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Joseph Young Sturge |
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Click here to read about the owners of Wigmore House Joseph Young Sturge was a tenant of Wigmore House in Castle Street, Thornbury from about 1867 to about 1875. In the Census of 1861 Joseph Sturge was living next door to Wigmore House at Oriel House. This Census shows that Joseph Young Sturge was an architect and surveyor who was born in the area of Sea Mills in Bristol and that his wife Caroline also came from Bristol. At that time they had four children; Elizabeth aged 10 who was born in Tooting, Francis aged eight from Bishopston and Henry aged five and Caroline aged one, both born in Thornbury. They had two servants. Joseph Young Sturge was born on 6th October 1823 and baptised in Bristol. His parents were Young Sturge and his wife Sarah. The children of Young Sturge were born in Bristol. Young Sturge himself was from Bristol and as early as 1804 his family were living at West Hay in Westbury on Trym in Bristol. Young Sturge and Sarah moved to Tockington near Thornbury and in 1841 he was a surveyor at Woodhouse. Joseph Young Sturge married Caroline Harwood at Frenchay Friends' Meeting House on 11th February 1845. Joseph lived at 9 South Well Street in Bristol at the time of their marriage. Caroline Harwood was born 25th October 1822 the daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth Harwood. Samuel was a leather factor. Caroline lived at Portland Square in Bristol at the time of her marriage. The 1851 Census shows that the couple had set up home in the Endscombe area of Bath. At that time Joseph was aged 27 years old and Caroline 28. They had a son called Charles Joseph aged six and a daughter Elizabeth aged seven months. Joseph was a landed proprietor. By 1856 Joseph and Caroline Sturge had moved to Thornbury and Joseph was advertised in the Trade Directory as a Land Surveyor. Presumably at this time they were living in Oriel House. A newspaper advertisement of 28th October 1865 says that two adjoining houses in Castle Street are for sale. These appear to be what are now numbers 8 and 6 Castle Street - otherwise known as Oriel House and Oriel Cottage. The larger one, now number 8, was said to be in the occupation of Joseph Young Sturge. The 1867 and 1869 Rate Books show that Joseph Young Sturge had moved to Wigmore House. The 1871 Census shows that Joseph was aged 47 and Caroline was 48. At this time they had four children living with them; Elizabeth aged 20, Francis aged 18 was articled to a solicitor, Mary aged 15 was a scholar as was her 11 year old sister Caroline. They also had a two year old grand daughter Gertrude Mable Sturge living with them By the Rate Book of 1876 the house was no longer occupied by Joseph Young Sturge but by Elizabeth Cornock. The same Rate Book shows that the Sturge family had moved to The Close House in the High Street which they were renting a house from William Osborne Maclaine. The trade directory for 1877 gives his address as The Close but it also suggests that Joseph had an office in Castle Street. At this time Joseph's listed occupations were land agent, surveyor and insurance agent for Royal Fire and Life. Joseph was also the Superintendent of the Sunday School. In 1924 Edmund Cullimore described him as a "man of kindly disposition and much beloved by his scholars." Edmund wrote of things that Joseph did besides teaching scriptures and hymns to the children in his Sunday School- " he gave us many treats which we very much appreciated. One of these consisted in a journey (in Mr Baylis's two wagons) to Sharpness Docks and Pleasure Gardens." Caroline the 18 year old daughter of Joseph Young and Caroline Sturge died on January 8th 1878. By 1880 the Rate Books show that he had returned to Castle Street, this time to what became number 4 Castle Street and that he was renting that house from Richard Scarlett. Joseph Young Sturge died 27th December 1891 aged 68 years. We have a newspaper report of his funeral in 1892. "The prevailing sickness of the past month has resulted in the death of some of the oldest and most respected Parishioners, leaving a gap which, so to speak, can never be filled. It was with deep regret that the news was received on Sunday, December 27th, of the death of Mr. J. Y. STURGE, after an illness of only a fortnight's duration, at his residence in Castle Street. By his death, the parish has suffered a severe loss. For nearly thirty years he was senior churchwarden of the Parish Church, and has done much towards maintaining the fabric of the Church. He also took great interest in the Sunday and Day Schools, being Superintendent of the former for many years, and Treasurer of the latter until his death. In him the sick and poor had a true friend, and one who was always caring for their welfare. As a token of esteem in which the deceased was held, the bells of the Parish Church were half muffled for the Evening Service: and the singing of Christmas Carols, which was to have taken place after Evensong, was postponed until after the Epiphany. “The Dead March in Saul" was played by the Organist, Mr. J. T. Chambers, at the close of the Service, while the Choir and Congregation remained standing......The Funeral took place on Wednesday, 30th December at 3.30 p.m. amid very heavy rain, a more miserable day could not have been chosen." Caroline Sturge died on 16th September 1901. Click here to read more about the owners and occupiers of Wigmore House This page was last updated: 09/05/2012 |