4 Sawmill Lane

The Holpins

Bill and Doris Holpin and their children occupied 4 Sawmill Lane from around 1927 to the early 1960's.  Bill's brother, Frank, lived with his family in number 1 Saw Mill Lane, a house on the opposite side of the lane.

Bill, properly known as William Edwin Robert Holpin, was born in Tytherington on 15th May 1900.  He was the son of William Holpin, a quarryman, and Celia Alice Smith who were married in 1899.  In 1901, Bill was aged 10 months living with his mother, Alice aged 23 born in Thornbury, and his brother, Arthur aged 2.  His father was 'serving at the Front' in South Africa fighting in the Boer War - the family has an interesting diary in which William described in detail his experiences.  He later also fought in the First World War.  Bill had seven siblings: Arthur (born 1898), George (born 1903), Hilda, Jack (born 1908), Percy (born 1910), Frank (born 1912) and Grace (born 1913).   We know a little more about these Holpins and have a copy of a lovely photo of the whole family - click here to see this information

Bill married Doris Constance Ruthers before 1925.  Doris was born 30th June 1902.  She was living at Ham at the time of their wedding but she had formerly lived in Plymouth.

Bill and Doris lived in Rockhampton and then Eastland Avenue before moving to 4 Saw Mill Lane around 1927.   They had four children: Irene Grace born on 20 March 1925, Peggy born on 16 December 1926, Desmond born on 22nd August 1928 and Jean born on 27 November 1929.   The photos below both show the whole family:

Bill worked in both of Edmund Cullimore's local businesses, the Saw Mills and the Brickyard, although we understand that he finished up as foreman in the brickyard.  We understand that William and Doris took in lodgers, usually men employed by the Saw Mill or Brick works. Two of these were Cyril 'Sid' Prickett who worked at the brickworks (shown as living with the Holpins in 1957) and George Fergusson.  William and Doris were still living in Saw Mill Lane when Doris died on 24th December 1960.  William died on 1st January 1964.

Of William and Doris's children:

Irene married in 1943 - her husband was Cecil Samuel Cousins who was from Lurgan in Northern Ireland and was known locally as 'Paddy Cousins'.  He was serving with the Maritime Regiment when he met Irene.  The photo on the right shows them with their 3 children:  Michael Robert born in 1944 and Valerie Jean born in 1945 and Denise born in 1950.  They continued living at 4 Saw Mill Lane for several years before moving to Eastbury Road and then Eastland Avenue.   Paddy died on 18th September 2001 aged 81.

Peggy - married twice, firstly to William Barnett who she married in October 1946.  William came from Newcastle and he was serving as a Gunner in the Royal Artillery at the time of their marriage.  William and Peggy settled to live in County Durham.  Her second marriage was to William Corben with whom she lived in Colesbourne, near Cheltenham.  They had no children.

Desmond - married Sheila Bibby who came from Oxford, but was of Romany origin.  They lived in Northampton.  They had no children and are now both dead.

Jean - married Jack Beaumont at Thornbury Baptist Church in 1948.  They settled in Sandy in Bedfordshire and had two children: David and Janet.  Click on the thumbnail picture on the left for a larger image of the  photograph in the Gazette of July 31st 1948 of the wedding of Jean and Jack Beaumont.  Mrs Irene Cousins and Mrs Peggy Barnett (the newspaper says Barnecott),  the bride's sisters, were matrons of honour.  The report of the wedding says the couple went to live at 19, The Baulk, Biggleswade, Bedfordshire.

This page was last updated: 03/01/2010