10 ST MARY STREET

Occupants

Home Page

1840 Tithe Map
SMS - North End
SMS - South End

25 & 25A St Mary St
27 St Mary Street
29 & 31 St Mary St
33 & 35 St Mary St
37 & 39 St Mary St
41 St Mary Street
43 - 45 St Mary St
47 - 51 St Mary St
53 & 55 St Mary St
57 St Mary Street
59 & 61 St Mary St

William Nelmes - we have a copy of the document summarising the 'Charities vested in and under the Management of the Corporation'. This shows that in 1815 the house was then occupied by William Nelmes at a rent of £2 10 shillings per annum. The Mayors Accounts Book shows that William Nelmes occupied the house from 1820 to 1826.

William Minnott - the Mayors Accounts Book shows William took over from William Nelmes in 1827 paying £2 10s per year in rent. It seems as if William died because Mrs Mary Minnott took over as tenant. In 1835 the account book seems to indicate that Mary Minnott and Benjamin English were sharing the house as it says 'Received from Mary Minnott for Benjamin English and Self'. After that time only Benjamin English is shown in the Accounts Book.

In the 1840 Tithe Survey number 10 was Plot 165 occupied by Benjamin English.

Benjamin English (sometimes Inglish) - the Mayors' Accounts Book seems to show that Benjamin was living in the house from 1835. He was paying £3 per year in rent right up to his death in 1868. The 1841 census shows Benjamin was an agricultural labourer living with his wife, Elizabeth and their children: Ann aged 15, James a blacksmith aged 15, Eliza aged 13, Sarah aged 9 and Benjamin aged 5. We know from later censuses that Benjamin was born about 1790. Elizabeth was born on 26th January 1796, the daughter George and Elizabeth Minnett.

The 1840 Tithe survey shows that Benjamin owned and occupied a cottage and garden in Mutton Lane (now Crispin Lane) which was shown as Plot 228 on the Tithe Map.

Benjamin and Elizabeth were to stay in 10 St Mary Street for a long time. The 1851 census shows Benjamin was a coal seller and that he and Elizabeth only had their son, Benjamin at home with them at that time. The 1861 census shows Benjamin as an agricultural labourer still living there with Elizabeth and their son, Benjamin, who was also an agricultural labourer.

Benjamin died aged 78 and was buried on 15th November 1868. His wife, Elizabeth takes over the tenancy of the house still paying £3 per year. The 1871 census shows that Elizabeth carried on living in the house with her son, Benjamin who was now a labourer aged 35. Elizabeth was buried on 19th January 1880. The 1881 census shows just Benjamin living in the house. In 1883 Benjamin appeared at the Petty Sessional Courts charged with 'cruelly ill-treating a horse'. He was fined 2/6 and 8/6 costs. Benjamin died aged 52 and was buried on 20th October 1885.

Of Benjamin's children, Sarah emigrated to Australia aboard the 'Busorah Merchant' which sailed from Plymouth in January 1853. Sarah was accompanied by at least one other Thornbury person, Mary Ann Iles, the daughter of Daniel and Mary Iles who were living in St Mary Street opposite the English family. Sarah and Mary Ann arrived in Sydney on 19th March 1853. The Busorah Merchant was carrying 293 bounty immigrants, more than half of which were young single females. We have been told that Sarah married Benjamin Costelo in 1854. Sara's sister, Eliza, was to follow her out to Australia in 1855. She was on the 'Blenheim' which arrived in Australia on 5th July 1855. Eliza married Robert Wilson, had seven children and lived on a farm near Brisbane. After returning briefly to England in 1886 Robert and Eliza were passengers on a steamship, Keilawarra, which was in collision with another ship. Forty people lost their lives - a report says that 'Alice' Wilson was the only adult woman to survive. Waves knocked her and Robert overboard. She attempted to hold her injured husband above water, but had to let him go and he drowned. She managed to reach to a floating box.

