15 Rock Street

Occupants

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 the house was occupied by:

Jeremiah Mahagan - according to the rating books and census records, the house was occupied in the 1861 and 1871 censuses by Jeremiah and Ruth Mahagan.  By 1881 they had moved to 19 Rock Street.  Click here to read more about them

Thomas Bendall - the 1881 census shows the house was occupied by Thomas Bendall, an agricultural labourer aged 25 from Milbury Heath and his wife, Fanny aged 25 from Alveston living with their children: John aged 4, Albert Henry aged 3 and Edward aged 1.

Thomas was baptised on 7th October 1855, the son of John Bendall, a labourer and his wife, Mary from Grovesend.  In 1877, Thomas married Fanny Ball, presumably the Fanny baptised on 6th May 1860, the daughter of Henry Ball, labourer and his wife Mary from Crossways. 

Thomas and Fanny had two other children in Thornbury: Ada baptised on 6th March 1886 and she died within a few months and Thomas baptised on 7th December 1887.  There is no further sign of the family in Thornbury or elsewhere.

In the 1890 Rate Book the house was void.

Charles John Woodward - in the 1891 census, Charles was a baker aged 19 from Bridgewater living with his wife, Mary Ann aged 20 from Thornbury.  In 1890 Charles had married Mary Ann Mundy.  Mary Ann was baptised on 2nd April 1882 the daughter of Charles Mundy, a haulier and Hannah.

Charles and Hannah had at least two children whilst living in Thornbury:  Annie was baptised on 26th March 1892 and Cecil Charles John was baptised on 2nd December 1894.  We can find no other record of the family.

William Hicks - the 1894 Rate Book shows the house was occupied by William Hicks.  We are puzzled because William Hicks is also listed against the Severn Stars which he was running a lodging house in the 1891 census.  In the 1899 Rate Book the name of William Hicks appears as occupant of 17 Rock Street, but the name is crossed through indicating that he had been living in the  house previously.

Henry Charles Webb - in the 1899 Rate Book and the 1901 census the house is occupied by Henry Charles Webb, a builder's labourer aged 38 from Charfield, his wife, Harriett aged 27 from Hawkesbury Upton and their children: Albert Henry aged 10, Mabel aged 8, Elsie aged 6 and Edith aged 2, all born in Thornbury.  Henry had married Harriett Hunt in 1890.   In the 1891 census Henry and Harriett were living in Duckhole.

In 1903 when Elsie started at the Council Upper School the family were living in Chapel Street.  In 1910 when Charles and Thomas, twins born on 8th October 1902, started at the school the family's address was Bath Road, and when Arthur, born 8th September 1906, and Jack, born on 4th March 1913, started there their address was Upper Bath Road.  It looks likely that Henry moved away from Rock Street to live in Chapel Street for a short time, and then returned to live in number 19 Rock Street, the house where he is listed in the 1905 and 1910 Rate Books.  Another possible explanation is that they only moved from 15 to 19 Rock Street - we know from other records that the Severn Stars (the house next door to number 19) was noted in some sources as being in Chapel Street.

In the 1918 electoral register, Henry Charles is listed under Outer Back Street and is 1921 register under Horseshoe Lane.   He died in 1925 aged 64.

We don't yet know who lived in the house for a long period.

Arthur & Charlotte Niblett - locals have told us that the Niblett family lived in 15 Rock Street.  The electoral registers show that from 1921 to 1938 Arthur and Charlotte Niblett lived in Lower Bath Road, then in 1946 and 1950 only Charlotte is shown and she was listed as living in Bath Road.  We suspect that this was the same house and that this refers to 15 Rock Street.

Arthur Lionel Miner Niblett was born in Sherston Magna, Wiltshire and baptised on 24th August 1873.  He was the son of Samuel Niblett, a groom and his wife, Georgina (nee Miner).  In 1881 the family were living at France Lane, Hawkesbury.   On 18th April 1904 Arthur married Charlotte Jane Rodway in St Giles Church at Hillesley.  Charlotte was born in 1868, the daughter of John Rodway, an agricultural labourer and Sarah Rodway.  In 1901 Charlotte and her family were living in Cornock's Barn, Hawkesbury.  Arthur and Charlotte had several children including Lionel Arthur Rodway Niblett born in 13th February 1905 who died on 29th December 1905, Douglas Arthur born on 15th August 1907, Violet Madge on 10th October 1909 and Dorothy May born on 10th December 1911.

The photo above shows (left to right) Dorothy, Arthur, Charlotte, Douglas and Violet.  It appears that the family moved to Thornbury in December 1918 as the three children were transferred to the the National School in Thornbury from a school in Wotton Under Edge.  The school record shows that the family were living in St John Street at that time.  By 1921 they had moved to what we believe to be 15 Rock Street. 

Arthur was employed as a carter, although we understand that he had been a shepherd and had served with the Royal Garrison Artillery.  Arthur died on 18th December 1940 and Charlotte died on 3rd November 1953.

The 1958 shows that Ellen M Barnes was living in 15 Rock Street.  In 1954 Ellen was living at the Seven Stars with Peter and Mary J. Barnes.  We are not sure how Ellen, Peter and Mary were related.

 This page was last updated: 11/11/2008