15 Pullins Green

Occupants

John D'Arcy - the 1876 Rate Book provides the earliest record of anyone lkiving in the house.  It was John D'Arcy who was living there then.

Hannah May - the 1880 Rate Book and the 1881 census shows the house was occupied by Hannah May, a widowed laundress aged 50 born in Thornbury, and Ellen E May, her daughter, a shirtmaker aged 22  born in Bassalleg, Monmouthshire.

Hannah was born in Thornbury in 1830, the daughter of John Boulton, a labourer and his wife, Elizabeth.  In 1851 she was still living with her parents in Castle Street and working as a laundress, like her mother and her sisters.  In 1857 she married Daniel May in Monmouthshire.  Daniel worked for a Baronet, Charles Morgan, at Tredegar House in Duffryn.  Their daughter, Ellen Elizabeth, was born in 1858 whilst they were living in Bassalleg near Newport.  Daniel was working as a groom at this time.  Sadly he died in the same year (1858) aged about 27.

Hannah returned home to Thornbury.  The 1861 census shows her working as a cook for the Vicar Maurice Townsend at the Vicarage.  Her daughter, Ellen, was being cared for by her grandparents -  John and Elizabeth Boulton who were living at the Old Rectory House.  In 1871 Hannah and Ellen were both living with her widowed mother at the Old Rectory House.  Hannah was employed as a laundress, the same occupation as her mother.   

Hannah died in 1883 aged 52.  Her daughter, Ellen, married Christopher Hawkes in 1883.  Christopher was a butler.  In 1891 and 1901 they were living in Castle Street with their children.  Ellen died in 1907 aged 48.

William Symes - the 1885 Rate Book shows William was living in this house.  Click here to read more about William and his family

Henry Randall - the 1890 Rate shows that Harry Randall was living here - but we can't identify Harry in any of the other records.

Henry Liddiattt - in the censuses of 1891 and 1901 the house was occupied by Henry Liddiatt - click here to read more about Henry

The Champions -  the 1910 Rate Book shows that the house was occupied by Elizabeth Champion.  Elizabeth was the widow of William James Champion who was born in Alveston in 1845 and was a farmer in Shellards Lane.  William married Elizabeth Sanigar in 1872 and they had at least 3 children:  Elizabeth Maud born in 1880, Emily Winifred born in 1884 and William Charles born in 1888.

William died in 1891 aged 45 and by 1901 Elizabeth had moved to Rudgeway where she was working as a dressmaker.  'Willie' was living with her, but the two girls were away in service.  Maud as a parlour maid for Dr E. M. Grace in Park House in Thornbury and Winifred as a domestic servant for Miss Williams in Weston near Bath.

By 1901 Elizabeth had moved to 15 Pullins Green.  She died in 1915 aged 70.  We know from locals that the family continued to live there.  The 1918 electoral register shows Emily Winifred living there, and by 1921 both Emily Winifred and William Charles were listed as living there.  By 1927 Emily had become the third wife of Oliver Higgins who was living nearby at number 13 Pullins Green.

William continued to live at number 15 up until the early 1950's.  During the First World War, he served in the Army.   William became a builder and contractor.  As his letterhead shown below says his works were located in Alveston.

The 1946 Electoral Register shows that William's other sister, Elizabeth Maud, was sharing the house with him at that time.  Both of them were still there in 1950, but the 1954 and 1957 electoral registers show that Elizabeth Maud was living there on her own.  From 1958 the house was bought from Jack Hodges, one of the Trustees of George Hodges by Joan Higgins, the niece of William Charles and Elizabeth Maud.

Harold Oliver Higgins - from about 1958 the house was occupied by Harold Oliver Higgins, one of the sons of Oliver Higgins.   He had worked on the railways in his earlier years.  He was there in 1965 and 1970 electoral registers.  He died in 1980 aged 85 years. 

In more recent years, Miss Higgins let the house to a number of tenants.

This page was last updated: 27/10/2008