The Plain

Number 1

The two photographs above show how this house and shop have changed.  The photo on the left was taken when James Vaughan was operating there as a druggist and he died in 1891.  It is interesting to see how the building changed between that time and the photo on the right which shows the shop some time after 1902 when John Hodges Williams took it over.  The earlier design is similar to that still to be seen on the adjoining shop at 2 The Plain, still commonly referred to by the name of Dorothy Gubbins, who ran a sweet shop there in the 1960's.  It been suggested to us that this design indicates that the buildings originated from  the 17th century and that at some time in its history it was the town house of the Maclaine  family whose country residence was Kyneton House.  It is said that they moved to The Plain in winter, presumably because of the muddy conditions of the roads.  We have found nothing to confirm or contradict these ideas.

We don't know when the house and shop were first built and or anything about its early owners until 1800.  For the 200 years or so since that date, we do know that the property has only been in the ownership of two families: the Eleys and the Williams.

The Eleys - the land tax records show that James Eley was occupying the house in 1800, although he may have been living here from the date of his marriage in 1787.  James operated as a staymaker and linen draper from his shop in the house.   He died in 1831 and the property was left to his daughter, Martha Eley.  Martha was a bookseller, stationer and fire and life insurance agent.  She shared the house with her sister, Elizabeth who was a milliner and straw hat maker.  Both Martha and Elizabeth died in 1850 and the property was left to their brother, James Eley.  The 1859 Rate Book shows James as the owner of the two properties which later became 1 & 2 the Plain.  James (Junior) had become a saddler and settled in Berkeley with his large family.  He continued to rent out the property of The Plain and on his death in 1861, his wife, Ann Eley, continued to live off the income from the rents until about 1876. Click here to read more more about the Eley family

John Williams - the 1876, 1880 and 1885 Rate Books all show the property was owned by John Williams.  John was a tailor living at Gloucester House in Gloucester Road.  By 1890 the property appears to have passed to John's son, John Hodges Williams.  Click here to read more about John

John Hodges Williams - the 1887 and 1890 Rate Books show the house was owned by John Hodges Williams and occupied by James Vaughan.  John continued to own the property and to rent it out to tenants.  In 1902 the tenant, James Spencer Palmer, moved to another of John's properties, a larger newly built premises further up the High Street called Coronation House (later to be known as 13 High Street).  John took the opportunity to open another shop at 1 The Plain.  This one he called 'Bon Marche' and it became an outfitters.  He was to remain here for the next 30 years.  Click here to read more about John

Henry William Williams - Henry was the second son of John Hodges Williams and it was Henry who inherited 1 The Plain and the rest of the William's estate in Thornbury.  Henry started as a grocer in the Golden Key but by 1936 he had moved to London.  After his death in 1960 the property was managed by his trustees.  Click here to read more

Click here to read about the OCCUPANTS of 1 The Plain

This page was last updated: 17/11/2011