William and Hannah Hopkins

The 1840 Tithe Map shows the property now known as 24 Castle Street Thornbury as plot number 274, owned by John Leonard and occupied by William Hopkins. 

In the 1841 Census the house seems to be occupied by Hannah Hopkins a grocer aged about 45.  She lived with Catharine Miller who is 17.

William Hopkins was the son of Thomas and Mary Hopkins and he was born on 30th March 1811.  Thomas was a yeoman and the family lived in Kington.  Thomas Hopkins died, probably in 1814.  William's mother, Mary, remarried in July 1836 and her second husband was Joseph Birt (or Burt).

William Hopkins married Hannah, the daughter of Jonathan Millard, a thatcher, and she was baptised 6th November 1791 in Berkeley.  When she married William Hopkins in July 1838 she was a widow and her name was Hannah Jefferies.  William’s occupation at the time of his marriage was labourer.  William was not present at the time of the 1841 Census.

In the 1851 Census the couple were together and the record shows that William Hopkins was a shopkeeper aged about 40 and his wife Hannah was about 50. 

In 1852 The Bristol Mercury carried a notice advertising the sale by auction on April 3rd 1852 of a property which was plot number 274 on the Tithe Map and in the occupation of William Hopkins.  It described it as "a convenient and well-built freehold dwelling house situate in the town of Thornbury with bake house, stable and necessary outbuildings and productive garden."  The notice of sale makes mention of the right of way that went through the house and which we believe gave access to the well.

By the 1861 Census William and Hannah had moved to Rock Street (which was called Back Street in this Census),  where William was now an agricultural labourer.  In this census Hannah was 65.  Hannah died on 27th December 1862 at Thornbury Union.  By 1871 William was back in Castle Street, a widower aged 60 living with his widowed step-father, Joseph Burt (in the Census he is described as father in law which is the old use of the phrase).  On December 21st 1888 William also died at the Thornbury Union aged 79.

Click here to read about the other occupants of 24 Castle Street

Click here to read about the owners of 24 and 26 Castle Street

This page was last updated: 09/05/2012