15 & 17 Horseshoe Lane

The Webb and White family

Henry Arthur Webb was born in June qtr 1883.  His birth was registered in Cheltenham, but we understand his home was at Swindon Village near Cheltenham Racecourse.  His parents were James Webb, a general labourer and his wife, Ellen born in Arle.  In 1891 James was aged 45 and Ellen aged 43.  They were living in Swindon with Henry and his siblings: Alfred, a general labourer aged 21, Albert Henry aged 6 and Emily aged 4.  James and Ellen were still living in Swindon in the 1901 census, but we can find no trace of Henry anywhere in the Country so perhaps he was away fighting in South Africa?

Henry married Jane Bailey.  We don't know where or when they got married.  Jane was born about 1896.  Apparently she came from Somerset, her father was a quarryman and they moved about to different places including Banwell and Winscombe. 

Henry worked as a navvy and Jane was 'in service'.  We are not sure when they moved to settle in Thornbury.  We haven't found the baptism record of their first child, Arthur James born on 4th November 1918, but the birth of their second child, Albert Henry born on 16th September 1920 was registered in Thornbury.  Henry and Jane had six other children:  William George born 27th May 1923, Ellen Muriel born 14th March 1923,  Eric Sydney born 9th August 1927, Mabel Ruth born on 30th January 1929, Winifred Kate born on 25th June 1931 and Hilda Annie born on 16th November 1932.

We know from the 1931 electoral register that Henry and Jane were then living in Horseshoe Lane, in the house which later became known as number 15.  In 1933, Henry died.  He was buried in Thornbury Cemetery.  Jane re-married a few years later.  Her second husband was Henry G White.  Henry had been a confirmed bachelor and was lodging with the Bennetts.  He had come to arrange with Jane to do some sewing for him and ended up marrying her and taking on her eight children!  He was much appreciated, especially by the younger children.

There were now eight children living in the one very small house.  Space was so tight that some of the children slept next door where William Rugman was living on his own.  Jane had been doing washing, cooking and cleaning for Bill and he repaid her by letting the 'excess' kids sleep in his place. 

When Bill Rugman died, Henry and Jane took over the rent of number 17 and the family occupied both houses (numbers 15 and 17).

In spite of the families' difficulties, the children were given a very good start in life.  Arthur went to agricultural College, three of them, Bert, Winnie, Hilda, went on to Thornbury Grammar School and Ellen got a scholarship to Lord Wandsworth College for Girls which was set up to provide education to orphaned girls who needed the support of a boarding environment.  Ellen married Douglas Bernard Hillier on 10th November 1945 and settled in Bath.  William George became a career soldier with R.E.M.E and then on his retirement settled in Leicester.  Mabel married a farmer, Charles Walter Barton on 17th May 1949 and settled in Littleton.  Eric worked on the railways as a linesman and settled in Patchway.  Albert went to France with the British Expeditionary Force, was badly injured in the retreat at Dunkirk and was invalidated out of the Army.  In 1944 Albert married May Evelyn Moore.

Henry and Jane continued to live in Horseshoe Lane until the early 1960's.  Jane had wanted a council house with modern amenities but the Council had constantly turned down her requests.  The family thought this was because she always 'spoke her mind' and upset all the local councillors. 

Jane is remembered as being very hard working and she did her best to bring up her family well.  One local remembers Jane waiting patiently in her yard each afternoon carrying a bucket.  She was waiting to collect the droppings from the sawmill horses on their way back to the mill.  She used everything she could to make her garden grow!  

Finally in the early 60's the houses were condemned for demolition and the Council had no option but provide them with a council house in Stafford Crescent.

This page was last updated: 03/01/2009