8 Horseshoe Lane

Occupants of Marylands

We know that around 1840 the houses were occupied by William Gough and John Shea and their families.

William Gough - William was living in Horseshoe Lane with his family in the 1841 census.   We strongly suspect that this William is the same person as the 'William Goff' shown in the Tithe Survey as occupying one of these two houses. 

William was a shoemaker and on 28th November 1830 he married Harriett Smith.  We don't know when they moved to Horseshoe Lane, but when their son, William, was baptised on 27 January 1833 they were living in the area of Thornbury known as the Borough which includes Horseshoe Lane.  They had several other children including Harriet born about 1834, Jane born about 1836 and Emily born about 1838.  All these three were baptised on 22nd March 1848.  Four other children were baptised on 14th May 1851 - Matilda born about 1839, Cecilia born about 1841, Julia born about 1852 and Elizabeth born about 1845.

In 1841 census, William was a shoemaker aged 40, his wife, Harriet was aged 30, children William aged 10, Harriet aged 8, Jane aged 5, Emily aged 4 and Matilda aged 2.

William died aged 55 years and was buried on 27th February 1851.  The 1851 census shows Harriet had moved back to live with her widowed mother, Sarah Smith, in Raglan Castle in Upper Bath Road (although the census enumerator referred to the street as 'Back Street').  Harriet is shown as a bonnet maker aged 45 years.  In 1861 Harriett was still living there in what was there referred to as 'Raglan Road'.  Harriett was working as a laundress.  Living with her were William, a railway labourer aged 30, Celia a house servant aged 20, and Elizabeth a scholar aged 16.  We cannot find Harriet in Thornbury in the 1871 - it appears that she might have gone to Cromhall where there is a Harriett Gough working as a cook.  This Harriett was born in Thornbury and aged 64 years, but she was shown as being 'unmarried'.  By 1881, Harriett was back living in Raglan Castle in Upper Bath Road.  She is shown as being aged 74 years.  Living with her was her daughter, Elizabeth Rickards and her children, William and Albert.

Harriet died and was buried on 18th June 1884 aged 78 years.

John Shea - in the 1841 census, the other house is occupied by John Shea, a tailor aged 50 and his wife, Mary, aged 45, who both came from Ireland and their children,  Mary Ann aged 14, Catherine aged 10 and William aged 6, all born in Gloucestershire.  We suspect that John Shea is the same person as the 'John Shield' shown in 1840 Tithe Survey as occupying the property.

It appears that John and Mary had been living in Thornbury for several years.  They had a son, John, who was baptised there on 20 August 1833 whilst they were living in the area of the 'Borough'.  Little John was buried after only 7 weeks.

By 1851 the Shea family had moved to Mutton Lane.   In the 1851 census the enumerator spelled the family name as 'Shey'.  The details show that John and Mary both came from Carrick on Suir.  Their son, William, had become an apprentice tailor and they had another daughter, Emma aged 8.   The 1871 shows John as an unemployed tailor with a note that he was 'nearly deaf'.

John was buried on 5 November 1871 aged 74 years.  Mary Ann Shea was buried on 10 March 1874 aged 78 years.

We cannot be confident in identifying which families occupied the houses after the 1840 period.  Our best guesses are:

Thomas and Elizabeth Savery - in 1861 and 1871 one of the houses appears occupied by Thomas Savery, a clock and watch maker and Elizabeth born in Olveston (or Tockington).  Elizabeth's age varied greatly in the different censuses, but most indicate she was born between 1790 and 1793.  Thomas may appear in the Thornbury parish records as Thomas Savory born 14th May 1795 to Thomas and Jane Savory.

The parish record showing the baptism of their eldest son, John, on September 1st 1822 shows that Thomas was already a clockmaker and their address at the time was "Morlwood New Farm".

In 1841 census Thomas was listed as a watchmaker living in the High Street with Elizabeth and their children: John aged 19, William James aged 12, Joseph aged 10 and Robert aged 8.  By 1851 Thomas and Elizabeth were lodging in Bulls Lane with Ephraim Wilson, a potato hallier.  Their son, Robert, was now aged 19 and working as an agricultural labourer.

Thomas died and was buried on 15th September 1872 aged 77 years.  Elizabeth died shortly after and was buried on 3rd November 1873 aged 84 years.

George Withers - in 1851 census one of the houses appears to be occupied by George Withers, a master shoemaker aged 42, his wife, Hannah, aged 43 from West Kington, Wiltshire, and their children: Thomas an agricultural labourer aged 17, John an errand boy aged 15, Emma aged 13, Martha aged 11 and Frederick aged 6.   We suspect Hannah's maiden was Fry because that name was used as a middle name for their son Thomas.

