Sometime ago I was sent the following information about a family called Blatchley who with various friends had strong Bitton connections. I had not come across them before and therefore they do not appear in my KINGSWOOD INDEX.  I was reminded of them following my recent posting concerning the Box Tunnel. This is the letter I received from Mr Guy Hirst:

“BLATCHLEY

“The Blatchleys came to the area in the 1820s from the Longleat Estate.

William the father (1771-1854) was an Innkeeper and may have been the 'William Blatcham' who appears as landlord of the Tennis Court Inn at Deanery Road, Warmley in Pigot's Directory of Gloucestershire, 1830. He had retired back to Longleat to a rent free cottage by 1839.

Charles Blatchley, (elder son), (1796-1879), Half Pay Lieutenant RN - paid off from the navy in 1825, began a new career as a railway civil engineer possibly at first with the local Bristol & Gloucestershire Railway from Coalpit Heath. His first child was born at Mangotsfield in 1828. Charles went back to sea 1830-4 and then returned to Kingswood, where his second son was born in 1836.That year Charles found a job with Brunel on the Box Tunnel and left to live at Box. Charles’ lifetime friend and colleague William Glennie was living at Bitton in the 1830s and also moved from the Royal Navy to Brunel. Glennie's wife was the daughter of the great art publicist Henry Aston Barker* (inventor of the panorama and son in law of Captain Bligh of the Bounty) who retired from London to Bitton at this period.

John Blatchley, (younger son), (1803-1862), was a butcher. He married Ruth Fudge in 1828 and had 3 children at Kingswood Hill. Ruth died in 1834. By 1836 the family had moved to Newport, Monmouthshire. When his second wife died in 1847, John and the children struck hard times and ended up in 1851 in the Keynsham Workhouse as John seems to have had a 'settlement' at Oldland. After another spell in Newport he died back in the Keynsham Union House in 1862.

Clara, John's eldest child born 1829 at Warmley remained in the area and appears not to have gone to Newport. In 1851 she was servant to the Moravian Minister Peter Cornelius West at Siston. She married in 1858 at Bitton and left for Liverpool in the 1860s.

John's second wife was Mary Ann James (1809-1847) daughter of George James (b Mangotsfield c1779) and Hannah Ponting (b. Stapleton 1778)

George James was a pork butcher and moved to Newport in the 1830s probably from Bristol where he had lived since his marriage in 1802.

Finally Sophia Grace nee Blatchley (1794-1880) sister of John and Charles, lived from about 1821 to 1835 at Warmley, Bitton, Kingswood with her Exciseman husband William.

“Kind Regards

Guy Hirst.”

I was intrigued by the connection with Bligh of the “Bounty” and decided to check out the information provided.

WILLIAM BLATCHLEY (1771-1854)

William Blatcham is listed as the Landlord of the Tennis Court in 1830. see warmley history. It seems clear from the note concerning John Blatchley (below) that he is indeed the same as William Blatchley.

William Blatchley married Joyce Scriffen Crokett at Longbridge Deverill, Wilts, 4.12.1792.

In 1841 William Blatchley and his wife Joyce aged “69 & 67” respectively are living at Horningsham, Wiltshire. William is said to be of independent means. In 1851 they are at Cock Road, Horningsham, as follows:

William Blatchley, 80, occupation “Old Huntsman” born Bath, and Joyce, otherwise Joycey, his wife aged 71.  The death of William Blatchley was registered at Warminster, Wilts in 1854 and that of Joycey at Kensington in 1859.   

CHARLES BLATCHLEY (1796-1879)

C.B. promoted Lieutenant, RN, 2.4.1824, “Morning Post”.

Charles Blatchley & Charlotte Gale married Kingswood, Bristol 18.12.1827.

(Yet to be checked: Blatchley baptisms at Mangotsfield.)

In 1841 living at Box, Wilts:

Charles Blatchley, 41, Navy Half Pay, born Wilts

Charlotte, 38, not born in Wilts, with Frederick, 5 & Alfred, 4, plus a maidservant.

In 1851, Charlotte, aged 50, born Southleigh, Oxon., is living at Ivy Cottage, Victory Parade, Dawlish with Alfred, her son aged 13, born Box whilst

Charles, 55, born Longbridge Deverill, now a Civil Engineer and Charles, his son, 22, also a Civil Engineer are living at Chipping Campden, Glos.

