19 Horseshoe Lane

Occupants

Thomas Smith - The tithe map of 1840 shows that Thomas Smith was one of the occupants of these houses by 1840.  The 1841 census provides some more details.  In 1841 Thomas Smith was an agricultural labourer aged 44, living with Mary, his wife aged 42, and children: Eliza aged 13 and Charles aged 6.

Thomas Smith was most likely the Thomas who was born on 31st May 1796 and baptised on 30 April 1797, the son of Thomas and Sarah Smith.  He had a twin brother called William.   Thomas married Mary Hobbs on 16th May 1830.  Mary was born in Rangeworthy or Iron Acton.  We believe that she was a widow when she married Thomas, having previously been married to James Hobbs who had died.

Thomas and Mary had three children: Eliza born about 1828, Mary Anne baptised on 2nd December 1832 (she was buried on 9th January 1834 aged 1 year and 1 month) and Charles baptised on 22nd July 1835.  We believe that Eliza may have been the daughter of James and Mary Hobbs as she used her Hobbs surname when she married John Stinchcombe in 1846.  Click here to read more about the Stinchcombe family

By 1851 the family had moved to Back Street where they were living with their son, Charles who had become an errand boy.  In the 1861 census Thomas and Mary were still living there. 

Thomas died in unusual circumstances on 9th April 1868 aged 71 years.   The inquest found that Thomas had left Thornbury Market at 11.30am on the previous day with some pigs he was taking to 'Berrick' in Almondsbury.  At 9pm whilst on his way home he called on a 'hawlier', John Lansdown, at Elberton.  Thomas complained that he had fallen into a pool of water in crossing a field leading from Priestpool to Elberton and he had lost his hat.  Being wet through, the Lansdowns gave him warm broth and a glass of brandy and water and Thomas left them at 10.00pm in the company of John Lansdown Junior to see him home safely.  After about half a mile, Thomas told young Lansdown to go home and that he could manage the remaining two miles on his own.  At 5.30am on the 9th, Thomas's body was found on side of Mumbleys Hill about a mile from Thornbury.  The inquest found that the cause of death was congestion of the brain and exposure to cold.

In 1871 Mary is living in St Mary Street with her grand-daughter Hannah Stinchcombe aged 10.  In 1881 she was living there alone.  She died in 1883 aged 85.

George Riddiford (Longman) - in 1851 census the house at 19 Horseshoe Lane appears to be occupied by George, an agricultural labourer aged 26 and his wife, Ellen aged 34 who was born in Henbury. 

George was baptised on 29th March 1825, the son of Maria Riddiford of Sibland.  It seems that George's mother, Maria, may have married shortly after his birth - a Maria Riddiford married William Longman on 23rd November 1825.  In 1861 and 1871 censuses, George appears under the name of George Longman which caused us some problems at first!  In 1861 he was an agricultural labourer aged 36, living with Ellen, aged 44 from Charlton (which adjoins Henbury) in the Back Street.   

It appears that Ellen died and that George moved away.  He re-married in Bristol in 1863 using the name of George Riddiford.  His second wife was Sarah Davis.  In the 1871 census, he is listed under the name of George Longman, a farm labourer aged 46 living with his new wife, Sarah aged 39 from Cowbridge and their children: Elizabeth aged 6 and Minnie aged 3.  They were living at 4 Upper Bath Road.  George is listed as George Longman living in this house in the 1876, 1880 and 1885 Rate Books.  In the 1890 Rate Book the name of  'Riddiford' is used.

The 1881 census shows George Riddiford, a labourer aged 56 from Thornbury, his wife is Sarah aged 48 from Cowbridge in Glamorgan.  They were still living at 4 Upper Bath Road with their 3 children: Minnie aged 13, Ellen aged 9 and Morgan John aged 6, all born in Thornbury.  This George died on 20th July 1886 aged 61 years.  Sarah carried on living in the house in the 1891 census which shows her as a widowed charwoman aged 54.

It is interesting to note that according to the Genes Reunited website Morgan John Riddiford was the great great grandfather of Kylie Minogue!

Sarah Higgs - in 1861 the house appears occupied by Sarah Higgs, a widow aged 58 from Thornbury.  She had a lodger, George Pearce, an agricultural labourer aged 30 from Banwell, Somerset.

Sarah seems to be have been the wife of Thomas Higgs who were both listed in 1841 census as living in Grovesend Slade.  Thomas was an agricultural labourer aged 55, Sarah was shown as being aged 40.  They had children: George aged 12, Luke aged 6 and Emma aged 8.  There is a record of a death of Thomas Higgs registered in Thornbury in 1850.

