24 and 26 Castle Street

The Early Owners

1840 Tithe Map
(PDF file format)

Castle Street
Numbers
 1
 2
 3
 4
 5
 6 Oriel Cottage
 7
 8 Oriel House
 9 Lion House
10 Wigmore House
11 Porch House
12 Epworth House
13
14 Bank Cottage
15 Clematis Cottage
17 The Priory
20
22
24
26
28 & 28A
30
32 to 42
44
46
48
50 Munday Cottage
Fairfield House
Stokefield House
The Hatch
Thornbury Cottage 
Thornbury House

The 1840 Tithe Map shows the properties now known as 24 and 26 Castle Street had the plot numbers 274, 275 and 276.  These were owned by John Leonard.

The next owner may have been Henry Withers who occupied what became number 24 Castle Street in the 1861 Census and whose name appears against this house and the house next door (number 26) in the 1867 Rate Book.  It is possible that he owned the two houses.  Click here to read more about Henry Withers

The occupiers of number 26 Castle Street in the 1871 Census were Francis and Jane Driscoll,  who may well have owned both properties by this time.  Certainly by 1876 the Rate Book shows that Francis Driscoll owned both houses.

Francis was from Kilrush in County Clare and had joined the army, the Fifth Fusiliers.  We do not know when he came to England or when he married Jane, his first wife.   We do know that Jane came from Thornbury but we have not yet traced her maiden name.

 Jane and Francis Driscoll seemed to be in financial difficulties.  An Abstract of Title of 1881 refers to an indenture of 1879 which secured the repayment of a loan of £100 from Francis Gayner to Jane Driscoll.  There was a further indenture to secure a loan of £120.

Jane Driscoll made her will on 24th November 1880 leaving her property to Francis Sturge of Bristol “in trust to pay the rents and incomes to her husband, Francis Driscoll, during his life and from after his decease in trust for Mary Thatcher.  Mary was the daughter of John and Hester Thatcher.  The 1881 Census shows that Mary Thatcher lived in St John Street.

Jane Driscoll died 13th February 1881. The records of St Mary’s Church in Thornbury show that she was buried on February the 19th and her age at that time was 62.

In 1881 the two houses were advertised for sale,

"the larger messuage being for many years in the occupation of the late Mr William Hurd, deceased, but now void; and the other now in the occupation of Mr Francis Driscoll; together  with the gardens and outbuildings..........The gardens are most productive and there is a well of good water."

Francis Driscoll and Mary Thatcher then agreed to sell the house to Francis Gayner for £305 from which the agreed sums of £100 and £120 plus interest (amounting to £255 12s 6d) which were owed to Francis Gayner would be deducted.


The Census of 1881 shows that number 24 was unoccupied and that the widowed Francis Driscoll was living on his own in the house next door which became number 26.  He was described as a 49 year old pensioner and gardener from County Clare.

The records of St Mary’s Church show that on 27th May 1882 the widower Francis Driscoll married the widowed Elizabeth Harris.  Francis Driscoll was “late private 5th fusiliers” the son of James Driscoll a labourer and his bride was the daughter of William Rose a labourer.  The couple went to live in 7 St John Street.  Click here to read more about them
.

The Rate Book of 1885 shows that both 24 and 26 were owned by Francis Gayner. 

Click here to read about the next owners of the house, including the Gayners

Click here to read about the occupiers of 24 Castle Street

Click here to read about the occupiers of 26 Castle Street

This page was last updated: 29/01/2012