I can find no trace of any of them in 1861. Charlotte, wife of Commander Blatchley, RN,  died on 31.12.1864 at Saltash (obit 6.1.65, Royal Cornwall Gazette) and in 1871, Charles, a widower, aged 75, Greenwich Pensioner, Commander retired, was living at St Germans.  

His death at Saltash, Cornwall, December 3, 1879, “Commander, RN, aged 84” is recorded in the R. Cornwall Gazette 5.12.1879.

Frederick Blatchley esq, of Port View Saltash, s.o. the late Cdr Blatchley married Mary Kate eldest d.o. Rev Edward Polwhele, Rector of Pillaton. (Morning Post 13.7.1882)

JOHN BLATCHLEY (1802-1862)

“the son of the Landlord of the Tennis Court Inn” gave evidence at the Inquest on Isaac Gorden who was murdered after leaving the pub. (see Morning Chronicle, 6.12.1824) James Caines Bush and Mark Whiting of Kingswood were later hanged for the crime.

John Blatchley makes no further appearance in newspaper articles. I have yet to check his marriage to Ruth Fudge or the baptisms of his children. 

In 1841, described “brewer” (not butcher) he is living at Charles Street, St Woolos, Newport, aged 38, with his wife Mary, 32, and children William, 4, Mary 16 months, and Emma, aged 10, who must be the child of his first marriage.

In 1851, he is not in Keynsham Workhouse but in premises belonging to William Williams, a shipping labourer, and is described as a “painter, journeyman”, born Crockerton, Wiltshire. With him is his son William aged 14, “painter’s boy”, born Newport.   However, in the Keynsham Workhouse are Mary A. Blatchley, 11 and Charles Blatchley, 5, “pauper scholars”, birthplace unknown.

In 1861 John is not in the list for Keynsham Workhouse, but William, now 26, seems to have gone to Droylsden, Manchester, where he says he was “born Gloucestershire” and is living at 9 Durham Street, with his wife Jane aged 25. In 1871, William is still living in Lancashire, now aged 35, a shopman, and says he was born “Monmouthshire”. He has a different wife, Eliza, and five children. Things are looking up for they have a servant, Eleanor Ascroft, aged 15.

It is intriguing to notice the contrast in fortune in the lives of the brothers Charles and John Blatchley.

CLARA BLATCHLEY, (ca1829-1903) the daughter of John Blatchley was a maidservant at the home of the Moravian Minister, Peter Cornelius West at Potters Wood, Kingswood in 1851.

She married Robert Stone, junior, a paper maker, and in 1861 they were living at Oldland Common with their baby son, Frederick, aged one. By 1871 they had moved to Everton, Liverpool where Robert was now working at an india-rubber factory and the family had grown to six children. In 1881 he was an outdoor officer for the Local Marine Board, and in 1891, a Restaurant Manager! A Jack of All-Trades! Robert died aged 56 in 1892 and in 1901, the widowed Clara was staying with her son William, his wife Ethel and their large family at Lambeth. She died in 1903, aged 73, back home in Liverpool.

SOPHIA GRACE, nee Blatchley (1794-1880)

sister of William & Charles Blatchley, married William Grace and in 1841 was at Husbandman’s End, Shipton on Stour, Worcs. William aged 50, (born ca 1791) not born Worcs, Sophia aged 45 (bca 1796) not born Worcs, and their ten children!

In 1851 they were at 12 Caroline Place, Marylebone:

William Grace, 63 (b.1788), retired Inland Revenue Officer, born Enford, Wilts

Sophia, 57 (1794) born Longbridge Deverill

Eliza, daughter, 15, born Cirencester, plus a visitor, nine year old William Hurford, born Brighton.

In 1861, they are still at the same address: William, now 73, “Officer Inland Revenue” though the family business seems to be taking in washing: Sophia, now 66, Louisa, 35 (b.Bitton), Caroline, 28, (b. Kingswood Hill) and Eliza, 25, (b. Cirencester) are all described “laundress”, whilst so Thomas, 25, “assists at home.” The only exception to the enterprise is Maria, 26, (b. Kingswood Hill) a governess.

Sophia Grace, 85, died in London in 1880.

