Stogumber

Edward CADE of Bristol, gent & Elizabeth BALYMAN, 15.9.1711

Herbert LEG of Bristol, & Sarah COLEMAN, of Bridgwater, 21.5.1724

John GAY of Clifton & Grace CAVIL, 8.5.1757

Kilton

William STOCKMAN of St Peter’s & Joan LEVERSHA, 6.4.1790

Luccombe

William VOYSEY of St Stephen’s & Maria DARCH, 14.1.1814

Nether Stowey

George WALKELY of Bristol & Ann TUTHILL of Axbridge, 15.10.1723

Thomas KING, Bristol & Sarah POOLE, 6.11.1796

Edward BURTON, Bristol & Ann CUSSENS, 16.8.1801

John BASTON, Bristol & Ann CHIDSEY, 6.12.1824

Old Cleeve

William MORRIS of St Stephen’s & Mary WINTER, 13.12.1759

John STENNER, of Temple & Ann WILLIAMS, 8.2.1778

John HYDON of St Mary Redcliffe & Joan CRIDLAND, 15.1.1779

James McTaggart of St Augustine’s & Ann HAMILTON, 12.2.1800

Charles FLEAY of St Philip & St Jacob & Elizabeth Ann HAYMAN, 29.5.1835

Porlock

Joseph KING of St John the Baptist & Sarah PHELPS, 29.12.1757

Taunton, St James

John PURSELL of St Nicholas & Elizabeth KNOWLING, 7.9.1699

David EVANS of Marshfield, Glos,  & Mary PEARSE, 2.3.1776

Daniel CHESTON of St James & Elizabeth RICE, 10.2.1778

Thomas BROCK, Christchurch & Esther TROTT, 29.6.1790

Robert PRIEST, St Augustine & Margaretta STONE, 24.9.1790

Robert WESCOMBE of Bath, St James & Lydia FERCOMBE, 30.4.1793

Aaron ALEXANDEER, St James, Bath & Ann SIBLEY, 20.10.1825

John Baron BEARDS, esq. of Bath & Marian GOLSWORTHY, 15.5.1828

William Barclay ALLOWAY of St Pau,l’s & Harriette WILLIAMS, 15.3.1834

Taunton St Mary Magdalen

John SARGEANT of Winterbourne, Glos & Elizabeth PURSEY, 24.5.1813

James STALLARD, of Clifton, Glos & Hannah CROOK of Milverton, 1.4.1815

Edward JONES, St Mary Redcliffe & Elizabeth WILLIE, 10.2.1829

Henry William BUCKNALL, St Augustine & Ann LATCH, 16.8.1831

George ROUE of St Philip & St Jacob & Grace HUICKEBRIDGWE, 2.12.1834

George Hilhouse HELLING, of Bristol, St George & Charlotte DUSANTRY, 29.3.1837

Timberscombe

Samuel ROE, St Nicholas & Margaret AVIS, 4.2.1809

Wembdon

Phineas WATTS, All Saints & Elizabeth OSBORNE, 15.2.1728

Benjamin BRISTOW of St Michael  & Ann ? 27.5.1731

John HOLDER of St Nicholas & Ann BAKER of Bridgwater, 10.8.1734

The tunnel was 3168 yards long, (1.83 miles) and the contractor was a Mr ORTON..

22.2.1840

Friday last, a poor man called Robert PRICE, a native of Bradford, employed above ground at Box Tunnel advanced too far down the mouth of the shaft, 296 feet and was dashed to pieces. (BM)

29.2.1840

An inquest was held on Daniel WAIT, killed by a falling tree. It was stated that “a short time since” his son was killed at the Box Tunnel and a daughter was burned to death. (The son was also called Daniel, the deaths of father & son were registered as Waite at Chippenham, March Qtr 1840, refs 8 207 & 8 287)

29.2.1840

A fatal accident in No. 3 shaft, Box Tunnel as men were lowering a skiff filled with bricks, the rope broke and the whole fell to the bottom, over 200 feet, killing a man called BAILEY and very much injuring another. On Wednesday there was another accident when a stone fell on a man called OSBORNE who was coming up No. 5 shaft when a stone knocked him out of the skiff and he fell to the bottom, breaking his leg and his arm in two places and injuring his head. His arm was amputated at Bath Hospital but there is not the slightest hope of his recovery.(BM)

