8 Bath Road

Occupants

Unfortunately we don't have a photograph of the houses, but we know there was a building there in the 1840 Tithe Survey, and it shows that the properties were Plot 324 described as house and garden owned by Thomas Savery and occupied by Guy Barge and Philip Marton.

We have no way of knowing which of these persons occupied which house, but for the purposes of the website we are assuming that Guy Barge occupied number 6 and Phillip Martin (which was his correct name, not Marton as appears in the transcription we have seen) was in  number 8.

Philip Martin - in the 1841 Philip Martin was a hostler aged 51 living with Henry aged 12.  We only know a little about Philip who was born about 1790.  He was a labourer married to Mary (date of marriage and maiden name of Mary unknown) and they had at least one child, Hannah who was baptised on 5th December 1834.  It appears that this was a tragic time for Philip as Mary died in child birth and was buried on 4th December 1834 aged 43 and Hannah only survived for 8 days and was buried on 10th December 1834.  Philip died aged 59 and was buried on 26th February 1849.  His address at the time was given as 'The Poor House'.

Sarah Williams - the 1851 Census shows the house is occupied by Sarah Williams.  She was a widowed charwoman aged 46 living with her sons, Charles and George, both agricultural labourers aged 19 and 18, and her younger children, Mark aged 10, Charlotte aged 6 and Emma aged 4.  Click here to read more about Sarah's earlier life

Towards the end of 1851 Sarah married John Garlick and they continued to live in the house for many years (see below).

John Garlick - we know from the Rate Books that John owned the two houses (which later became known as 6 and 8 Bath Road) from at least 1859 and that he lived in one of them, we think it was number 8.

John Garlick was born in Kilmartin, Wiltshire  about 1804.  By 1841 John had moved to Thornbury to live in Milbury Heath and working there as an agricultural labourer.  He was living with his wife, Eliza (nee Turney) who aged about 35 and their children: Mary aged 7 and William aged 5 and Sarah Turney aged about 35 who was presumably Eliza's sister.  Eliza died in 1843.  In 1851 he was still living in Milbury Heath with his daughter, Mary aged 16 and son Thomas aged 8.  (Note - we know that Eliza was a Turney because in 1861 census Thomas J Garlick was living sister, Mary, now married to Thomas Machin a porter formerly a mason from Thornbury.  They were living in Redcliffe in Bristol and Sarah Turney aged 76 was also living there and shown as 'grandmother'.)

Later in 1851 John married a widow, Sarah Williams (see above).  In the 1851 census Sarah had been living in a house in 'Bulls Lane' which presumably this house and John Garlick moved to share the house with her and her children from her first marriage.  The 1861 census shows John was now a farmer living with Sarah and her son, Mark Williams an agricultural labourer and her daughter, Emma a nursemaid.

The 1871 census shows John and Sarah still in 8 Bath Road.  John is described as an 'occupier of lands' aged 66 from Goatacre, Wiltshire living with his wife, Sarah aged 63 from London and a visitor John Broom Guy an occupier of lands aged 26 born in Bradenstoke, Wiltshire.  We are puzzled why this census says Sarah was born in London as all others suggest she came from Gloucestershire.  We understand that John Broom Guy  married Emma Williams, Sarah's daughter.  John Broom was a thatcher (and the son of a thatcher) and he went on to become a police constable, and then a truant officer (which later became known as a school attendance officer.)

We note that the 1876 Rate Book shows the house owned by John Garlick and occupied by Thomas Garlick.  We can't understand why Thomas was living here and not  John who was living here in 1871 census and 1880 Rate Books.  In 1881 John was described as a labourer aged 77 living with Sarah aged 75 from Wapley Gloucestershire.  John died in 1881 aged 78 and the 1885 Rate Books shows Mrs Garlick as owner of both houses and occupying what appears to be number 8.   Sarah died in 1887 aged 79.  On 16th October 1893 John Tanner Garlick sold number 6 to Henry Clark for £50.  John was described as a coal merchant of Bristol.

Mark Williams - we assume that Mark inherited the property in 1887 following the death of his mother, Sarah Garlick (see above).  Mark was listed as owner and occupier in the 1890 Rate Book.  From this time on the house was occupied by various members of the Williams family, and from about 1901 onwards they also occupied next door. Click here to read more about this Williams family

The Fishers - we have been told that the Fisher family lived in the house for a time and Harold Edward and his wife, Gwendolen are listed as living in Bath Road in the 1946 electoral register.  Harold was a bricklayer and member of the Thornbury Fire Brigade.  By 1950, the Fishers including their children, Brian, Enid, and Gwendolyn had moved to Eastland Avenue where two further children, Naomi and Trudy, were born.  Harold died in October 1973 aged 57.

This page was last updated: 21/03/2012