WILLIAM GLENNIE

On Nov. 26 at Bitton, Lt. William Glennie RN  to Elizabeth Catherine eldest daughter of Henry Aston Barker, esquire of Willsbridge. (Marriage announcement Bristol Mercury 12.12.1833)

1841 census at Box, Wiltshire:

William Glennie 40 Lieut RN & Civil Engineer, Not born Wilts

Elizabeth Catherine, 30, Not born Wilts

& 4 children, Walter, 6, Harriet, 5, William, 3 & Catherine Sophia, 1, & 2 servants

1851 census at 23 Devonshire Terrace, St Andrew, Plymouth

William Glennie, 53, (1798) Lieut RN, Half Pay, b. Camberwell

Catherine Glennie, 45 (1806) b. St Geo. Southwark

William, 13, scholar, b. Bitton, Catherine, scholar, 11, b. Bitton, Isabella, 9, b. Sampford Arundel, Som,

Alexander W. 7 b. Sampford Arundel, Mary E. 5, b. Dawlish, Margaret G. b. Plymouth.

Marriage announcement: INGLES/GLENNIE. On 8th inst at Stoke Church, Devonport, Lieut John Ingles RN & Catherine Sophia, 2nd daughter of the late Lieut William Glennie RN of Nelson Villas, Stoke, Devonshire. (Hampshire Chronicle 20.1.1866)

HENRY ASTON BARKER 

Henry As(h)ton Barker & Harriet Maria Bligh married 1802. (Harriet Maria, daughter of William & Bligh and Elizabeth Betham was baptised at Douglas, Isle of Man 14 November 1782.

Henry Aston Barker Gazetted 2nd Lieutenant, Southward Volunteers, 26.8.1807 (announcement, Morning Post)

The following comes from Wikipedia:

Henry Aston Barker (1774 - 19 July 1856) was a Scottish landscape and panorama painter and exhibitor, the son of Robert Barker whose business he continued.^[1]

Life and works

Barker was born in Glasgow, the younger son of Robert Barker, the famous panoramic painter, whom he assisted as a boy. When only 12 years old he was set to work making outlines of the city of Edinburgh from the top of the Calton Hill Observatory, and a few years later made the drawings for the view of London from Albion Mills. These drawings he afterwards etched.^[1]

In 1788 he came with his father to London, and soon afterwards became a pupil at the Royal Academy. Barker continued to be his father's chief assistant in the panoramas till the latter's death in 1806, when, as executor, he took over the business, and for 20 years carried on the exhibitions with great success.^[1]

He frequently travelled in the course of his work, and in August 1799 left England for Turkey, to make drawings for a panorama of Constantinople. When he arrived at Palermo, he called on Sir William Hamilton, the English ambassador at the court of Naples, and was introduced by him to Lord Nelson, of whom, he wrote, "took me by the hand and said he was indebted to me for keeping up the fame of his victory in the Battle of the Nile for a year longer than it would have lasted in the public estimation" (Barker's memoranda). The panorama of Constantinople was exhibited in 1802, and the drawings were engraved and published in four plates.^[1]

In 1801, Barker went to Copenhagen to make drawings for a picture of the battle, and while there he was again received by Lord Nelson. In May 1802, during the Peace of Amiens, he went to Paris and made drawings for a panorama of the city. After this many other panoramas were exhibited, the later ones being chiefly from drawings by John Burford, who shared with Barker the property in a panorama in the Strand, purchased in 1816 from Mr. Reinagle. Barker, however, still travelled from time to time, and visited, among other places, Malta, where he made drawings of the port, exhibited in 1810 and 1812; Venice, of which a panorama was exhibited in 1819; and Elba, where he made the acquaintance of Napoleon.^[1]

After the battle of Waterloo, Barker visited the field, and went to Paris, where he obtained from the officers at headquarters all necessary information on the subject of the battle. A series of eight etchings by Mr. J. Burnett from Barker's original sketches of the field of battle were printed and published, as were also his drawings of Gibraltar. His last grand panorama was the coronation procession of George IV, exhibited in 1822. Of all the panoramas exhibited, that of the battle of Waterloo was the most successful and lucrative. By the exhibition of this picture Barker realised no less than £10,000.^[1]

About 1802 he married the eldest of the six daughters of Rear-admiral William Bligh, who commanded the Bounty at the time of the celebrated mutiny. By her Barker left two sons and two daughters. In 1826 he transferred the management of both the panoramas to John and Robert Burford, and went to live first at Cheam, in Surrey, and then in the neighbourhood of Bristol.^[1]

Barker died on 19 July 1856 at Bitton near Bristol. A list of most of the panoramas painted and exhibited by Henry and Robert Barker were published in The Art Journal (1857, p. 47).^[2][1]. His brother, Thomas Edward Barker, though not an artist, also ran the family business, but later set up a rival panorama exhibition with artist Ramsay Richard Reinagle at 168/9 The Strand, London.^[3]

Panorama of Constantinople (1813, aquatint)

The Morning Post of 1.1.1823 contains the following: “Mr Henry Aston Barker has completed his magnificent panorama of the coronation of the present king. It is one of the most happy as well as undoubtedly the most splendid of his performances and (establishes) him as the first artist of the day in this line, The picture is exhibited  in the Great Circle at Leicester Square occupying 10,000 feet of canvas and between 30 & 40 thousand figures.”

