13 Pullins Green

Mark Williams - The Blacksmith

In 1851 the house was occupied by Mark Williams, a blacksmith employing one man and a boy.  Mark was aged 34, living in the house with his wife, Harriet, aged 33 and their daughter, Sarah Ann aged 6.  The apprentice  Horatio John King, aged 15, the son of the previous blacksmith in the house, was also living with the family.  All of them were born in Thornbury. 

Mark's father was also called Mark and was also a blacksmith.  The 1841 shows the family living in the High Street before young Mark was married.  Mark's mother was called Mehitabel.  She was a Thornbury girl and Mark Williams senior was from Olveston.   Click here to read about Mark Williams Snr and Mehitabel

We have not found where young Mark married Harriet but their daughter, Sarah Ann was baptised at St Mary's in Thornbury in September 1844.

Mark and his family were still in Pullins Green in the 1861 census and 1862 Rate Book.  Horatio King had presumably completed his apprenticeship and become a blacksmith.  However, he had moved off to live in Olveston and he later settled in Elberton where he had his own blacksmith's forge.

In 1871 Mark and Harriet were still living at Pullins Green.  By this time they were 54 and 51 respectively and they had another apprentice, a nephew called Thomas Taylor aged 17.  A 75 year old annuitant called Samuel Davis also lived there.  Thomas had been born in "Clays Lane End"

In 1881 Mark and his wife Harriet were living in the house alone.  Despite his advancing years, Mark was still a blacksmith.  But we understand he finally gave up the work in 1885 when the business and the house were taken over by Oliver Higgins. 

By 1891, Harriet and Mark moved to live at The Abbey, Grovesend.  He had  retired from being a blacksmith and was described as a "farmer" despite his age, which was 74 by this time.  By the time of the 1894 Rate Book Mark was listed as the tenant of 54 High Street.  Mark died on 30th August 1899 aged 83 and was buried in the graveyard at St Marys Church.  The 1901 census showed Harriett was still living at the house.  She died in 1906 aged 88 and was buried in the same grave as her husband.  The gravestone in the Church appears to suggest she died at Grovesend Farm.

Click here to read more about Oliver Higgins, the next blacksmith in the forge.

This page was last updated: 24/08/2011