5 & 7 Horseshoe Lane

The Wise and Wallington families

The 1840 Tithe survey shows the two houses were occupied by Thomas Wise and Sarah Hopton.  We have assumed that Thomas would have occupied number 5 which appears to be the larger of the two properties.

Thomas and Ann Wise - Thomas was born in Thornbury about 1792/3.  His early life is a mystery.  We do know that on 22nd June 1816, Thomas married Ann Child Cossham.  They were both said to be living in Thornbury at that time.  The witnesses at the marriage were Ann's siblings, George and Charlotte Cossham. 

Ann was born in Thornbury on 9th June 1793, the daughter of Jesse Cossham and his wife, Ann (nee Child). Jesse was a carpenter who died in 1797 aged 41 years. 

The land tax assessments show that Thomas owned property in Thornbury from about 1821.  He is not referred to in the records of 1819, but by 1821 he is shown as owning a property occupied by James Edmonds, and in 1822 as occupying a property which he owned.  In 1826, 1827 and 1832, he is listed as owning a property occupied by Charles Hopton.

We suspect that Thomas acquired at least some of his property from Thomas Child who is shown in 1819 land tax records as owning a property (the same size of that later owned by Thomas Wise) and that his name in the listing seems to be replaced by Thomas Wise.

Thomas and Ann had at least 3 children: Ann Matilda born on 27th January 1817, Edward born on 3rd December 1819, and Jesse Cossham born on 4th December 1823. All three births were registered at Broadmead Baptist Chapel, Bristol.

It is pleasing to see that in 1831 Thomas was one of the Freeholders of the County of Gloucester who were signatories in support of the Reform Bill. 

The 1841 census shows Thomas as a plasterer living in the house which later became known as 5 Horseshoe Lane with his wife, Ann, and their children Edward and Jesse.  There is a George Wise living in the household whom we assume to be another son of Thomas and Ann's although there is no sign of his birth.  George was aged 15 and working as an apprentice tailor.  As he cannot be found in any later census, we think he could be the George Wise who died in Thornbury in September quarter 1848.

The 1840 Tithe Survey shows Thomas owned several plots of in the area of Gillingstool and Horseshow Lane.  Plots 125, 126, 127, 128 and 130 were all shown to belong to Thomas.  However an indenture relating to Plot 129 indicates that that property was 'adjoining on the north east and south sides to gardens belonging to or held in trust for Ann Wise the wife of Thomas Wise of Thornbury'.  This seems to suggest that the property was Ann's, possibly inherited from her family of Cosshams or Childs.

It appears that Thomas was an enthusiastic and successful gardener.  In June 1848, in the Flower Show organised by the Thornbury Society, Thomas won first prize for his potatoes and his stocks.  Later in the same year, at the September Flower Show of the Thornbury Horticultural Society, he won first prize for his cabbages, carrots and celery, second prize for his onions, third prize for his parsnips and culinary apples  and an extra prize for his plums.  He seemed to be making full use of that large garden at the back of 5 Horseshoe Lane which appears as Plot 127 on the Tithe Map.  It must have been very productive soil.  It is also interesting to see that many of the other prize-winners were Thomas's neighbours. 

In 1851 and 1861 censuses, it was just Thomas and Ann living in Horseshoe Lane.  Thomas is described as a plasterer and tiler. 

On 2nd October 1869 Ann died 'of Decay of Nature'.  She was aged 76 years.  The 1871 census shows Thomas still in Horseshoe Lane.  Living with him were his daughter Anne, her husband, Lewis Wallington, their 16 year old daughter, Anne and a visitor, William Clark aged 2.  William was the son of Lewis and Anne's daughter, Lucy, who was living with her policeman husband, Henry Clark in Montpelier, Bristol at the time). 

Thomas died on 8th May 1871 aged 78 years.  The cause of death was ulceration of the stomach.  His property was taken over by his son, Edward.

Lewis and Anne Wallington -  Ann Matilda Wise married Lewis Wallington, in Bristol on 22nd May 1836.  Lewis was a carpenter born in Hillesley in 1816.  In 1841, 1851 and 1861 they were living in Falfield.  They had 11 children:  Ann Matilda born in 1837, Isaac 1838, Matilda 1839, William 1840, Alfred on 7th November 1841, Llewelyn in 1843, Lucy 1847, Elizabeth 1850, Eunice 1853, Ann 1855 and George Thomas 1857. 

It appears that Lewis and Ann moved to Thornbury following the death of Ann's mother and they moved in with her father, Thomas Wise, in his house at 5 Horseshoe Lane.

Ann and Lewis remained in Horseshoe Lane and they took over the house from Thomas Wise.  The Rate Books of 1876, 1880 and 1885 show Lewis living there and by 1885 he shared the ownership of the house (and one of the adjoining houses) with Edward Wise. 

In 1881 census the Wallingtons are living there with James Bendall, a groom aged 21.   Lewis died on 21st November 1885. The 1890 Rate Book and the 1891 census shows Anne had moved next door to 7 Horseshoe Lane, living on her own in a 3 roomed house.  She is described as a seamstress aged 74.  She died on 1st March 1896.

Of Thomas and Ann's other children:
Edward - moved up North.  He married Ellen Cook in Warrington in 1850 and they settled in Blackburn where Edward worked as a cordwainer.  In most records his name is shown as 'Wisse'.  Ellen died in 1870.  Edward became the owner of his father's property in Thornbury and he died in 1905 aged 85, leaving two unmarried daughters.
Jesse - married Fanny Bevan, a Thornbury girl.  They settled in Bristol where Jesse worked as a coper and beer retailer.  He died in 1875.                 

This page was last updated: 26/10/2008