1 Pullins Green

Occupants

John Hodges Williams  - we know that the house was occupied by John Hodges Williams from the 1910 Rate Book and the 1911 census which shows John and his wife, Julia living there.  In the census the house is referred to as 'Clovelly'.  In 1912 John put up the house for sale.  John owned several businesses in the High Street and elsewhere in the town.  Click here to read more about John and his family

Reverend J. B. Alger - the 1916 Prewett's Street Directory shows the house, then called 'Clovelly' was occupied by Revd J. B. Alger.  We suspect that this is Joseph Bailey Alger who married Fanny Elizabeth Archbutt in Kensington in 1871. 

Joseph was born in Pembroke St Mary in Wales on 18th December 1843.  The 1851 Census shows that he was still living there with his stepfather Thomas Morris aged only 32 and his mother Elizabeth aged 40 and the eight children by her previous marriage and their daughter Eliza Morris aged 11 months.   By 1861 aged still only 17 Joseph was a boarder with a family in Birmingham, where he was a clerk.  By 1871 Joseph had become a Wesleyan minister and he was lodging in Sandhurst in Berkshire 

By 1881 he had moved to Scotland with his wife, Fanny Elizabeth and their six children; Bertram aged 8,  Jessica aged 7, Vanda aged 6 Eva aged 5 and Rose and Lily both aged 2.  Another daughter Kathleen was born in 1883.  Joseph seems to have been a popular minister in Scotland.  We know that the Glasgow Herald of March 1886 had a report that Joseph Bailey Alger had accepted a unanimous invitation to remain at Coatbridge a third year.

The 1901 Census shows that he was a Wesleyan Methodist Minister who was then living in Epworth in Lincolnshire.  A report in the South Gloucestershire Chronicle refers to the house as "Clovelly Villa."  Interestingly Miss Bransom was advertising her services as a music teacher in the South Gloucestershire Chronicle of October 12th 1916.  She gave her address as Clovelly Villa, John Street.  At this time we do not know whether she was a lodger with the Rev Algar and his wife or whether the house was divided into two parts.  Joseph Bailey Alger died in Scalloway in Shetland on 6th February 1920.

Reverend Frank Tarrant - 1921 electoral register shows Ernest Frank Tarrant and his wife, Olive Mabel were living at what was then called 'Clovelly'.  Frank was the minister of the Congregational Church in Chapel Street which later changed its name to United Reformed Church. 

Frank was the first of several ministers of that church known to have lived at number 1.  Indeed, the house was acquired by the Church in 1927 for £750 for use as a Manse.  This was a major cost to the Church and they only finished paying back the loans in 1938.  It appears that prior to 1927, the Church was renting the property.

Frank moved to Thornbury from London in 1918.  He acted as minister for six years until he and his wife moved to Windsor.

We understand that there were several student and short term ministers at the Church and it is possible that they also lived at number 1.

Reverend Frank Harker - the 1931, 1935 and 1939 electoral registers show that the Reverend Frank Edward Harker and his wife, Lilian Louise were living in the house.  We know that Frank married Lilian Louise Winzar in the Croyden area in September quarter 1900.  Interestingly Lilian was the daughter of George Winzar who was 'Swordbearer for the City of London'.

Frank became minister at Thornbury in 1927 and we suspect that he and his wife would have lived at the newly purchased Manse. 

Frank arranged and encouraged many activities for the community.   People recall that he arranged regular pantomimes involving local children in his back garden and rail trips for the children to Weston Super Mare and Barry Island which were arranged in conjunction with the other churches.

Another person remembered that the Reverend Harker, dressed all in black, used to scatter the young lads playing on Pullins Green when he rushed from his house to attend a funeral or service.  For another reason, the Rev Harker was very popular with the young people in the area.  He had a car at a time when there were very few others in the town.  He used to park his  car in a garage in Bulls Eye Lane and the young children used to congregate outside his house each evening, hoping to get a ride on the car when Rev Harker took his car to the garage.  Apparently he even allowed children to ride on the running boards of the car - although we are told that he did drive very slowly.

At Christmas, the Harkers were also popular with children.  When they knocked at their house whilst carol singing, they were offered a large biscuit tin of home-made old fashioned mince pies.  They were boat shaped ones made with real meat as well as dried fruit. 

In the Gazette February 13th 1937 there is an article referring to a motor cycle accident in the Gloucester Road, Bristol in which John F Harker aged 25 of John Street Thornburv was riding as a pillion passenger.  He sustained slight concussion and a cut hand.  The bike was driven by Robert Daniel of Buckover Farm.   John Harker must be the son of the Rev Harker who was born in Newton Abbot in September quarter 1911 (although the Free BMDs website shows his name as John K Harker.

The Reverend Harker left Thornbury in 1940.

Reverend George Nuttall - the electoral registers show that the house was occupied in 1946 by the Reverend George Nuttall and his wife, Nesta D.  According to locals they had two children, John and Mary.

Reverend Bert Deary - the electoral registers of 1954 & 57 show that the Reverend Bert Deary and his wife, Nellie were occupying the house.  We know from the Church records that he was officiating at marriages in 1961.   Bert had married Nellie Tyers in September quarter 1918 in Newark.

Reverend Ronald Ruffell - the electoral register shows the Reverend Ronald F.C. Ruffell was living in the Manse in 1965 with his wife, Doris.  Ronald had been born in Braintree in Essex in 1913.   The Church records show that he officiated at marriages between 1964 and 1966.

Reverend Voice - the electoral register of 1970 shows the Manse occupied by the Reverend V. Norman Voice (shown in the photo on the right) and his wife, Daisy M.  The Church records show he officiated at marriages from 1967. 

We think the Reverend Voice was the last minister of the Church to live in the Manse.

The Manse was finally sold by the Church in the 1980's.  The name of the next owners was Holdsworth, then in the late 80's it was bought by Mark Turner and finally in 1991 it was bought by the present owners, Paul and Gwynneth Glover.

This page was last updated: 15/08/2011