Thomas Adams - we are puzzled by Thomas. The Mayors' Accounts Book clearly shows that Thomas Adams took over the house which was described as 'late English' paying £3 per year in rent. He was still shown as the tenant in the 1881 accounts book (although the rent had gone up to £4 per year) and he paid for the first quarter of 1882 before moving elsewhere. However the 1881 census shows the house was still occupied by Benjamin English (see above). Thomas and his wife Ann were living at Waterloo Cottage near Marlwood Grange. Thomas was an agricultural labourer aged 48 from Olveston, Ann was aged 56 from Thornbury. In the 1887 Rate Book Thomas is listed as the tenant of 6 Bath Road.

George James - George took over the tenancy of the house in 1884 and Town Trust records show that the family continued living here until about 1914. The 1891 census shows that George was a general labourer aged 47 from Oldbury. He was living in the house with his wife, Sarah aged 49 from Olveston and their children: Charles aged 24 from Oldbury, William aged 19 from Thornbury, Frederick aged 18 from Littleton, Thomas aged 13 from Oldbury, Robert aged 7 from Thornbury, a nurse child, Emily Dutton aged 2, two lodgers, William Cook aged 30 and George Woodward aged 52, both from Thornbury. Charles, William and Frederick and the two lodgers were all general labourers.

The 1901 census shows George was a labourer at the Saw Mill. George and Sarah still had three children at home: Charles was a builder's labourer aged 34, Fred another labourer at the Saw Mill aged 24, and Robert a grocer's labourer aged 16. There were two nurse children living with the family: Henry Allen aged 5 and George Allen aged 2. One lodger, James Clutterbuck, a widower aged 76 was also living in the house.

George died early in 1910 aged 66. The 1910 Rate Book shows 'Mrs James' was living in the house. The 1911 census shows Sarah aged 69 living with her son, Tom aged 30 and they had five lodgers.

We think Sarah died in 1915 aged 72. Of their sons, we think Fred died aged 26 in 1905 and that Charles died the same year aged 37, and Robert in 1911 aged 27.

Mrs Hill - the Town Trust records show that Mrs Hill took over the house in October 1915 and she was paying 2/6 per week. She seemed to leave after September 1917. We don't enough about Mrs Hill to identify her.

Mrs Cassaretto - the Town Trust records show she took over the house in December 1917 paying 2/6 per week. She left in April 1918. We know nothing more about Mrs Cassaretto.

James Weare - the Town Trust records show that James took over the house in 1918 paying 2/6 per week. The 1921 electoral register shows James Weare was living there in 1921 with his wife, Matilda. James and Matilda moved to Thornbury from Congresbury in Somerset. James had married Matilda Ann Ogborn in that area in June quarter 1894. They had a daughter, Alice Mabel born in 1899. The 1901 census shows the family living in Wrington Road, Congresbury, James was an agricultural labourer and Matilda was born in Redhill in Somerset.

We know from the electoral registers that the family had moved to the Thornbury area by 1913 when they were living in Upper Lodge, presumably on the Marlwood Estate. They were still living there in 1918. By 1920 the family had moved to St Mary Street. By then Alice Mabel had had two children, Olive born on 22nd April 1917 and Lilian Lois born in 1919 and died aged 8 months and was buried on 24th January 1920. Alice married Charles S Pawley in 1921.

James continued living in 10 St Mary Street until at least 1938. Matilda had died in 1925 aged 51. Alice Mabel Pawley was listed as living in St Mary Street in 1931 electoral register so it is possible that she was living with her father.

We know from the Town Trust records that the house required major refurbishment after it became vacant. There was consideration of demolishing the property and rebuilding it, but this idea was rejected because of the cost.

William Charles and Violet Stewart - the Town Trust records show that William Stewart took over from James Weare in this house in 1940 and the electoral registers show that Bill and Violet lived here from 1946 to at least 1961. By 1965 they had moved to 54 Streamleaze. Click here to read more about Bill and Violet

John and Mary Richards - the 1965 electoral register shows John and Mary Richards living in the house. From 1946 onwards they had been living in the Gas Works Cottage on Park Road.

According to Town Trust Account Book in 1967 the house was let to 'Lyons Maid Ltd'. On 19th December 1969, it was acquired by Thornbury Rural District Council for re-development of the Town Centre.

This page was last updated: 02/02/2012