10 The Plain

Occupants

This page covers the history of the occupants of the house which became 10 The Plain from 1851,  the time that the single house was divided into two separate houses.  Click here to read about the earlier history of the two houses

Thomas Harney - the 1859 Rate Book and 1861 census shows Thomas was occupying the house.  The 1861 census shows Thomas was an accountant aged 40 from Bristol and his wife, Elizabeth aged 39 from Thornbury and their daughter, Elizabeth aged 5.

Thomas Harney was born in Clifton in Bristol about 1821.  He had moved to Thornbury by the time of the 1841 Census when he was lodging with Mary Wilkes, a grocer in the Back Street (a house which later became the Horseshoe pub and later still 25 St Mary Street).  He was described as an attorney.  In the 1851 Census Thomas was described as a general clerk lodging in a house on the west side of the High Street which later became known as 30 High Street. 

Thomas married Elizabeth Jones in Bristol in September quarter 1854.  They must have settled in Thornbury after their marriage as their daughter Elizabeth was born there in December quarter 1855.  A son, Charles Edward was born in June quarter 1859 but he died shortly after his birth.  The 1871 Census shows the family still living at 10 The Plain.  Thomas Harney, an accountant from Bristol aged 50 and his wife, Elizabeth aged 49 born in Thornbury and their daughter, Elizabeth aged 15 and a servant Sarah Ann Martin aged 18 from Thornbury.  They seem to be sharing the house with a lodger, his sister and friend.  As well as being an accountant as noted in the census records, Thomas was also involved in many other activities in Thornbury.  The trade directories show that in 1856 he was the deputy superintendent registrar, and by 1869 he had become the Registrar of Births and Deaths.  He later became the Superintendent Registrar of Births, Marriages and Deaths, Secretary to the Savings Bank,  and Clerk to the Guardians of Thornbury Union and the Rural Sanitary Authority.

By 1876 Thomas had moved away from The Plain.  The 1877 trade directory shows he was living at 'Wellfield' on the Kington Road.  He was there at the time of the 1881 Census by which time their daughter Elizabeth had become a daily governess aged 25.  The 1885 Rate Book shows Thomas had moved to 36 High Street and the 1891 Census shows just Thomas and Elizabeth living in this house.  Elizabeth died on 6th January 1892 aged 70. 

On 23rd October 1893 the Bristol Mercury reported that Thomas Harney was retiring from his post as clerk to the Board of Guardians of the Workhouse in Thornbury.  He was presented with a silver plated reading lamp bearing the inscription " Presented with a purse of money to Mr Thomas Harney by the officers of the Union in token of their esteem and regard; October 20th 1893."  The 1901 Census shows Thomas living at 36 High Street with a housekeeper Ellen Lambert aged 39.  Thomas died on 26th March 1907 aged 86.

Thomas Nichols - the 1876 Rate Book shows that Thomas was occupying the property.  We don't have enough information to be able to identify Thomas.  The Trade Directory of 1877 says that Thomas Payne Nicholls (sic) was a private resident of Porch House The Plain.

Charles Davis - the 1880 Rate Book shows that Charles Davis was occupying the house.  He must have just moved there as the word 'Void' was crossed out.  We don't have enough information to be able to identify Charles.

Miss Paynter - we know from the notice of sale advert when the two houses were put up for auction on 28th February 1879 that Miss Paynter was occupying Lot 1 (number 10) at the yearly rent of £24 10s.  She hadn't been living there long as there was no mention of her in the 1876 Rate Book. We know that there were two Misses Paynter who were living at the Georgian House on The Plain in the 1880 Rate Book and the 1881 census.  Click here to read more

Charles A Bevis - The 1881 census shows number 10 occupied by  Charles A Bevis, an Inland Revenue ride officer aged 26 from Eye in Suffolk and his father, George T Bevis, a Mathematical Teacher aged 54 from Ramsgate in Kent and his mother, Elizabeth F G Bevis aged 60 from Folkstone in Kent, sister Lizzie aged 25 from Eye and Ann aged 15 from Bath. 

The Bevis family had moved to Thornbury by 1876 when they lived for a short time at 6 St John Street.  There was no sign of them in the 1885 Rate Book so they must have moved away.

Edmund Cullimore - Edmund became well known in the area for the various business enterprises he started in Thornbury, particularly the sawmills and brickworks and he was also involved in the introduction of electricity to the town and the building of the cinema.  He only lived in the house for a short time.  The 1887 and 1890 Rate Books show him as living here, presumably whilst his new house was being built at Shen in Gloucester Road.  Click here to read more about Edmund

Walter Emery - the 1894 Rate Book shows that the house was occupied by Walter Emery.   We don't have enough information to be able to identify Walter.

The house was vacant in the 1899 Rate Book.

Richard Quin - the 1901 Census shows Richard living here.  He was described as aged 65, living on his own means and born in County Meath, Ireland.  He was living with his wife, Elizabeth aged 50 born in Winterbourne and their children: Oswald W, a draper's apprentice aged 19 and Daisy L a dressmaker aged 16, both of whom were born in Thornbury.

