The Cottage, 1 Horseshoe Lane

Occupants

The 1840 Tithe Survey shows that there was a small house on the site, which was owned by Thomas Wise and occupied by John Lydiard. 

John Liddiatt - the 1841 census shows that it was John Liddiatt, an agricultural labourer aged 60 and his wife, Mary, aged 65 who were occupying the house in Horseshoe Lane.  By 1851, John and Mary had moved to a house in St John Street (which later became known as number 11).  At that time he was a landowner aged 75 years.  Mary was aged 79 and born in Almondsbury.  She died and was buried on 25 January 1852.  We suspect John died  in 1861.

John Liddiatt - we don't know if there is any connection between the John Liddiatt who had been occupying the property in 1841 census and the one there in 1851.  It seems very likely, but could just be co-incidence.  In 1851 John Liddiatt was a master sawyer aged 49.  His wife was also Mary and she was also born in Almondsbury, but she was aged 46.  Mary died in 1851 shortly after the census.  The 1861 census shows John had re-married and he was now living with Jane, his new wife, in Rotten row (now Chapel Street).  Jane was aged 40 and born in Hartland in Devon.

William Wathen - in 1861 the house was occupied by William Wathen, a brewer aged 56 and his wife, Ann aged 55. They had three children living with them: George, a journeyman shoemaker aged 28, Hugh, an agricultural labourer aged 22 and Mary aged 13.  The same five were still living together in the 1871 census.  Ann had become a laundress and Mary a general domestic servant.  Otherwise they were just 10 years older.

William Wathen was born on 18th April 1804 and baptised on 27th May 1804.  He was the son of Joel and Flora Wathen.  Although we haven't seen it personally we understand that the baptism register shows Flora's name as 'Flower' when William and his siblings were baptised.  On 12th April 1829, William married Ann Saniger.  Ann was born on 23rd June 1805, the daughter of William and Mary Sanigar of Sundays Hill, Falfield. 

William died on January 20th 1878 aged 73 years.   Ann moved to live with her son, Edwin the 3 Horseshoe Lane.

James and Eliza Pullen - in 1901 the house was occupied by James Pullen and his family - click here to read more about this Pullen family

We don't know who lived in the house between the Pullens and the Burns family.

The Burns and Higgins families - we know from several locals that the house was occupied in the early 1900's by the Burns family.   Click  here to read more about this family

Harold Riddiford - Harold lived there for a few years before moving to Bristol.  His father, Alfred Riddiford bought the property.  Click here to read more about the Riddiford family.

We have been told by two people that a Mrs Twelvetrees lived in the cottage for a few years.  Neither of them knew much about her and we have been unable to find anything else.

Wilfred J & Norah E Parker - the 1954 electoral registers shows that Wilfred and Norah were living in The Corner Cottage, 1 Horseshoe Lane which we assume was this house.  We don't know any more about this family.

Norah Ayres - we understand that Norah Ayres bought the property from the Riddiford family and that she moved to live there.  Miss Ayres worked as a Sister and Matron at the Thornbury Hospital and we have seen several photos of her working there, including the one on the right.   We don't know much about Miss Ayres, except that she was not from the Bristol area. 

At the time of the town's re-development in the 1960's the house was owned by Mr Eyre of Catherines Holt, Stone.  

Jesse Powell - in 1970 the house was occupied for about 2 years by Jesse and his wife, Janet May Woodward from 10 Park View Avenue.  They moved to a council house in North Road so that The Cottage could be demolished. 

This page was last updated: 13/10/2008