2 Pullins Green

Isaac John and Sarah Phillips

The 1899 Rate Book shows that Isaac John Phillips was occupying the house.  The 1901 census shows Isaac Phillips was a house painter born in Stinchcombe about 1860 living at 2 Pullins Green his wife, Sarah born in Alveston about 1861, and their two children: Stanley aged 15 years (also a house painter) and Daisey aged 6.

It is confusing to trace the life of Isaac because he seemed to use the name of John in some records and Isaac in others. 

The baptism of an Isaac John Phillips took place in Thornbury St Mary's Church on 1st December 1872.  The record gives only his mother's name which was Matilda.  In the 1861 census we have a record of Matilda Phillips, aged 28 unmarried living with her uncle William Woodward in Stinchcombe.  Matilda was employed as an agricultural labourer.  By 1871 Matilda had moved to Thornbury with 'John' although at the time of the census they were not living together.  She was a domestic servant for Thomas Wilson at the Horse Shoe Inn on St Mary Street.  He was living in Lower Bath Road as a boarder with William and Ann Walker - he was still only 10 years old!  Matilda died the following year in 1872 aged 38 years.

We have been unable to find John or Isaac Phillips in the 1881 census.  We know that 'John' Phillips married in Thornbury in December quarter 1883.  His wife was Sarah Stephens.

Sarah was born about 1863 in Alveston.  She was the daughter of Thomas Stephens, a mason, and his wife, Elizabeth. 

In 1891 John and Sarah were living at the 'Wheatsheaf' in Chapel Street.  John was described as innkeeper and painter.  They had a son, Stanley, aged 5.  This census records shows John as being born in Crossways, but other censuses clearly show him born in either Stinchcombe or Dursley.

John is listed in the trade directories up to 1893 as a beer retailer in Chapel Street, then he seems to have moved to Rock Street as by 1894 he is listed there as a tiler and plasterer.  The 1894 Rate Book shows John Isaac Phillips as the occupant of 9 Horseshoe Lane which is situated on the corner with Rock Street.

The 1901 census shows John, now using the name of 'Isaac' is living at 2 Pullins Green.  The 1904 directory has two entries, one for John as a mason in John Street and another as a tiler and plasterer in Pullins Green.  There is also an 1899 trade directory entry for 'Stanley Phillips', a mason in Pullins Green.  This is surprising bearing in mind that Stanley (and he is the only Stanley Phillips in Thornbury at that time) would only have been 13 or 14 at the time.

The burial records of Thornbury St Mary's show 'Isaac John Phillips' died in 1910 aged 49 and he was buried on 26th August 1910.

Sarah carried on living at 2 Pullins Green.  Joan Higgins remembers Sarah living there and told us Sarah used to be a cleaner at the Grammar School.  She also mentioned Sarah's daughter, Daisy, who married William Withers in 1926.  In fact the 1930 electoral register shows Daisy as living with her mother.  William and Daisy later moved to Rudgeway.

Sarah was still there in the 1946 electoral register, but not in 1950, so presumably she died.

This page was last updated: 26/10/2008