1 St John Street

Occupants

After the death of William Knapp in 1862, his blacksmith shop was converted into 2 houses which became 1 and 3 St John Street and the rest became part of The Georgian House.  This is illustrated more understandably in the photograph on the right, taken in 1981, in which what is now 1A St John Street was still part of the Georgian House and was a "tallot" or loft over a garage doorway, but numbers 1 and 3 are separate residences, although the roofline and frontage are continuous.

The Walkers
The 1871 census shows 1 St John Street occupied by Hester Walker a widow (retired butcher's wife) aged 65 from Hill, her son, Henry, an unmarried billposter aged 43 and a lodger Charles E Heaven, a railway contractors timekeeper aged 23 from Wotton Under Edge. 

Hester was born in Hill about 1805, the daughter of James Prewett, a coach proprietor and his wife, Hester.  She married Joseph Walker, a butcher and they had several children including Louisa baptised 7th November 1824, Joseph baptised 10 September 1826 and Henry and Charles, twins baptised 12th February 1828.  Little Charles died after just 7 weeks and they had another son named Charles baptised on 5th September 1830, William baptised on 26th August 1832, (who died after 8 months), William Prewett Walker baptised on 4th September 1836 and Ann baptised 16th October 1839.  Joseph died and was buried on 13th August 1839 aged 35 years.

In 1841 Hester was living in Back Street where she was working as a butcher.  She was living with Louisa, a corsetmaker and Joseph an apprentice shoemaker and William and Ann.   By 1851 Hester had gone back to live with her parents, James and Hester Prewett in the High Street.  She was working as a needle woman.   

The 1861 census shows Hester was a schoolmistress then living in 4 Horseshoe Lane with her son, Henry, an agricultural labourer and 4 boarders.  Henry died in 1874 aged 46.  By 1881 Hester had moved to St Mary Street where she had two lodgers.  In 1891 she was living in Upper Bath Road with her nephew Charles and Elizabeth Prewett.   She died and was buried on 25th January 1893 aged 89 years.

Walter Davis
The 1881 census shows the house occupied by Walter Davis, a painter aged 33 who was born in Thornbury, his wife, Eunice also aged 33 from Alveston, their son, Lewis aged 2 and a daughter, Caroline aged 10 months.

Walter was baptised on 21 April 1848.  He was the son of Lewis Davis, a painter and his wife, Eliza.  Lewis came from Wickwar to live in Thornbury before 1848 when their son, Walter was born there.  In 1851 Lewis was a plasterer and tiler living with Eliza in St John Street with his brothers, Albert and Worthy, and with their son, Walter.  By 1861 Lewis and his family had moved to Castle Street - Eliza's widowed mother, Hannah Franklin was living with them. Eliza died in 1864 and Lewis died in 1870 aged 54.  By 1871 Walter had become a journeyman painter and he was living with his grandmother in Castle Street.

Walter married Eunice Powell in December quarter 1877.

By the 1891 census, they had three more children: Walter William born in 1883, Mary Ann born in 1885 and Albert Davis born in 1891. They were still living at 1 St John Street.

Walter died in March quarter 1901 aged 52.  In the 1901 census, Eunice is living in the house with children, Walter, Mary Ann and Albert.  Her son, Walter had become a house painter like his father and grandfather. 

We are not sure who lived in the house during the period 1901 to 1925.

The Sealy family - from 1925, or may be earlier, the house was occupied by Alfred William Sealy.  He became the owner of the house which was finally sold in 1988 when his third wife died.   Click here to read more about the Sealys.

In the early 1980's the house was bought by Donald and Helen Sparling.   At the time there was just a single tap in the house located in the washroom.  They made considerable changes to the house to bring it up to modern standards.       

This page was last updated: 18/09/2008