6 Pullins Green

George and Dorcas Cook

George and Dorcas lived in number 6 from the early 1900's until 1957.  George is listed as the occupant of the house in the 1910 Rate Book.

George Charles Cook was born in December quarter 1878, the son of William Olive Cook, a labourer, and his wife, Eliza.  He was baptised in Thornbury St Mary's on 4th September 1881,

We can't find George's family in the 1881 census, but in 1891 George was living with his mother in St Mary Street.  Eliza was then aged 38 and working as a laundress.  George was aged 13, and he had three sisters, Mary Jane aged 11, Kate aged 9 and Dora aged 3.  We don't know where his father was at the time of the census.

On 21st August 1900 George married Dorcas Smith at Thornbury St Mary's Church.  At the time of the marriage George was a labourer living in St Mary Street and Dorcas was living at the Post Office.

Dorcas was baptised in Thornbury St Mary's on 1st June 1879.  She was the daughter of James Smith, a shoemaker and his wife, Harriet (nee Parsons).  In 1881 the Smith family were living in St Mary Street.  James and Harriett had two other children living with them: Bertha Parsons aged 10 who was Harriett's daughter, and Elias Smith aged 1.  Two doors away, another son of Harriett's, John Fisher aged 5 (who was the son of Harriett's first marriage) was living with Harriett's mother, Amelia Parsons.

By 1891 Dorcas's father had got into trouble and he was listed as a convict in Gillingham prison in Kent.  Harriett was now living in her 3 room house in Silver Street with her children: Dorcas now aged 11, John Fisher an errand boy aged 15, Elias aged 10, George aged 9, Alfred Merrett aged 4 (who was described as 'dumb'), a boarder. Ellen Baker who was a widowed charwoman aged 48 and a nurse child, Ellenor Curtin aged 5 months.  The census record suggests Alfred Merrett is Harriett's son, but the baptism record shows Alfred was the son of Ann Merrett who was residing at the Workhouse.  We believe that Harriett may have provided a home for children in need of short term care. 

By 1901 Dorcas's father, James, had been released from prison, but he had not returned to the family home.  Harriet was still living in Silver Street.  She is described as a charwoman living with her children: George a builder's labourer and Nellie aged 7, and a boarder, John Harris, another general labourer.

George and Dorcas had at least three children:  Linda Amelia V. born on 21st February 1901, Ethel Prudence on 30th June 1902, and Basil Charles on 24th March 1909.  We know that Ethel married Charles F. A. Adams in 1924.

In the First World War George was called up to the Royal Engineers (Inland Water Transport Section) on 1st January 1917.  He was aged 37 years 8 months when he enlisted.  His service records show he was 5ft 7 inches with a chest of 36 inches when fully expanded.  His occupation at the time was noted as gardener and electrical plant overseer.  He embarked for France on 6th April 1917 as a Sapper.  He was demobbed and transferred to the Army Reserve on 2nd March 1919 with a disability shown to be myalgia.

We have been told that George worked for Tucker Brothers, the builders, possibly as a bricklayer.  We understand that he was known by the nickname 'Dawdy'. 

We are not sure when George and Dorcas died - he is listed in the 1946 electoral register, but not in the 1954 one.  Dorcas was still shown as living in Pullins Green in 1957, but no later.

This page was last updated: 26/10/2008