George and Hannah had at least two other children: Fanny was baptised on 22nd February 1832 and buried on 20th December 1844 aged 13 years and George baptised on 10th March 1845 and buried on 13th March 1845 aged 2 years 9 months.  Their daughter Martha also died young and was buried aged 15 years on 20th December 1854 Emma 

Hannah died aged 46 years and was buried on 23rd March 1854.  The 1861 census shows that George had married again, this time to Jane who was born about 1813 in Olveston.  They were now living in Grovesend with their daughter Fanny aged 5.  George and Jane were still in Grovesend in 1871.  He died on aged 67 years and was buried on 15th April 1877.

Mark Williams - in 1861 Mark appears to be living in one of the houses.  He was a retired blacksmith aged 74 born in Olveston living with his wife, Mehitabel aged 78.

Mark was born in Olveston about 1788.  On 10th August 1808 Mark married Mehitabel Thomas at Thornbury St Marys Church.  Mehitabel was born on 28th December 1782, the daughter of George Thomas.  They had several children: George baptised on 15th November 1808, Henry born on 6th February 1811, Mary Ann baptised on 18th April 1813, and Mark baptised on 15th September 1816.  Mark was shown as a blacksmith at the time of the baptism of all these children. 

In the 1851 census, Mark and Mehitabel were living at Clays Farm, Newland, Gloucestershire with their daughter, Mary who is shown as aged 21.   Mark is working as a farmer.

From Newland they came back to Thornbury to live in Horseshoe Lane where they were in the 1861 census.  However when Mark died in August 1862 aged 75 years, his abode was shown as Gloucester.  He was buried in Thornbury St Mary's churchyard on 10th August 1862.  Mehitabel was buried there on 27th November 1868 aged 86 years.  Her abode at that time was given as Thornbury.

Click here to read about their son also called Mark Williams

Edwin Facey - in the 1871 census the house appears occupied by Edwin Facey, a carpenter aged 33 and his wife Emma aged 34 and their children: 'Lorah' aged 12, Arabella aged 10, Elizabeth aged 7, Herbert aged 5 and Emma aged 11 months.

Edwin Henry Thomas Facey was baptised in Thornbury on 18th March 1838, the son of Thomas Facey, a shopkeeper, and his wife, Mary Anne (nee Hookway).   In the 1841 and 1851 censuses Edwin was living with his parents in Back Street (St Mary Street) where his father had a general shop.

In 1856 Edwin married Emma Biddle,  Emma was baptised on 24th November 1835, the daughter of Ernest Biddle, a hallier and his wife, Susanna.  The 1861 census shows the family had moved to Margam in Wales. Edwin was working as a carpenter and he and Emma now had two children: Laura aged 2 and Arabella aged 2 months.

By 1871 the family had moved to Thornbury, but by 1881 the family had moved back to Wales again, this time to Harold Street, Roath near Cardiff.  The census shows that two further children had been born, Edward Henry baptised in Thornbury on 4th May 1873 and Emily born about 1880 in Roath.

They carried on living in Roath.  The 1891 census shows that Emily was now called Evelina.

Edwin had been a carpenter all his life, but the 1901 census shows he became a greengrocer. now they were living on their own except for a grandson, Edward who was aged 10 and born in Cardiff.  We don't know when Edwin died but Emma died in 1917 aged 77 years.

Susan Moxham - the 1876 Rate Book shows Susan was living here at that time.  Click here to read more about Susan

The Harris's - the 1880 and 1885 Rate Books both list 'George Harris' as being the occupant of this house.   We are slightly puzzled by this as it appears from  the 1881 census that a widow, Elizabeth Harris, was the main occupant and her son, George, was only 21 in 1881.

Elizabeth was born about 1839 in Tedbury, Gloucestershire, the daughter of William Rose.  In 1857, she married Jonah Harris and in 1861 they were living in Avening where Jonah was working as a coachman.  By 1871 they had moved to one of the two cottages on Gillingstool Hill which were later demolished to make way for the extension of the Council School.  Jonah was working as an ostler.  By this time they had George born about 1859, Ann born about 1862,  John Edward born in 1866, Martha Jane born in 1868, Alfred born in 1871. 

