3 St John Street

Occupants

Prior to 1862, the house was part of William Knapp's blacksmith's shop.  We believe it was probably converted in houses following his death in 1862. 

In 1871 the house appears to be vacant.

John Knapp - in the 1876 The Rate Book shows that John Knapp was a tenant of the house.

The Grahams - in 1881 the house was occupied by William Richmond Graham, a boot and shoe dealer aged 34 from Keekirk in Scotland and his wife, Elizabeth aged 39 from Falfield.  William had married Elizabeth Kendall in Bristol in September quarter 1870.

The 1871 census shows that when they were first married William and Elizabeth lived with his in-laws, Thomas and Ann Kendall who farmed 40 acres in Whitfield.  Elizabeth was a 27 year old dressmaker and William was a 24 year old commercial traveller.  They had eight children: William Richmond born in Whitfield in 1871, Florence Elizabeth in Bristol in 1872, Thomas George born in Bristol in 1873, Janet Margaret born in Bristol in 1875, Wallace Raymond born in Thornbury in 1876, Alice Gertrude born in Thornbury in 1878, John Kendall born in Thornbury in 1880 and Ernest Edward born in 1881.

William died in 1882 aged 35 years.  In the 1885 Rate Book shows that the tenancy has changed from William Graham to his wife Elizabeth.  In 1891 census Elizabeth was still living in 3 St John Street -  she is now shown as a boot and shoe dealer and her son, William, is now a traveller aged 19.  It is interesting to note that Elizabeth Graham appears in the Electoral Register of 1896.  As a woman she could not vote in the parliamentary elections, but as a head of household she could vote in the council elections.  Her son, John Kendall died in 1898 aged 18 years.

Elizabeth was still listed in the 1899 directory as a boot and shoe dealer, but by 1901 Elizabeth and the family had moved away from Thornbury.  She was now living in 30 Upper Cheltenham Place, St Andrews, Bristol.   Of the children who were still living with her: William was a motor driver, Thomas had become a postman, Janet was a domestic and Ernest a mercantile clerk.  Elizabeth had one grand-daughter living with her, a Nelly M Hemmings aged 10 months.  Florence Elizabeth had married Frederick Kemball in Bristol in 1900.

Alfred Sealey  - in 1899 the tenant who rented the house from Mrs Meredith was Alfred Sealey.  This name is crossed out which indicates that he moved from the house in that year.  Alfred W Sealey owns the house next door (number 1).  Click here to read more about Alfred

Charles Reeves - was shown as the tenant of this house in the 1905 Rate Book.  Click here to read more about the Reeves

Sidney Screen - in 1910 the name of Sidney Screen is shown as the tenant of the house in the Rate Book.  It is struck through which implies he left the house in that year.  The voters' list of 1896 shows that Sidney Screen lived in lower Morton.  He was born in 1860 to Arthur and Caroline Screen who farmed at Morton.  He married Emma in Bristol in 1876.  In the 1901 Census he was a gardener aged 45 living in Morton with Emma age 47 who was a dressmaker with three daughters Annis 24 and Frances 16 who were also  dressmakers and Caroline who was 12.  They also had a nephew called Thomas Howell living with them.

Harmer - in 1910 the name appears to be 'Harmer' which is written next to the name of Sidney Screen which implies that this family moved in after Sidney Screen.

The Cripps - in 1935 we have Maria and Ethel Maggie Cripps living in the house.  Maria was the widow of Arthur Cripps, and Ethel Maggie was her daughter. 

Arthur Cripps was the son of Henry Cripps, a farm bailiff and his wife, Susannah.  Arthur was born in Duns Abbotts near Cirencester in 1866.  He married Maria Moore in the Barton Regis district of Bristol in June quarter 1889.  Maria had been born in Knowle near Bridgewater in Somerset in 1865.  Arthur and Maria had three children whilst living in Bristol: Alice Eveline born in Westbury Park on 22nd November 1889, Dorothy Mabel born in Redland on 27th April 1891 and Emily Norah born in Redland on 1st May 1892.

The family moved to Rockhampton about 1893 where Arthur was a market gardener.  Two more children were born here: Arthur Charles born in Rockhampton on 4th March 1894 and Ethel Maggie born in Rockhampton on 4th September 1896.  The family appears to have moved from Rockhampton to Thornbury around January 1899 when the children started at the National School (now St Mary's Primary).  Their address at that time was the High Street, but they had moved to run The Plough Inn in St Mary Street by the census of 1901.

Some of Arthur's siblings seemed to help in running the pub and bringing up the children.  In 1903 when Maggie started at the Council Upper School, Charles Cripps, presumably Arthur's older brother, was shown as being her  guardian.  Arthur died on 11 March 1905 aged 38 years so perhaps he had been in ill health for some time.

Following Arthur's death, the trade directories show that The Plough was taken over by Escott Frederick Cripps, one of Arthur's younger brothers.  Escott is shown in the Plough in 1910 and 1918 electoral registers and the 1914 trade directory.  However from 1923 onwards until 1935 it is Mrs Maria Cripps who is shown as running the Plough.  The 1935 electoral register show that Maria moved from The Plough to number 3 St John Street where she was living with her daughter, Ethel Maria.  We know that one of her other daughters, Dorothy Mabel, married in 1911.  Her husband was Sidney George Gordon Wilkins, assistant innkeeper of Tockington.

Maria and Ethel continued to live in the house.  They were there in 1939 electoral register.   Maria died on March 5th 1945 aged 79 years.  Ethel moved away.  In 1950 she is shown as living in Yew Tree Cottage, The Knapp.  Ethel died on 18th March 1975 aged 79 years. 

Modern times: in 1946 the house was occupied by Celtrig G. Harrison and his wife, Joyce.  In 1950, 1954 and 1957 it was occupied by Ernest A Price and his wife, Leila.  It seems unoccupied in 1965 electoral register and in 1970 occupied by George R. Saunders. 

This page was last updated: 29/10/2008