It is intriguing to see that in the 1851 census George Pearce and Sarah are shown as husband and wife.  At least that is what is looks like to us.  George Pearce is an agricultural labourer aged 21 from Somerset,  his wife is Sarah Pearce, age 53 from Falfield and there is a Sarah Ann Higgs, aged 16 born in Thornbury who is shown as being 'Wife's daughter'.

We don't know where Sarah was in 1871, but by 1881 she was in the Thornbury Union workhouse as an 'inmate'.  She died there and was buried on 1st December 1881 aged 83 years.

Hannah Harford - in 1871 the house appears occupied by Hannah Harford, a widowed pauper aged 60 from Cromhall.  Her son, George, a labourer aged 36 from Thornbury and grandson, Pierce aged 12, were living with her.

We are puzzled about Hannah.  In 1851 she is living in Kington with Robert Harford, her husband who is aged 48 and from Church Taunton, Devon.  Also there are their children: George, a labourer aged 15 and Celia Anna aged 12, both children were born in Thornbury.  In 1861 she is living in Morton Lane with her husband, Thomas Harford, an agricultural labourer aged 50 from Church Taunton, Devon and their children: George aged 22 and Celia aged 20 and a grandson, Pierce Harford aged 3.  The parish records show that 'Pearce' was the son of Sarah Harford.

It is possible that Hannah married two brothers, Robert and later Thomas, but we have found no death of a Robert Harford in the area.  The most likely explanation is that her husband used both names at different times, but that doesn't explain the big difference in the ages quoted.  In the absence of any other information, we won't speculate further.

Hannah died on 12th November 1871 aged 61 years.  Her son, George, carried on living in Thornbury and his death is registered there in 1905 aged 73 years.

Hannah Comely - the 1876, 1880 and 1885 Rate Books show Hannah Comely in this house.  The 1881 census shows Hannah was a widowed charwoman aged 42 from Ledbury.  Click here to read more about Hannah

William Thorn - in the 1890 Rate Book and the 1891 census the house was occupied by William Thorn, a general labourer aged 32 and his wife, Anna Maria aged 29 and their daughter, Emily aged 3.

William was baptised on 1st April 1866, the son of Isaac Thorn, a labourer and his wife, Mary, who lived at Crossways.  The parish suggests he may have been born on 18th December 1860.  On 5th April 1866 William married Ann Maria Longman.  Anna Maria was born on 19th October 1861 and baptised on 17th June 1865.  She was the daughter of Thomas Longman, a labourer and his wife, Maria.

William and Anna Maria had at least 3 children: Edith Eleanor was baptised on 11 October 1886, but she died after only 6 weeks and was buried on 19th November 1886.  Emily was baptised on 1st April 1888 and Isaac was baptised on 7th October 1894.

In 1886 when Edith was baptised the family were living at Gillingstool.  They were in Horseshoe Lane in 1891.  By 1901 they had moved again to a 3-roomed house in Silver Street where William was an agricultural labourer and Anna was a charwoman and they were living there with Emily and Isaac and 3 lodgers.

The Purnells - the Purnell family were associated with Horseshoe Lane for many years.  The 1899 Rate Book and the 1901 census shows the house was occupied by Maria Purnell, a widowed seamstress aged 42 born in Berkeley, and her children: Edward Henry, a builder's labourer aged 15, Levi aged 11, Austin aged 8, Mabel aged 6 and Ethel aged 3.  Click here to read more about the Purnells

The notice advertising the sale of the four properties in 1924 gives the name of 'H. Thorne' who must have been occupying number 19 as the other names given are linked to the other three houses by other sources.  We do not know who H. Thorn was.

Dick & Violet Lansdown - we were told by Win Webb who lived next door that in the 1930's the house was occupied by Dick and Violet Lansdown.  We have not seen them listed as living there in any of the electoral registers which we have seen so it must have been only a short time they were there.   In 1931 and 1935 they are listed as living in Rock Street and they were there when their daughter, Pamela Jean, was born in 1930, when their son, Desmond Dick started at the Council School in 1933 and when their daughter, Pamela Jean, started at the school in 1937.  After leaving Horseshoe Lane, the Lansdown settled in St Mary Street. 

Dick was a store clerk when Pamela married Jeffrey Otley in 1952. 

Henry and Sarah Mahagan - we know that the Mahagan family occupied 19 Horseshoe Lane from about 1938 until it was demolished in the early 1960's.   Click here to read more about the Mahagans

This page was last updated: 25/10/2008