11 Rock Street

Occupants

Number 11 Rock Street is the smaller of the two houses shown on the right of the photo. 

We have had great difficulty in identifying the occupants of each house in the 19th century census records so we have not attempted to do so until we get some other supporting sources.  The history of occupants is therefore based on what people have been able to tell us, backed up by church records, electoral registers, school records etc.    

In this case, we know from local knowledge and from the rating books, censuses and electoral registers that the house was occupied by:

Sarah Bendall -  in 1861 Sarah was a widow of an agricultural labourer living with her son, George, a mason's labourer aged 40, both from Cam and a grandson, also named George aged 8 from Thornbury. 

In 1841 Sarah is living with her husband, Meshack Bendall in Gillingstool.  They had 3 children living with them, George, William and Hannah.  Meshack died aged 55 and was buried on 7th November 1852.

In 1871 she is still living in 11 Rock Street, now clearly shown as aged 83. Her son George a labourer aged 50 is also still living with her.  Sarah died aged 85 and was buried on 26th June 1879.

In the 1880 Rate Book and the 1881 census, the house is vacant. 

Thomas Millard - in the 1885 Rate Book, the name of the occupant is 'Millard'. Click here to read more about the family

John Rugman - according to the 1890 Rate Book the house was occupied by John Rugman.  We are not sure which John Rugman this refers to, but we suspect it was the John Rugman who married Ellen hunt in 1886.  Click here to read more about John

In the 1891 census, the house appears vacant again and was vacant in the 1894 Rate Book.

Oliver and Lucy Screen - the 1899 Rate Book, the 1901 census and 1905 Rate Book show the Screens living in this house - Click here for more information about Oliver and Lucy

William Webb - the 1910 Rate Book shows that the house was occupied by William Webb.  We are not sure who William is.

Goliath and Julia Cole
From the early 1900's the house was occupied by Goliath and Julia Cole.  We know from locals that they were living in 11 Rock Street in living memory.  The earliest record of them living there which we have found so far is in 1915 when their son, Sidney started at the Council Upper School.

Goliath Cole was born in 1873.  He was the son of Albert and Jane Cole, a family of Romany travellers who lived in Hampshire.  Goliath appears to be named after his uncle, another hawker, called Goliath Cole.  The 1881 census shows Albert, a general dealer and hawker, and Jane living with their six children in a traveller's caravan in Ellesford near Basingstoke.  It is interesting to see that the family had a domestic servant who was also living with them.

The 1891 census shows the family now living in a tent in the Burnt Common Encampment.  The census enumerator commented against all the family 'apparently no occupation'.  Albert and Jane still had six children living with them, including two young ones born since the last census.  There was no reference to a servant living with them in their tent at this time.

The 1901 census shows Goliath had moved to Thornbury in a two-roomed dwelling in Gillingstool.  The census record shows that Goliath is living with his wife, Julia, aged 22 and born in Benstead and their daughter, Gertrude aged 1 born in Basingstoke and a visitor Alice Engfield aged 12 born in Basingstoke.

The marriage records show that Goliath married Julia in the Alton District of Hampshire (which includes Benstead) later in 1901.  Julia was the daughter of Luke and Jemima Dixon, another family of travellers who in 1901 were living next door to Goliath and Julia in Gillingstool.  Goliath and Luke were both described as 'clothes peg makers'.  Click here to read about the Dixon family

Goliath and Julia had a number of children: Sidney Moses born on 9th August 1908, Frank born in September quarter 1911, Edward born on 27th July 1914, Elizabeth Kate born on 16th September 1916, and Irene born on 8th June 1921.

It is interesting to note from the records of the Council Upper School that Goliath was sometimes referred to as 'Gilbert'.

Goliath died in March 1938.  Julia continued to live in 11 Rock Street.   She died in October 1953.

Of their children, we know that:

Kate as Elizabeth Kate Cole was known went to Thornbury Grammar School and went on to become a sister at Thornbury Hospital and then moved to Southmead Hospital. 

Frank - about 1930 he joined the Royal Marines and became a machine gun instructor.  In the mid 1930's he was posted to the Far East and served for four years in China.  In the early part of the War he was reported missing at Hong Kong and then in December 1941 it was reported that he was a prisoner of war in Osaka, Japan.

Frank was married and his wife was living at Twyning near Tewkesbury.  We understand that when Frank returned he was thrilled to find he had a son, David, whom he had not aware of.  David went on to become a senior member of  Avon & Somerset Police.

Edward joined the Royal Navy on April 17^th 1934 at the age of 20 and served eight years in the submarine service.  He was a Petty Officer Stoker serving on H. M. Submarine Simoon when he was reported missing on November 30^th 1943.  In May 1945 his family were notified that he was presumed dead.  The Simoon was sunk on 19th November 1943 in the approach to the Dardanelles - one report says that it was sunk by German U-Boat 565 and another report refers to it being sunk by a mine.  All crew were lost.

Edward had served previously on the H.M.S. Graph, which had been the German U-boat 570 which had been captured by Royal Navy, refitted and re-named.  He left a widow and one son living in Weymouth.

Sidney Moses - the school record show that when Sidney's son, Michael James Sonney Cole, started at the Council Infants School in 1938 Sidney was living in Bath Road.  Michael was born on 5th February 1935.  We understand that Sidney Moses may have been killed during the blackout during the War.

Irene - married Frank Teague and they had two sons, Beverley born on 29/10/1942 in Thornbury and Richard born in 1952 after the family had moved to Bewdley.  We have been told that Irene was an usherette in thornbury Picture house during the Second World War.

Reg & Edna Vowles - Reg and Edna moved here in the early 50's from their house at 8 Upper Bath Road and they stayed here until early 1960 when they moved to 12 Gloucester Road - click here to read more about Reg and Edna

Jeffrey & Anita Wilcox who moved in August 1960 and stayed for about two years before being re-housed by the Council.  The house was then vacant  for two or three more years until it was finally demolished. 

 This page was last updated: 20/10/2008