12 Pullins Green

The Thornes and the Longs

We know from the electoral registers that number 12 was occupied in 1921 by Daisy Thorne.  Daisy was  a widow - her maiden name was Daisy Simmons, the daughter of Charles Simons, a brickyard labourer and his wife, Emily from Rudgeway. 

It is possible that Daisy had been living there earlier, possibly with her husband.  In 1912 Daisy Maud Simmons had married James Thorne in Thornbury.  James was the son of James Thorne and his wife, Charlotte (nee Cook).  The Thorne family were living at the Hackett in 1901 when James was a carter on a farm aged 44, Charlotte was aged 44 born in Aust and young James was aged eleven.  

James and Daisy had one son, Lawrence C. (presumably Charles) born in September quarter 1913.   James worked as a printer in Thornbury, but in December 1916 James enlisted in the Army.  He was a Private in the 4th Battalion Grenadier Guards when he was killed in Belgium on 13 April 1918.  At the time, James was involved in action at Ver Berguin near Estaires and Merville on the Armentiers Front.  The British Army were retreating as a result of a major German push and James's patrol was surrounded by the enemy.  The report said that James 'was sniping a Hun when he got a bullet through his head and died instantly.  He was aged 28.  He is remembered with honour at the Ploegsteert Memorial and on the Memorial in Thornbury Church.

In about 1921, Daisy re-married, this time to Albert Edward Long, a quarryman.   They had a daughter, Iris May, about 1922.

Albert was the son of Robert Long and his wife, Clara.  Robert was a carter working for the saw mill.  In 1901 he and Clara were living in the house which became known as 2 Saw Mill Lane with their six children, including Albert, then aged 2 months. 

Albert worked in one of the local quarries and Daisy was a cleaner at the Council School.   They were to live in number 12 for a long time.  They are first shown in the 1925 electoral register when Albert's parents (Robert and Clara) appear to be living with them.  Lawrence Thorne, Daisy's son from her first marriage, lived with them throughout the late 1930's until 1958.  From that time, Daisy is missing from the register in the Pullins Green area. 

Albert and Lawrence are still listed as living in the house in the 1961 electoral register.  We understand that Lawrence was to marry late in life.  He married a widow, Mrs Savery, the mother of Roger Savery who ran the 'Windbound' for many years.  At this time, Lawrence moved to Shepperdine.

Iris May got married in 1943 to Jack Knowles.  Jack was aged 29, a gunner from Thornbury, the son of John Lee Knowles, a deceased canal worker from Shipley in Yorkshire.   Jack and Iris continued to live in Pullins Green for some time.

This page was last updated: 15/12/2009