Jonah died in 1874 aged 42 years.  The 1881 census shows Elizabeth as a widow, working as a charwoman living in 8 Horseshoe Lane with George, Annie, Martha, Alfred and two new children, Rose Elizabeth in 1873, and May born about 1878.    On 27th May 1882 Elizabeth married Francis George Driscoll - click here to read more about Elizabeth

Henry Harvey - in 1891 the house was occupied by Henry, a mason aged 42 from Alveston, his wife, Sarah E aged 44 from Olveston, their son, Alfred a blacksmith aged 17 also from Olveston, and Maria Thomas, Sarah's widowed mother, aged 64 from Iron Acton.  Henry and Sarah were living there alone in the 1901 census.

Henry was born in Alveston about 1849.  There were two Henry Harveys born there at that time, but we now believe that Henry was the son of Anselm Harvey, a mason and his wife Rebecca a laundress who came from Cam.  In 1861 Henry was living with his parents in Castle Street.

On 2nd September 1869 Henry married Sarah Elizabeth Thomas in Bristol.  The 1871 census shows Henry and Sarah sharing a house at Old Down with William Curtis, an agricultural labourer and his wife, Sarah.   Henry and Sarah's first child, Ada Rebecca, was born on 25th June 1871.  They had two other children, Alfred Thomas born in Olveston on 20th September 1873 and Charles Osborne baptised on March 5th 1876. 

By 1881 Henry and Sarah had moved to live in Bristol.  Their address was 2 Regent Place, Warwick Road.  Living with them were their two sons and two lodgers.  Ada Rebecca was living with her grandparents, Anselm and Rebecca Harvey in Castle Street. 

The 1885 and 1890 Rate Books show that Henry had moved back to Thornbury and he was renting 4 Horseshoe Lane.  The 1891 census and Rate Books up to 1910 show that Henry moved to live at 8 Horseshoe Lane.  In the 1891 census, Ada Rebecca was again shown as living in Castle Street, this time just with her widowed grandmother, Rebecca who was still working as a laundress.  Ada was now working as a pupil teacher at the Board School.  In 1895 Henry and Sarah's son, Alfred, now working as a blacksmith, married Rose Underhill.  Click here to read more about Alfred and Rose

In 1901 census it was just Henry and Sarah living in Horseshoe Lane.  Sarah died in March quarter 1911 aged 63 years.  Henry re-married in September quarter 1912, his second wife was Bessie Howell.  Henry and Bessie are listed in the electoral registers of 1918 and 1921.  In 1927 Henry and Clara Harvey are listed and just Clara listed as living in Horseshoe Lane in 1931.   We don't know where Bessie is as she appears to have died in Thornbury in 1940 aged 91.  Also we are having trouble finding out who Clara is.  We do know that in 1935 Clara had left Horseshoe Lane and was living in Morton 'c/o O. Thorne'.

We have been told a couple of interesting stories about an old lady who lived in Marylands in the 1930's.  These may, or may not, relate to Clara or Bessie Harvey.  One young person living in Horseshoe Lane told us that the old lady used to pay the local children to collect snails for her and that she wanted these snails to eat them!  The other person remembers that the family living in Marylands used to keep chickens inside the house under the stairs.    

The Havvocks - the 1935 electoral register shows Charles Edward and Elizabeth Maud Havvock.  They did not seem to live in Thornbury for long as they don't appear in either the 1931 or 1938 electoral register.

Elizabeth used to make wreaths which were sold in Bristol Flower Market.  When Ellen Webb was a little girl she remembers helping make the wreaths and being taught how to make them.

Horace John Legge - although we haven't found him mentioned in any electoral register, we have been told by several sources that Horace lived in one of the houses with his wife, Violet M.   Horace was born on 19th October 1914, the son of William George Legge, a market gardener and his wife, Matilda.  

The Colletts - in 1946 and 1950 electoral registers, one or both of the houses were occupied by Frank P and Norah B Collett.  We understand that Frank worked in Bristol.  A local girl remembers seeing him 'waiting at the bus stop dressed in a suit and carrying a briefcase'.  By 1954 they had moved to Severn View Road.

We don't know much about the Colletts.  It looks likely that they were the family who gave the houses the name of Marylands.  We have been told that this was done by a family who were 'strict Roman Catholics', who lived there after WW2 and we understand that the Colletts were Catholic..

Ray Leslie Roberts  - Ray was born in 1930, the son of Charles Roberts of Gillingstool.  He had been brought up in White Wall Lane and in 1950 he was living at Hackett House.  Ray worked for P. G. Hawkins who owned Marylands in addition to the surrounding yard which they used as a builders yard. 

In about 1954 Ray let the house from Hawkins for himself and Dorothy his wife.  They stayed there for about 12 years and moved out about 1964/5 when they moved to Coln Square. 

The building were then used as storerooms for the building supplies until they were demolished in the early 1970's.

This page was last updated: 25/10/2008