In 1879 Richard was listed as the publican of the George and Dragon in Winterbourne.  In the March quarter of 1880 Richard married Elizabeth Mary Offer in the Barton Regis area of Bristol.  The 1881 Census shows them living in Winterbourne - Richard was listed as a grocer and beer retailer aged 45 and born in Ireland.  Elizabeth was aged 32 and they had twins: Richard junior and Hugh Sutley aged 5 months (both born on 4th November 1880).  Also living with them was Christopher Offer, Elizabeth's widowed father a wheelwright aged 82 from Westerleigh, her unmarried sister, Elizabeth Offer who was aged 50 and born in Bristol and a step-daughter, Mary E. Offer aged 9 who was born in Winterbourne.

The Quins must have moved to Thornbury shortly after the census.  Richard was shown as running the Swan Hotel and Posting House when it was put up for sale in June 1882 and he purchased it at the auction for £1660.  Their third son, Oswald Wyndham, was born in Thornbury on 27th January 1882.  Their daughter, Daisy Louise was baptised in Thornbury on 17th December 1884 at which time Richard was described as a hotel keeper.    The 1885 and 1890 Rate Books show him as owner and occupier of the Swan Hotel on the High Street.  The trade directories at that time describe the Swan as a 'family and commercial hotel and posting house'.  The 1891 Census shows Richard and 'Mary E' still lived at the Swan Hotel.  They were living with their four children, Mary's sister, Elizabeth and a domestic servant, Emily Alway aged 21 from Tockington.  The 1894 Rate Book shows the Quins occupying the Swan but it is now owned by Charles Garton & Co.  He is still listed in the 1899 trade directory and 1899 Rate Book as being there.

The records of Thornbury Grammar School show that twins, Richard and Hugh, were admitted there in May 1895 and Oswald started there on 3rd January 1896.  The records of the Thornbury Parish Fire Brigade show that both Oswald and Hugh Quin enrolled in the service at the first meeting in 1899 and Oswald was one of eight men to be given uniforms bought by the Parish in February 1900.

The little photograph above shows Richard.  It was extracted from a photograph of Thornbury Gleemen taken in 1896.  The Gleemen were a singing group who sang in and around Thornbury for many years.

Richard gave up the hotel business in September 1899 after 18 years running the Swan.  There was a sale of effects belonging to the Swan on 23rd October 1899.  As the image on the right shows the sale included several horse-drawn traps and equipment which indicates that they had made their own beer on the premises.  Local people seemed sorry to see the Quins retire and a committee was formed, a collection made and Richard and his wife were presented with a piano and an address signed by 100 inhabitants as a sign of their appreciation.

The 1901 Census shows him living at 10 The Plain and he is listed as living there in trade directories in 1902 and 1904.  Although listed in the 1904 directory, we think Richard and Elizabeth moved away from Thornbury in 1903.   Richard is listed as being the landlord of the Crown Hotel in Gosditch Street in Cirencester in 1903 and 1906.  We think their daughter, Daisy Louise, may have stayed behind in Thornbury as she married Wilfred George Bridges there in 1908.

Elizabeth Mary died in Cirencester aged 59 in December quarter 1906 and Richard died there aged 76 in June quarter 1911.  It seems that Oswald took over the Crown from his father as he is listed as the landlord in 1913.  Oswald later moved to London where he married Winifred Cox in Chelsea in 1923.  Oswald's brother, Hugh married Louisa Edwards in Wolverhampton in 1914.

Wesleyan Manse - following the departure of the Quins, the house appears to be occupied for several years by church ministers, the Reverend F. S. Chesters in 1905, the Reverend C. Wood in 1909 and Reverend A. Fluterman in 1910.  The 1911 census shows that Albert Fentiman was living in the house with his family.  Albert was a Wesleyan Methodist Minister aged 69 and born in Egham in Surrey.  He was living with his wife, Charlotte Ada aged 54 from Madras in India and their children: Daisy Ethel, a lady nurse aged 29 born in India, Arthur Hayward aged 19 and Florence Ada aged 17, both private students and both born in Launceston. They had one visitor, Euphemia Catherine Bell an assistant teacher aged 25 and born in Castletown, Isle of Man.

The Reverend Albert Fentiman's daughter, Florence Ada, was admitted to the Grammar School on 16th September 1909.  The records show she had moved to Thornbury from Eley high School.  She left the 5th Form of the school on 5th October 1910 having achieved a Cambridge Senior exam qualification.  She continued her education through a correspondence course with Clarke's College.  The 1909 Prewett's Almanac also lists Miss Phipps as living in Wesley House, so presumably she was the housekeeper.

The Gayners - Lucy Gayner moved in to live at 10 The Plain following the death of her husband, Francis Gayner, in 1923.  The 1926 Rate Book shows that the house was owned by Mrs Gayner and occupied by her son, Sidney.  She was joined by her widowed daughter, Marjorie Annie and her daughter, Vivienne.  We have been told that during the War part of the building was used as a Food Control office and wagons used to stop outside each whilst the drivers went to be told how many workers were need and by which farms and then they went to the Italian Prisoner of War camp in Gloucester Road to pick up and deliver the workers to the farms.  In the 1950's when Lucy's son, Sidney Gayner retired from his draper's shop at City House, High Street, he and his wife, Dorothy took over the house.   Click here to read more about Francis and Lucy (with links to a separate page about Sidney and his family and another to a page about earlier Gayners).

The 1970 Rate Book shows the house as vacant.  In more modern times, the building has been used by Thornbury Osteopathic Practice.

This page was last updated: 17/11/2011