Alfred Burchell

Alfred was the son of Hester (born Hester Jenkins) and Daniel Burchell.  He was baptised at St Mary's church in Thornbury on the 17th March 1820.  In 1841 the Burchell family had all been living in St Mary Street.  Daniel was a carpenter from Lineham in Wiltshire. 

In 1846 Alfred married Ann Morgan.  Their daughter Sarah was baptised 19th March 1848, at which time their address was "Sibland".  They seemed to have moved between this time and the baptism of their son, William Daniel, as their address was then Thornbury.  There is another interesting thing in the baptism record as Alfred's occupation was given as "farmer", whereas in the record for Sarah he was a "carpenter".  In view of the fact that Daniel, Alfred's father, owned so much property in the area, it is possible that the Burchells had several different business interests.

In the 1851 census, they were living in number 2 Pullins Green, one of  the small cottages on the side of the Green.  According to the 1840 Tithe survey, Daniel Burchell was the owner of these six cottages.  In 1851, Alfred was described in the census as a 'Farmer (out of a farm)'.  Alfred and Ann's daughter, Sarah was then aged aged 3 and their baby son, William Daniel was 5 months. 

The family are also shown as living at 2 Pullins Green in the 1861 and 1871 censuses and the 1876 Rate Book.  By 1861 Alfred had become a carpenter like his father.  He and Ann now had another son, John, aged 5.  By 1871 both Alfred and his son, William, were carpenters, and his other son, John, had become a apprentice carpenter.  In 1873 Alfred's daughter, Sarah married James Kiddle, a  druggist and chemist in Bristol.

We believe that by 1881 Alfred and his family had moved across the Green to what is now number 5 Pullins Green.  In 1881 census Alfred is shown as a carpenter aged 60, his wife, Ann aged 55 and their unmarried son, William who was a carpenter aged 29.  Ann died in 1887 aged 58 and is buried in Thornbury St Mary's Churchyard.

In 1891 the house was occupied by Alfred, his son (now described as William Daniel, a carpenter aged 40 and still unmarried) and his grandson, Alfred Edwin John aged 12, the son of John Burchell, yet another carpenter.  When the house was put up for sale at auction in 1894 it shows that Alfred was the tenant at the rent of £10 per annum.  The 1899 Rate Book lists Alfred as the owner of the house. 

We know from another newspaper article published on 20th September 1894 that Alfred appeared to own 3 cottages in Chapel Street.  He was summoned by Thornbury Rural Sanitary Authority for keeping a cesspool at the cottages which was causing a recurring nuisance every time it rained.  An order was made prohibiting the houses being used for human habitation and making Alfred sort out the nuisance.  It appears that Alfred sold these houses to RH Smith as they were still void in 1894 and 1899 Rate Books when he was the owner.

Alfred went on to buy other properties in Thornbury.  In 1901 census the house at 5 Pullins Green was occupied by the same three people: Alfred, now 80 his unmarried son, William Daniel, a retired carpenter, and grandson, Alfred, now a teacher aged 22. 

The photograph on the right shows William when he was part of Tucker Brothers workforce working on the refurbishment of Coronation House in the High Street in 1902.

Alfred died in November 1905 aged 85 years and is buried in St Mary's churchyard.  In his will dated 14th March 1895 he left the house at 5 Pullins Green to his daughter, Sarah, who was married to James Riddle.  He left the house at 60 High Street occupied by F. J. Nalder to his son, William Daniel.  He left to his other son, John, two cottages in Crossways, one of which he was occupying, the other occupied by a person named 'Summers'.

William Daniel died in 1909 aged 58 years.  He was buried in Thornbury Cemetery.  John died on 29th December 1913.

This page was last updated: 16/01/2012