21.3.1840

A man called Samuel SWEET, 30, was working at Middlehall, a short distance from Box Tunnel when a large oak timber fell from the line and crushed him. He died shortly after being admitted to Bath Hospital. (BM)

30.5.1840

A young man, James MARTIN, a carter, taking bricks to Box Tunnel, passed over a heap of stones, was thrown out the cart and crushed to death under the wheels. (BM)

11.7.1840

Inquest at Box on a man named PICKET whose death was caused by a fall of one of the supports at Box Tunnel. (BM)

18.7.1840

Fatal accident at No. 7 shaft, Box Tunnel where seven men were at work sinking, the sides of the pit fell in, killing one man at once and another died during the court of a day. Two ore were not expected to recover and the other three were seriously injured. (BM)

1.8.1840

On Thursday a young man named SHEPPARD, a native of Atworth, went to the engine house of No. 7 shaft, Box Tunnel (it is believed in a state of intoxication) and went to sleep. In his slumbers he rolled under a beam which came down on his head. He was crushed to pieces. (BM) (perhaps John Sheppard whose death was registered at Bath in the September Qtr of 1840)

7.11.1840

Three men in the last week have lost their lives at the Box Tunnel, in the shaft at Corsham, by material falling on them and two others have mangled limbs. (Wilts. Independent, reprinted in the Standard.)

12.13.1840

A poor fellow engaged in blasting at shaft no. 6 at Box Tunnel died when  spark from his tools ignited the powder. Two or thee others close by were unhurt. (Wilts. Independent, reprinted in the Standard.)

17.4.1841

A man named STAFFORD of sober and industrious habits was killed whilst blasting rock a stone fell on his head at no. 8 shaft, Box Tunnel. He survived only a few hours. (BM)

18.9.1841

John BURN, was blasting at Box Tunnel when a down train came out of its regular time; injured so severely that he has since died. Another man had both his hands cut off. An inquest was held on Burn and reported in the Morning Chronicle 20.9.1841 and other papers.

30.10.1841

A train was ascending the incline at Box Tunnel when two foolish fellows attempted to cross the line. One was killed on the spot, the other escaped unhurt. (Lancaster Gazette)

Obituary: Mr J.D. SHERIFF, in the service of the Great Western Railway, nearly 50 years. Superintendent at the construction of the Box Tunnel. (BM 18.2.1888)

Obituary: Mr Samuel JONES, in his 85th year, “one of the old school of Bristolians, warm tempered but quick to forget and to forgive, and generous to a fault. Assistant to the great Brunel in the construction of the Box Tunnel.” BM 14.9.1895)

Further information about “The Navigators” see “Our Iron Roads” by Frederick Smeeton Williams

The Minute Book of the Refuge for the Destitute, held in Hackney (London) Archives, ref HAD/D/S/4/4 tells of

“Harriet Guest, of Brislington, Somerset, thirty five years old. She has been in Town 16 years having been seduced from home by a gentleman with whom she has lived for 15 years who was lately transported to Botany Bay for having been concerned with some girls in the Town in stealing a watch. The petitioner was convicted at the last Sessions of pledging a table spoon, the property of * (omitted)  No.13 Street, Strand, she said she pledged to pay a debt of * (omitted) which she had borrowed of a person who lodged in the house where she was a servant. She was recommended by the Court. Admitted. 12.10.1816.”

On April 23rd 1785, a Mrs Edward Guest, living near Brislington Common answered the door to a man who said he had a letter for her husband. She opened the door and two armed men forced their way into the house and robbed her of eight and a half guineas. They made off across the fields and were never apprehended. (Full entry – see Brislington Bulletins No.5, 1775-1799)

Was this Harriet’s mother? Harriet would have been 4 years old at the time.

