8 Pullins Green

Occupants

It is very difficult to be sure which family is living in which of the houses in the 1800's as we feel the census enumerators didn't stick rigidly to the same route! 

Ursula Twining - also known as Ursula Twinning in some sources.  In the 1851 census Ursula Twining was living in the house alone.  She was a widow aged 54.  She had been born on 2nd September 1796 in Thornbury, the daughter of William and Hannah Morgan.  In the 1841 census she was a servant for a Stephen Barker at Hill House Cottage, Wickwar.  In December quarter 1842, she married Isaac Twining, who had been widowed earlier in the year. 

Isaac died in 1847.   In 1851 when Ursula was living in Pullins Green, she was described as an 'annuitant' aged 54.  By 1861 she had moved to Bulls Lane, now Bath Road, in Thornbury.  She was now described as a 'landed proprietor'.  By 1871 she had moved again, this time she was living at the junction of St John Street and St Mary Street.  She appears to be sharing a house with the butcher, William Cole.

Ursula died 8th November 1879.  We have seen a copy of her will dated 18th August 1874 which left all her money and personal estate to her "husband's grand-daughter" Louisa Knight, a dressmaker.

James & Louisa Nelmes - in 1861 census the house was occupied by James Nelmes, a journeyman blacksmith, aged 49 from Thornbury and his wife, Louisa a dressmaker aged 40, and their children: Ellen, a dressmaker aged 18, Emily aged 11 and Lennard aged 6. 

James Nelmes was a blacksmith, born in 1808, the son of James Nelmes (a member of the South Gloucestershire Militia) and his wife, Mary.  The 1840 tithe survey and 1841 census indicate that James lived with Louisa, then aged 24, in Crispin Lane, known at that time as Mutton Lane.  They then moved to the small terraced houses in Gloucester Road.  The 1851 census shows that they lived at number 9 Gloucester Road.  James was the house was living here with Louisa, then aged 37 and daughters Ellen aged 9 and Emily aged 2.  They had all been born in Thornbury.  

By 1871 James and Louisa were sharing the house in Pullins Green with their daughter, Ellen and her family.  Ellen had married Edwin Wathen, a baker, in 1862.  He was the son of William Wathen, a brewer.   Edwin and Ellen had two daughters, Minnie aged 4 and Emily aged 1 month.

Ellen Wathen died and was buried on 5th September 1872 aged 29.   Edwin re-married in 1875, his wife was Harriett Pearce Neale, the daughter of William Neale.  In 1881 Edwin and Harriett were living in Horseshoe Lane with his mother, Ann Wathen aged 75.

James Nelmes was buried on 3rd July 1873 aged 61 years.  Louisa was buried on 9th November 1876 aged 65.

George Maishment - George and his wife, Elizabeth were shown as living in the house in the 1881, 1891 and 1901 censuses.  Click here to read more about this family

The Pullens - from the early 1900's to the mid 1930's, the house was occupied for many years by Herbert George and Jessie Pullen who later moved to live at number 9 Pullins Green - click here to read more about this family

Hannah Godwin - from about 1938, or a little earlier, the house was occupied by a widow, Hannah Elizabeth Godwin.   

Hannah Elizabeth Collier was born in the Cheltenham area in 1869.  She married Thomas Godwin in September quarter 1892 in the Gloucester area.  Thomas was a stone quarryman according to the 1901 census.  He died in 1932 aged 70.  Thomas and Hannah had a foster son, Thomas George Stanley Godwin who went to the Council School in Thornbury.  He was born in December 1895 and left school in 1912.  Sadly, he died  on 4th October 1918 whilst serving in France with the 4th Battalion, The Kings (Liverpool) Regiment.   The Commonwealth War Graves website shows his age as 19, but according to the inscription of the grave in Thornbury Cemetery he was 20.

Thomas and Hannah had lived at Crossways and Hannah continued living there on her own until she moved to Pullins Green in the late 1930's.  She continued to live there until she died on 15th February 1950 aged 80 years.

We understand that Frederick Smith and wife, Ethel, also lived in the house for a short time before they moved to the Queens Head in the High Street.  We have found no record to tell us when they lived in Pullins Green, but they were living in Easton Hill up to 1946 at least and were already in the Queens Head by 1950.  It is likely therefore that they were living there at the same time as Hannah Godwin.

Mervyn and Eileen Cheaker - they lived in the house from the early 50's.  They were lived in the house in the 1954 electoral register. Mervyn Thomas John Cheaker was the son of John and Amy Cheaker who lived in Church Road, Thornbury. They were listed there in 1958, but they were not living in Thornbury at the time of the 1965 electoral register.

We understand that Mervyn was an electrician.  Eileen became secretary to the head master at the Council School in 1951 and was transferred to the Castle School when that opened.

Irene Elizabeth Midwinter -  Irene was listed in the house in 1965 electoral register.  She was the widow of Inspector Francis Seymour Midwinter of Gloucestershire Constabulary who died suddenly on 27th April 1953 aged 58 years.  Irene died on December 14th 1965 aged 68 years.

Joseph Clutterbuck - the 1970 electoral register shows Joseph as living in the house.  We understand that this was 'Joey the post' who had worked in Francis Hopkins shop. 

This page was last updated: 23/06/2008