5 & 7 Horseshoe Lane

The third was described as 'all that messuage or tenement wherein I now dwell'.  This was left to her son, Thomas Child.  We believe this house later became known 5 Horseshoe Lane.

We're not sure how or when Ann acquired number 7.  The 1819 land tax records show Thomas Child owning a property which was the same size of a property later shown as being owned by Thomas Wise.  Other Inland Revenue documents written following Thomas Wise's death in 1871 show that his wife had also been the owner of that property.  

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.

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.  Following his death, we know that his several properties in the High Street were taken over by his son, Edward.  The two properties in Horseshoe Lane are more confusing as they appear to have been left by Ann to her children in four  undivided parts.  We have copies of Inland Revenue documents which show that their daughter Ann had one part and that their son, Jesse, had another part which he sold to his brother, Edward.  We assume that Edward was also left a part of his own, but we don't know who had the fourth part! The Rate Books appear to show that ownership was shared by Edward Wise and Lewis Wallington, but we know from the above that the rate books don't show the complete story.

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, Llewellyn 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 Lowe 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.  Although he continued to live in 63 Follywell Street (which later became known as 139 Victoria Street), Blackburn, he became the owner of several properties in Thornbury, including those in Horseshoe Lane and a group of five houses at the top of the High Street (nos 73 - 81).  Edward died in 1905 aged 85, leaving two unmarried daughters, Charlotte and Ann.  After Edward's death, Charlotte and Ann kept hold of the Thornbury properties until their deaths, Charlotte on 6th June 1916 and Ann on 15th December 1937.  Following Ann's death there was an interesting article in the Gazette which said she was the daughter of 'Sir Edward Wise who was the last surviving holder of an honour conferred on his ancestor in 1521.  The baronetcy was originally granted to a member of the Wise family who lived in Thornbury.  It was from Bristol that the family originally hailed.  Miss Wise's father, who was formerly in the boot manufacturing business, was married at Warrington to Miss Ellen Lowe.  Amongst the greatly prized possessions of Miss Wise was the original deed conferring the baronetcy'.

Jesse - married Fanny Bevan, a Thornbury girl.  They settled in Bristol where Jesse worked as a cooper and beer retailer.  Although he was left a share of his mother's property in Horseshoe Lane, he sold his share to his brother, Edward.  He died on 16th January 1875.  The 1880 Rate Book shows Fanny had returned to Thornbury to live in a house she owned in the High Street.               

This page was last updated: 05/09/2010