17th century:

Thomas DANIELL, yeoman, 5.2.1683

Israel GLESON, gent, 6.9.1684

Israel GLESON, gent, 19.9. 1689

Alice BURKETT, widow, 24.10.1691

William DOWTING, weaver, 30.12.1692

Osmond CRABB, gent, 13.4.1695

Alexander PYOTT, chirurgeon, 21.9.1696

Richard Ingelo, gent (of Busselton) 24.8.1687

Sir William CANN, 21.10.1698

18th century:

Thomas MERRYWEATHER, yeoman, 19.4.1701

Thomas LANGTON, 8.7.1701

Giles ITHELL, yeoman, 12.9.1706

Ralph HARRIS, carrier, 1.10.1706

John COOK, cordwainer, 19.6.1708

Robert LANGTON, 8.12./10.12/1708

Jeremia PEARCE, 1.12.1714

William HORT, maltster, 11.12.1725

Sarah BAILY, widow, 18.2.1735*

John COYSGARNE, merchant, 24.10.1741

Joshua WHARTON, gent, 21.4.1744 (NB. one of my special favourites.)

Joseph LITTLE, gent, 31.10.1745

Elizabeth BUSH, widow, 16.6.1757

Elias ROACH, mariner, belonging to the ship “Brislington” of Bristol, 8.3.1759

John WHITBORNE, master of merchant ship “Brislington” , bachelor, of Bristol, 11.4.1760

Elisha HELLIER, soapmaker, now gent, 19.11.1762

Israel GLESON, gent, 5.1.1763

Thomas BUSH, mercer, 15.7.1765

Mary FOOT, widow, 4.5.1773

Edward SWAINE, blacksmith. 31.12.1776

Mary WENTWORTH, wife, 14.5.1778 (NB. unusual, as women only made wills if they were widows or spinsters)

John ESTRIDGE, 25.10.1778

George WEARE, 22.1.1779

Abraham JAMES, 30.3.1782

William BUDD, mariner on board HM ship the “Cumberland” 25.6.1784

Susanna KINGTON, widow, 28.2.1793

Richard JONES, yeoman 23.3.1795

William PROSSER, yeoman, 15.1.1796

John PULLIN, gent, 1.10.1799

19th century:

Robert WILLOUGHBY, 7.7.1802

Mary Scudamore COOK, wife, 2.6.1803

Mary POWELL, wife, 16.5.1804

John MAXSE, merchant, 10.12.1806. (NB. Maxse Road, Knowle named after him)

Sarah PROSSER, widow, 5.4.1808

William WAYMOUTH, gent, 29.10.1808

William CRIGG, gent, 26.4.1809

Jane BROWN, spinster, 8.5.1810

Rt Hon. John, Lord Colvill, Baron of Culross, 19.4.1811

William PARSONS, 19.9.1811

Ann STOCKLAND, widow, 22.4.1812

Mary PRITCHARD, widow, 15.3.1813

James IRELAND, 16.1.1815

William MABERLEY, gent, 17.3.1815

Robert HANCOCK, gent, 27.11.1817

William OVERTON, gent, 16.4.1818

John PULLIN, 8.5.1819

Anne RICKETTS, widow, 8.12.1819

* Information on many of these people/families can be found in my books “Brislington Bulletins”  Nos. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7  1601-1840. If your ancestor is here or if you have Brislington connections, please contact me.

St Mary’s Taunton

Jacob Ricketts of St Mary le Port & Rachel Murliss, 16.2.1778

William Smith, wid, of St Thomas & Mary Hitchcock 28.4.1798

John Manley, St Philips, & Alice Stedly, 14.11.1799

Joseph Knight, St James & Thomasin Hurford, 17.8.1806

Kingston St Mary (Som)

burial: Mary Beale, wife of Joseph, of Bristol, 9.5.1768

St Andrew, Clevedon

William Edward Davies of St Augustine's & Harriet Melford Wright, 21.5.1831

John Board, St James & Emma Long, 27.9.1832

James Cole, Bedminster & Ann Morgan, wid, 2.11.1835

Marshfield, Glos.

Mary, wife of Philip Bush of Bristol, bur 13 May 1645 (original in Latin) l

*John Smith of Westbury-on-Trym & Jane Chiles of Henbury, 8.5.1656

*John Pearce & Margaret Robins, both of Henbury, 9.5.1656

* both marriages by a “Register” or Justice of the Peace as church services suspended in Civil War/Commonwealth period. If you have ancestors in Bitton/Siston/Pucklechurch/Westerleigh you will find many coupled from these parishes marrying at Marshfield, as presumably this was the only option. I will be entering these marriages on the “Kingswood Index” in due course. 

