The Trayhurn family
of Thornbury

The Trayhurn family made a large impact on the St John Street area for many years.  Local people all associate the Trayhurns with the butchering business which all started with George Trayhurn. 

George Trayhurn
George Trayhurn was born in Thornbury and baptised on 7 September 1856.  He was the son of James Trayhurn, a tailor and his wife Ann.  In 1861 the family were living in horse Shoe Lane.  James was a tailor aged 30 born in Thornbury.  Ann was a tailoress aged 35, also from Thornbury.  They had William aged 11, Edwin aged 8, George aged 5, Albert aged 4, Briant aged 2.  'Bryant' died in 1867 aged 7.

By 1871 George had left home and was working as a general servant in the house of George Walker, a butcher in St John Street.  It was here he must have the taste for being a butcher, which he had become by the time he married on 7th August 1876.  George's wife was Elizabeth Maishment, the daughter of George Maishment, a tailor.

In 1881 the family were living in Silver Street.  George Trayhurn was a butcher aged 25, Elizabeth, a shopkeeper aged 26.  They had three children then - Harry Maishment Trayhurn born in 1877, George born in 1879 and Arthur born in 1881.

They had further children throughout the 1880's: Albert Edward born in 1883, Reginald born about 1895, Mabel Ellen born in 1887, Austin Roy born in 1888, and Charles Victor born in 1889.

George died on 19 April 1889 aged 33.  Elizabeth must have been a remarkable person as carried on and built up George's business and managed to bring up the eight young children.  Her grandson, Don, recalled how when his grandfather died young, his grandmother started making faggots and peas etc and selling them one morning each week. The business grew and grew and eventually she moved from Silver Street to bigger premises on the corner of The Plain, St John Street and St Mary Street.

In the 1891 census, Elizabeth is shown as a butcher and grocer, Harry was 13, George 12, Arthur 10, Edward Albert  8, Reginald 6, Mabel Ellen 4, Austin Roy 2, Charles Victor 1.  Elizabeth's sister, Ellen Maishment aged 29, was also living there helping out as a grocer's assistant. 

In 1901 Elizabeth was shown as a butcher in St John Street.  Still living with her were Albert, a butcher aged 18, Reginald, a baker aged 16, Mabel, a school teacher aged 14, and two other sons, Roy aged 12 and Victor aged 11.

Harry had married in 1897 and had left home.  He was however only living a few yards away and he was assisting his mother with the butchery business.  Click here to read about Harry who was to carry on the Trayhurn business from his mother.

Elizabeth carried on the business on The Plain.  She is listed as a butcher in the Thornbury Directories until 1914.  The family was to suffer badly in the War.  Five of her seven sons responded to the call. 

Their youngest son, Charles Victor died  of wounds received at Trones Wood in the Battle of Somme on July 21st 1916 aged 27 years.  He was serving as a Lance Corporal in 8^th Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment.  He was buried in Etaples Military Cemetery. 

Another son, Roy, was wounded in action in Palestine in 1917 whilst serving with the Yeomanry.  He was shot through the shoulder and the injury gave him great trouble.  He was brought to England and received muscular treatment in a hospital at York.

Finally another son, Reginald, suffered from gas poisoning sustained during fighting on the Western Front. Private Trayhurn was a stretcher bearer and was attached to the Hood Battalion of the Royal Naval Division.   He received treatment in three hospitals in the fighting before being brought to England.  Reginald had received military exemption from service in the early part of the War and was not called up until May 1917.  He had been in France long before his injury.  Reginald recovered and carried on as a baker.  He had been a baker in the High Street in 1914, but after the War, he is known to have had a bakery in Raleigh Road, Bedminster.

The only daughter, Mabel was to make a name for herself in teaching.  She started teaching at the Council School before setting up a private school.  This was located in what was then the last house in Thornbury before the entrance to the Railway Station (and before the building of Tanners Court!).  The school later moved down to the building that was knocked down to make way for PG Hawkins new store.  She carried on here for many years up to at least 1956.

Elizabeth eventually died on 28th December 1930 aged 76 years.

This page was last updated: 14/03/2008