45 St Mary Street

The Liddiatts

About 1885 the single property was converted in to two separate houses, later known as 43 and 45 St Mary Street.  Click here to read about the occupants of the earlier single property

The Liddiatt family were living in 45 St Mary Street for over 80 years.  The first record we have of them living there was the 1885 Rate Book which shows the house occupied by William Liddiatt.  The photo on the right is copied from the Thornbury Museum photograph archive where it is noted as being William Liddiatt.

William Liddiatt - was baptised on 3rd July 1859, the son of Daniel Liddiatt, a labourer and his wife, Hannah (Diana) (nee Screen).  In 1861 William was living in the High Street with his parents and his sister, Ellen and brothers, Charles and Henry.  In 1871 census they were still living in the same house.  Click here to read more about Daniel and Hannah Liddiatt

In 1878 William married Ellen Bennett.  Ellen was baptised at Oldbury on 24th October 1858, the daughter of Matilda Bennett.  The 1881 census shows William and Ellen living with William's parents at 23 St Mary Street.  William was a coachman and he and Ellen already had two children: Phyllis born about 1878 in Oldbury and baptised Phyllis Liddiatt Bennett in Oldbury on 12th February 1878 and Mary Diana born in 1879 and baptised on 1st January 1882.  There is another baptism recorded in Oldbury which looks suspiciously as if it could be another of Ellen's children - William Henry Liddiatt was born there in March quarter 1875 and baptised on 15th September 1878 when his mother was noted to be Ellen.  There is a William Liddiatt aged six living with the family in the 1881 census.

The Rate Books show that by 1885 William had moved the family to 45 St Mary Street.  Beatrice Susanna was baptised on 1st January 1882 when William was a labourer.  When Herbert Thomas was baptised on 4th December 1887 William was a groom.  In the 1891 census William was a groom and gardener aged 31 living there with his wife, Ellen aged 32 and their children: Phyllis aged 13, Mary aged 11, Beatrice aged 9, William aged 7 and Herbert aged 3 and William's brother, Henry a general labourer aged 32.

Another daughter, Hilda was baptised on 6th November 1892 when William was still working as a groom.  In the 1901 census William was again working as a general labourer.  He was living at 45 St Mary Street with Ellen and children: Herbert aged 13, Hilda aged 8 and Mildred aged 4 and William's brother, Henry a general labourer aged 45.

The 1911 census shows William was a jobbing gardener.  He and Ellen were living in the house with three of their children: Mary Diana, a cook aged 31, Herbert Thomas, a postman aged 23 and Mildred  Nora, an apprentice to a dressmaker aged 14.  William and Ellen carried on living in the same house.  William died on 18th September 1927 aged 68 years and Ellen died on 2nd June 1946 aged 87 years.  After their deaths, Polly (Mary Diana) carried on living there until at least 1961.  The 1965 electoral register shows Polly had moved to 3 Silver Street.  She died on 2nd August 1965 aged 85 years.

Of William and Ellen's other children:

Phyllis - married Robert Mills in 1903.

Beatrice Susanna - married Henry Charles Thomas Trayhurn in 1912.  They settled to live at 61 St Mary Street.

Mildred Nora Kate - born on 6th July 1896.  Thornbury Museum is fortunate to have been given a little package of school reports and other family information relating to Mildred and her family.  When Milly left the Council School in 1910 she was graded as 'excellent' in all her subjects and given the same grade for her conduct, progress and attendance.  She was noted as being the 'Top Girl' in one of her earlier reports.  Milly married Alfred Ernest Stone on 17th April 1922.  Albert was a compositor from Pontarddulais in Glamorgan and the son of Alfred Stone, a painter.

Herbert Thomas - in 1924 Herbert married Elsie Burston.  In 1927 when their first child, Cecil Herbert, was baptised Herbert had become a postman and the family were living in Castle Street.  A second child, Beatrice Maud, was born on 26th January 1931.  The 1931 electoral register shows that they had moved to Eastland Avenue.  Herbert collapsed and died in the Gloucester Road on his way to the Post Office on 16th October 1946 aged 59. The cause of death was the effects of pneumonia.  He had been a postman for 40 years.  He saw active service during the First World War.

Hilda - married William Ray Reeves on 27th September 1927.  William was a chauffeur and the son of Edward Reeves, a mason from Berkeley.