Nicholas son of Nicholas Meredith of Bristol buried 28 Oct 1623 (in Latin)

Henry son of Matthew Wattfield, of Bristol, bapt. 25 Dec 1623 (in Latin)

Nicholas son of Richard King of Bristol, bur 13 Aug 1637 (in Latin)

John son of John & Sarah Doubling of Bristol, bapt. Marshfield, 1692 (in Latin)

Anyone interested in this hoary old book? Apart from sepia photos of chalices etc, it does contain Bristol names engraved thereon or who donated what. Will send for postage.

The following newspaper cutting refers to a fatal accident on the Bristol and Gloucester Railway in 1841. My informant believes it may be associated with the completion of the Box Tunnel – can anyone confirm this?

The Burial Register of Wickwar (Gloucestershire) for 1841 contains the following entries referring to the above tragedy:

James BENNETTS, Wickwar, buried 29 Dec aged 29*

James JONES, Wickwar, buried 29th Dec aged 27*

Matthew STEPHENS, Wickwar, buried 29th Dec aged 26*

*"These three men were killed at the railroad by the explosion of a barrel of gunpowder December 27th.”

The next entry which may also refer to the same tragedy was for 1842:

James HOBBS, Wickwar, buried 3 Jan aged 30, “"Died from accident at the railroad."

The following entries refer to earlier accidents in 1841:

Joseph LASHBROOK (killed at the rail-road); abode Wickwar; buried 20th May; age 22. 

Robert WEST (killed at the rail-road); abode Wickwar; buried 8th November; age 24.

My grateful thanks to Philippa Crabbe and Barbara Lord for providing this information.

Carol Anne Pritchard sent a message using the contact form at http://www.bristolfamilyhistory.co.uk/contact.

Carol is trying to research the family history of Edward Strachey (1882 to 1973) who lived in Sutton Court and who left in his will a painting by Edward Lear (Thermopylae) to Sarah L Pritchard and her husband Lewis Jones Pritchard who looked after the gentleman until he died in 1973. I wonder if there is a picture of the 5th baronet. Also where was the painting sold and who owns it now?

I don’t know the answer I’m afraid, can anyone help?

I have received the following query from mary.newland@talktalk.net

“I am interested in finding out a bit more about an ancestor of my husband who died on the 12 May 1849 aged 61.  He was a Simon Vizard a shopkeeper  at Made for Ever Oldland in Bristol.   In 1841 he was living with his wife Elizabeth at Black Road, Oldland.  Simon and Elizabeth did not have any children of their own but when he died in 1849 he left a Will, leaving some money to poor members of the Wesleyan Methodist Society and £10 to the Wesleyan Missionary Society.   I believe he was also a juror at the trial of George Jacob Holyoake who was tried for blasphemy in 1842, the last such trial held in this country for that offence.  George was found guilty and sentenced to six months.

I would like to learn a bit more about Simon and Elizabeth and in particular about the type of shop he owned in Oldland and where he could have been buried and if there is a headstone.  His wife died in 1850 of Typhoid – was there an epidemic at that time in Bristol?”

I only know the following:

Colston Vizard makes a fleeting appearance in the pages of my “Kingswood Index”. As there was a coalminer of this name in Kingswood in 1841, who died in 1846, I presume he was Simon’s brother. According to an advert in the Bristol Mercury 25.10.1851, disposing of the shop, Simon was a “General Shopkeeper”.  George Jacob Holyoake was charged with blasphemy at Cheltenham, details in Bristol Mercury 11.6.1842. This follows on from the trial of Charles Southwell found guilty of the same offence, who was currently doing 12 months in Bristol Gaol. Charles’s case is in the newspaper 11.1.1842. He was the publisher of “The Oracle of Reason” which doubted the existence of the deity. 

Can anyone help Mary?

“We have had complaints of an unseemly exhibition witnessed in this locality on Sundays, owing to parties who come up the river in boats from St Philip’s, bathing, running about in a state of nudity and using bad language within 50 yards of the road.” (Bristol Mercury, 5.8.1854)

Queen Victoria would not have been amused.