6 Pullins Green

Occupants

James Hodges - in 1851 the house was occupied by James Hodges, a master wheelwright aged 39 born in Olveston, his wife, Charlotte, aged 40 from Thornbury and daughter, Martha aged 8. 

James was the son of John Hodges and his wife, Sarah.   John was a carpenter and built the row of houses in Gloucester Road, then called Laburnum Terrace, but now called numbers 6 to 22.  We know a great deal about John and his family - click here to read more

The 1841 census shows James and Charlotte living in Colwell Street Lane, in the row of houses being built by his father.  Unfortunately it is not possible to say precisely which house they were living in.  The census shows that James and Charlotte had one son at the time, John who was baptised at Thornbury St Mary's on 28th February 1841.  In 1843 they had a second child, Martha baptised on 5th February, but John died when aged only 2 years 7 months and he was buried on 13th August 1843. 

It is interesting to note that in three Thornbury Trade Directories between 1842 and 1852 James is described as a beer retailer.  We are not sure whether this refers to the period he was living in Gloucester Road or in Pullins Green.

Charlotte died on May 27th 1856.  In 1861 James had moved back to Colwell Street Lane, living next door to his father at what we believe to be the house now known as 16 Gloucester Road.  He was a carpenter, a widower aged 48.  Living with him was his daughter, Martha, aged 17 and described as 'formerly a dressmaker'.

James died on February 15th 1866 aged 55 years.  He and Charlotte are buried in Thornbury St Mary's in the same grave as his parents.  Their only daughter, Martha, married James Noble Greenham in Bristol in 1867.  The deeds of 5 St John Street show that when Martha's grandfather, John Hodges, conveyed number 5 to his son, George Hodges in 1873, he arranged for Martha to receive £8.00 in annual rent.

William Symes - in 1861 and 1871 the house was occupied by William Symes, a journeyman tailor aged 43 born in Shepton Mallett and his family.  We know quite a lot about this family - click here to read  more

John Smith - in the 1880 Rate Book and the 1881 the house was occupied by John Smith, a carpenter aged  aged 68 years.  His wife, Eliza, seems to be working as a monthly nurse in Marylebone, London.  There were 2 grandchildren living with him: George and Ellen Keniston, aged 9 and 8 respectively.  John is listed as still living in the same cottage in the 1885 Rate Book.

The 1890 Rate Book shows John has moved to 2 Pullins Green.  The 1891 census shows John living with his wife, Eliza, aged 70 who was born in Thornbury, and a grandson, Thomas, who was aged 13 and born in Birmingham.  Eliza died in 1893 aged 72 and John died in 1900 aged 88 years when his abode was given as  St Mary Street.

Prior to 1881 John was living in number 5 St John Street - click here to read more about the Smith family

Elizabeth Gastrell - in 1891 the house was occupied by Elizabeth, a widow aged 56.  The 1894 Rate Book shows that the house was occupied by 'Jane Gastrell'.  We have found no other reference to Jane, so we suspect that the record should have read 'Elizabeth'.

Elizabeth was born in Alveston about 1835, the daughter of Thomas Smith, an agricultural labourer and his wife, Martha.  The 1851 census shows Elizabeth living at home with her parents - she was a dressmaker.  By 1861 she had moved into Thornbury where she was now working as a housemaid in the Vicarage.

On 15th May 1862 Elizabeth married John Chitts Gastrell who was a groom in the Vicarage.  The marriage took place at Thornbury St Mary's Church.  John was the son of George Gastrell, a cooper who had been trading in the High Street.

In 1871, John and Elizabeth were living above the Crossman and Lloyd Office on Colwell Street (now referred to as The Plain).  John was working as a Stable Proprietor.  In 1881 they were living in the same place - John was now a gardener.  Living with them was his widowed mother, Flora, aged 74 who was in receipt of parochial relief.

John died on 16th February 1888 aged 53 years.  Elizabeth died on February 21st 1898 aged 66 years. 

Mary Knight - in 1901 the house was occupied by Mary Knight, a widow aged 68.  Living with her was a lodger, George Emery, a general farm labourer aged 40 from Dunball in Somerset.

Mary had been born about 1832 in Olveston.  She was the daughter of Thomas Millard, a labourer.  On 16th October 1859 Mary married James Knight at Berkeley.  James was a widower aged 31, a labourer, the son of Thomas Knight, a carpenter.  They were both living in Bevington, near Berkeley at the time. 

The 1861 census shows the couple still living in Bevington where James is employed as a slaughterman.  By 1871 James had become the innkeeper at the Crown Inn, Bevington and they were still living there in 1881.  James died and was buried at Berkeley on 21 October 1889 aged 61 years. 

In 1891 Mary had taken over as innkeeper at the Crown.  By 1901 she had moved to number 6 Pullins Green, Thornbury and she died there in 1907 aged 74 years.

George and Dorcas Cook - George and Dorcas lived in number 6 from early 1900's until 1957.  Click here to read more about them

We have very little knowledge of more recent occupants of number 6.  The electoral register shows that Alice M Gill was shown as living there in 1965, although the baptism records show that Terence and Marion Ann Davies were living there in 1962 and 1967 when their son, Stephen and daughter Sarah Jane were born.

The 1970 electoral register shows the house was occupied by Adrian and Jean Green.  They lived there for a short time following their marriage.   Adrian was the son of Tom and Joan Green who lived for a long time at 5 St John Street which is where Adrian was born.

This page was last updated: 26/10/2008