Phoebe Elizabeth Knapp - baptised on 28th September 1814, the daughter of William and Elizabeth.  Phoebe married Thomas Ricketts, a cooper from Oldbury.  In 1841 they were living in Castle Street a few houses up from the Chantry.  The 1851 shows they had moved to the east side of the High Street, two houses down from The Swan Hotel and in 1861 and 1871 they were still living there with Phoebe's mother as a boarder.  Also living with them in 1861 and 1871 was their niece, Hannah Hodges who was born in Cowbridge about 1850.  Thomas died aged 64 in 1876 and in the 1881 census Phoebe was carrying on with the shop and Hannah Hodges was still living with her.

The 1885 Rate Book shows that Phoebe had become the owner and occupier of 5 Castle Street, a house previously owned by her brother, Henry Knapp who had died in 1882 without issue.  The 1891 census shows she is living there with her niece, Hannah Hodges, now aged 38.  They were both still in the Castle Street house in 1901 census.  Phoebe died in March quarter 1902 aged 87.  Click here to read more about Phoebe Ricketts nee Knapp.

We can't be sure about Hannah's parent, although she could be the daughter of John Hodges and Ann Ricketts who married in Bristol in June quarter 1844.

Edwin Knapp - baptised on 28th May 1817, the son of William and Elizabeth.  Edwin married Ann Allen in 1839.  She was baptised on 2nd October 1816, the daughter of John Allen, a yeoman from Morton and his wife, Ann.  Ann was the sister of Amelia Allen, the wife of Edwin's brother, Daniel.  Note that John Allen, Ann's father, was involved in the 'Great Berkeley Poaching Affray ' of 1816.  John was hanged at Gloucester Gaol on 13th April 1816 for his involvement in the poaching affray which led to the murder of assistant gamekeeper, William Ingram.

The 1841 census shows Edwin started as a shoemaker living in the High Street, near the White Lion.  The 1851 census shows they now had six children and had moved to the east side of the High Street where Edwin was trading as a bootmaker.

A document referring to some of houses put up for auction on 27th January 1883 as part of the estate of Edwin's brother, Henry.  This refers to an indenture dated 8th October 1855 between Edwin Knapp and Mary Olive.  We haven't seen that document, but the reference implies that the house at 13 St Mary Street was acquired first by Edwin Knapp and then transferred to his brother, Henry.

The 1871 census shows they had moved away from Thornbury and were living at 74 Regent Street, St Phillips, Bristol.  Interestingly, Edwin had become an accountant.  His death was registered in the Clifton area of Bristol in September quarter 1871.  He was aged 54.

A newspaper article of 2nd March 1882 reported the marriage of Sarah Knapp the seventh daughter of the late Edwin Knapp of Thornbury to Frank Charles the third son of Robert Buckenham of Charlton in Kent.  The couple were married in Warwick.

Henry Knapp - baptised on 1st March 1820, the son of William Knapp, a blacksmith and his wife, Elizabeth.  Henry became a blacksmith like his father, his grandfather and several of his brothers.

In 1841 census Henry was a blacksmith living with his widowed mother and brother, Daniel, also a blacksmith.  Their house was on the site of where the Methodist Church now stands which the 1840 Tithe Survey shows was then owned by Daniel Pitcher who was presumably the brother of Henry's mother.

In 1851 Henry was still living with his mother who was now listed as an ironmonger.  Henry was still working as a blacksmith.  In 1853 Henry married Emma Wilkes, the daughter of Henry Wilkes, the clockmaker and his wife, Mary.  Emma inherited several properties from her mother when she died in 1849.  These included the 10 properties in Horseshoe Lane/Rock Street.

The 1861 and 1871 census shows Henry and Emma living in Colwell Street (the shop now called 8 The Plain), next door to the Boars Head (now Royal George).  They seem to be be sharing the house with John Morgan, an independent minister aged 34and his wife, Martha aged 43, both of whom were born in Frampton on Severn.  Here Henry had his smithy in the premises which later became associated with the Symes family.  The 1876 Rate Book and 1881 census show that Henry had retired and he and Emma had moved to Epworth House at 12 Castle Street.  The property on The Plain was passed by 1876 to Emma's niece, Mary Ann Ann, who became Mary Ann Wilmot following her marriage to Samuel Mullett Wilmot.

In 1863 Henry was a Trustees of the British School which opened a new school at Gillingstool.

Both Emma and Henry died in 1882.  Emma was aged 64 and Henry aged 62 when he died on 16th December 1882.  They do not seem to have had any children. The property in Horseshoe Lane/Rock Street which Emma inherited from her father was passed to her niece, Mary Ann Ann.  We know that Henry also became owner of other properties in Thornbury.  These included the house at 13 St Mary Street which he seems to have acquired before 1876 from his brother Edwin.  Henry also became owner of two other houses in Castle Street which later became known as 5 and 7 Castle Street.  Although these were put up for auction after Henry's death, the next owner of number 5 was his niece, Phoebe Elizabeth Ricketts.

This page was last updated: 18/11/2011