2 Sawmill Lane

Robert Long and his family

Robert Long was a carter working for the saw mill living in the house in the 1901 census.

Robert was baptised in Rockhampton on 31 July 1864, the son of Robert Long, a labourer and his wife, Elizabeth.

Robert was a labourer living in Milbury Heath at the time of his marriage in Thornbury on 23 August 1886.  His wife was Clara Screen, the daughter of Robert Screen a labourer from Morton.  They had a son, Ernest Robert, baptised on 28 August 1887and another, Sydney George, baptised on 23rd March 1890.  They were still living at Milbury Heath in 1891.

The family must have moved to Coleford in the Forest of Dean shortly after 1891. Their children, William born about 1892, Harold born in 1895 and Kathleen Maud born in 1897 were all born in Coleford.  The school records of Thornbury St Marys School show that some of children had attended Ellwood School in the Forest of Dean.

The school records show that the family moved to Thornbury in 1898 when the children started at St Marys School.  At that time they were living in Gloucester Road.  In 1899 they left St Mary's to go to the Council School, presumably because it was closer to their new home in Saw Mill Lane.

Another son, Albert Edward was born in Thornbury in 1901.

We think that Robert carried on living at Saw Mill Lane as Robert appears in the 1905 and 1910 electoral registers.  They were still in Saw Mill Lane in 1908 when little Albert started at the Council School.   The 1910 Rate Book shows Robert as occupying the house that became 7 Horseshoe Lane.  The school records indicate that the family left the town in 1914.  The reports of the death of their son, William Long, in the Gazette of 5th June 1915 mentioned that he was the son of 'Robert Long of Buckover' and in the 1918 electoral register Clara Long is listed as living in Buckover.

We don't know where Robert was living in 1918.  He died aged 69 in 1929. 

The family suffered badly in the First World War.

Ernest Robert (or 'Erney' as he is described in the 1901 census when he was also working at the Saw Mills) served as a Private in 1st Battalion Gloucester Regiment.  Ernest had served in the old Militia, had joined the National Reserve and he volunteered for the Glosters.  He was killed on 29 January 1915 by a shot in the head from a sniper, near Cuinchy in Pas de Calais, France. He was aged 28 years.  He is remembered with honour at the Windy Corner Cemetery in Cuinchy and the memorial in Thornbury St Mary's Church.

 Another brother, William Long (known as Willie in 1901 census) became a Rifleman in 4th Battalion Kings Royal Rifle Corps.  He died on 8th May 1915 at Hill 60.  He was aged 23 years and is remembered with honour in La Brique Military Cemetery No. 2 in Flanders and on the memorial in Thornbury St Mary's Church.  He had done 3 years service, one year 5 months of which was in India.