numbers 12 and 14 Upper Bath Road to Thornbury District Council as part of the redevelopment plan for £250.

The Occupants

In the 1841 and 1851 Censuses we believe the house may have been occupied by David Greenman, the owner (see above).

Charles Hopton - the 1861 Census shows the house occupied by Charles Hopton, an agricultural labourer aged 64 from Slimbridge and Hannah Hopton aged 65 from Thornbury and a widowed lodger, Anselm Thurston, an agricultural labourer aged 70.  In the 1871 Census, they were both still there now aged 73 with a lodger Henry Clark, a mason aged 23 from Burford in Oxfordshire.  Click here to read more about Charles Hopton and his family

Francis Stinchcombe - the 1876 Rate Book and the 1881 Census shows the house occupied by a widower Francis Stinchcombe a hurdlemaker aged 66 from Hillesley.  In the 1891 Census he was still living there, with his grand-daughter, Laura Stinchcombe a general servant aged 18.  Laura was the daughter of Francis's son, Alfred, and his wife, Sarah.

According to the IGI, Francis Stinchcombe married Hannah Pope in Hawkesbury on 29th November 1838.  The 1861 Census shows that they had moved to Thornbury and were living at 14 Rock Street and sharing the property there with George Blake and Mark Williams.  Francis was a hurdle maker aged 45 living with Hannah aged 45 from Hinton and their children: Alfred, an agricultural labourer aged 17 born in Alveston and Mary Ann aged 14, Laura aged 10 and Ann aged 8, all born in Thornbury.

The 1871 Census shows Francis and Hannah were still living at 14 Rock Street, now with just their daughter, Anne aged 17 at home.  The census notes that Hannah was deaf.  She died aged 67 years and was buried on 11th May 1880.  The 1894 Rate Book shows that Francis was still living in 14 Upper Bath Road.  He died aged 79 and was buried on 16th March 1897.

Charles Reeves - the 1901 Census shows the house occupied by Charles Reeves, a stone quarryman aged 33 and his wife, Frances A aged 28 from Alveston, and their children: John aged 11, Elizabeth Ella aged 7, Alfred Henry aged 6 and Winifred Kate aged 3.

Charles had married Frances Ann Walker in June quarter 1890.  The 1891 Census shows that Charles, an agricultural labourer aged 24 and Frances aged 19 were living in Buckover with their son John aged 1. 

The records of the National School show that two of their children transferred there from Buckover when the family moved to Crossways in June 1896.  The baptism records of their children show that they were living in Hackett Lane in 1896 and Easton Hill in 1897, and then in Upper Bath Road from 1898.

It appears that Charles and Frances had at least one more child, Reginald Charles born in 1905.

The Council School records show that the family carried on living in the 'Raglan Castle' area, presumably in number 14 Upper Bath Road until 1910.  Their youngest daughter, Kate, transferred to the National School in April 1910 because the family had moved to Morton.  Their new address was described in the school records as 'Mill Pond', but later records describe it as Morton Millpond.  The school records show Charles and Frances as temporary guardians of a number of other children (described as waifs and strays) throughout the period from 1916 to 1929.  They even managed one more child of their own;  Frances M Reeves was born on 10th August 1918.

The electoral registers show that Charles and Frances carried on living in Morton.  The 1950 register shows just Charles living with his son, Reginald C in Anchor Cottage, Morton.  By 1954, only Reginald is listed as living in the Anchor Inn.

Albert Screen - we know from the 1910 Rate Book that Albert was living in this house.  Click here to read more about Albert and his family

Catherine Stone - we think that the 1911 Census shows Catherine as the occupant of the house.  She was a widow of no occupation, aged 69 and born in East Lulworth.  She was living with her son, Albert George aged 25 of no occupation and born in  Berkeley, and a boarder, Emma Poole, a widow aged 77 from Tytherington.

Clara Webb - the 1925 Valuation List and 1926 Rate Book show the house was occupied by Clara Webb.  Clara was the widow of William Thomas Webb.  Clara died in 1927 aged 63.  Click here to read more

The Davis's - from the 1930's onwards, we have been told that the house was occupied by a family of Davis's.  We were told that there were three sisters and a brother living there at various times.  We have found the names of Ellen Davis listed in the electoral registers from 1931 through to 1958.  In the registers from 1946 onwards she is joined by her brother, Reginald John Davis who had previously been listed as living in St Mary Street.  Another sister, Dolly, has also been mentioned as living there.