Horseshoe Lane

The Bonds

We understand the Bond family moved to Thornbury after their house was bombed in Filton during the Second World War.  Three generations of Bonds were to settle in the Horseshoe Lane area and to remain there for many years.

John and Louisa Bond
John Bond was born in Bristol about 1875.  He had married Louisa Hardy in Bristol in June quarter 1900.  Louisa was born in Bristol about 1877.  In 1901 they were living at 11 Haggets Cottages in Clifton.  John was employed as a bricklayer.  John and Louisa had at least two sons: John (usually known as Jack) and Frederick, both of them settling in Thornbury.  We understand that John was a foreman at the Bristol Aeroplane Company when they lived in Filton.

The 1950 electoral register shows John and Louisa were now living at 5 Horseshoe Lane.  They must have moved from there to Thornbury to join their son, Jack, who had moved with his wife, Maud, during the war when their house in Filton was bombed.  

By 1954 John and Louisa had moved to number 4 Horseshoe Lane, and their son, Frederick G Bond, and his wife, Margaret A had taken over their house at 5 Horseshoe Lane and this is also how it appears in the 1958 electoral register.  We understand that John was a caretaker at the Council School for many years.

Louisa died on 14th July 1962 aged 89 years.  Her husband, John, died on 9th September 1963 aged 81 years.

Jack and Rose Bond
John (usually referred to as 'Jack') was born about 1915.  Jack worked at the Bristol Aeroplane Company and in 1942 the house where Jack and Rose were living in Filton was bombed out and they moved to Thornbury.  The 1946 electoral register shows Jack and his wife, Rose Maud, living at 2 Rock Street which is one of the group of houses known locally as the 'Ox Houses' but this house later became known as 5 Rock Street when house numbering was officially introduced in the early 1950's. 

Jack was the son of John and Louisa Bond and there is no sign in the electoral registers that they, or their other son Frederick, were living in Thornbury at that time.

The 1950 electoral register shows both Jack and Rose still living at 2 Rock Street.  His parents, John and Louisa, were now living at 5 Horseshoe Lane.  The 1954 register shows Jack and Rose living at 5 Rock Street and we assume this is the same house as they were living previously but it had now been re-numbered. 

By 1965, Jack and Rose had moved from Rock Street to 8 Buckingham Parade.  Rose died on 6th February 1987 aged 72 years.  Jack died on 21st September 1996 aged 84 years.

Frederick G and Maud Bond
Frederick G Bond was the son of John and Louisa.  Fred also worked in the Bristol Aeroplane Company.  By 1954 Frederick and his wife, Margaret A had taken over his parents' home at 5 Horseshoe Lane and they were still living there in 1965.  When number 5 Horseshoe Lane was earmarked for demolition as part of the town's re-development in the early 1970's was owned by F. G. Bond although he and his wife had moved out some years earlier.

Keith and Patricia A Bond
Keith was the son of Frederick and Maud Bond and the 1965 electoral register shows that they took over 4 Horseshoe Lane after the death of his grandparents, John and Louisa.

This page was last updated: 10/07/2008