1841 census: at Golden Valley Bitton

Catherine Barker 90 (1751) b.Ireland

Henry Ashton (sic) Barker, 66 (1775) b. Scotland

Harriet Barker, 58 (1783 b. Scotland* (*presumably there was no column for the IOM)

Mary Barker, 25 (1816) b. Glos.

Catherine Barker, Henry’s mother, and the widow of Robert Barker, died at Bitton in 1842.

On July 29 at Bitton, North Prichard esquire, of Norwood Surrey to Mary, youngest daughter of Henry Aston Barker, of Bitton. (Marriage announcement, Worcester Journal. 5.8.1847)

In 1851, Henry, & Harriet were still living at Golden Valley.

Harriet Maria Barker died at Bitton in the spring of 1856 and Henry survived her by only a few months. His obituary appears in “the Standard” of 24.7.1856 ”the 19th inst at Bitton, Henry Aston Barker, in the 83rd year of his age.”

This replica of the gravestone of Samuel Long and his widow Mary was propped up just inside the door of the farmhouse on the site of Old Wood Pit during Doors Open Day.  Samuel Long was a clothier and also in the coal trade.  For ‘A “Long” Story (of Mill and Mine Owners)’ by David Hardwick see

http://www.gsia.org.uk/reprints/2002/gi200246.pdf

Samuel Long married Mary Stoner by licence at Kingswood (nr Wootton under Edge) 23.5.1812

Their son Samuel was born c1816, and was followed by Paul and Mary.

In the 1841 census Samuel and Mary were living at Tail brook (?) End, Cromhall. Samuel was 55, born Gloucestershire, of Independent Means. Mary was 45, born outside Gloucestershire (Kingswood was in Wiltshire) with their children Paul, a cloth manufacturer and Mary, both said to be 23, plus a servant, Mary Dauncey.

A third son, Rowland was aged 15, and away at school in Melbourne, Cambridgeshire.

In the June quarter of 1840 Samuel junior, a cloth manufacturer, married Eliza Bousfield at Newington in Surrey and when the census was taken in 1841 their son George was aged 3 months. The family had two servants and were living at Ellfield and Ellen Cross, near Wootton under Edge.

On 23 August 1845 the Bristol Mercury published  the elder Samuel’s obituary: “August 12, at his residence, Cromhall, Gloucestershire, aged 61, Samuel Long, Esquire for many years woollen manufacturer at Charfield Mills. The intimate friend and one of the trustees of the late Rev Rowland Hill.”

By 1851, Mary, Samuel’s widow was living at Long Street, Wootton Under Edge, with her niece Elizabeth Chapman as her companion. Paul was married to Mary Shaw Clarke (registered Wallingford Sept 1841) and Elizabeth to Stephen Parsloe Bendall (registered Dursley March 1846)

Prior to his marriage, Stephen Parsloe Bendall, a surgeon, was living at 66 Lambeth Walk in London, when he was called to give evidence on a James Brown, aged 33, who had shot himself whilst intoxicated. (See Morning Post, 9.10.1843)

In 1851 Paul Long and his family were living at Charfield Mill as follows:

Paul Long, Head Mar, 32 (1819) b. Kingswood, Wilts (Woollen trade as a partner employing 350 adults and otherwise as a partner employing 100 in the coal trade.)

Mary Shaw Long, wife, 30 (1821) b. Wallingford, Berks

Samuel C Long, 8, b Charfield

Mary P Long, 3, b. Charfield with a cook, housemaid and nurse.

Meanwhile his mother Mary, aged 57, an annuitant was living at Long Street, Wootton under Edge with her spinster niece Elizabeth Chapman aged 31 as her “companion”.  This dreaded occupation, shades of Jane Austen, was one of the few occupations available for gentle unmarried ladies. Elizabeth Bendall, nee Long, now “31” was at Bradley Street, Wootton Under Edge with her husband Stephen aged 32, a surgeon, born Sodbury, two sons, Stephen and Charles, aged 4 and 3, Stephen’s spinster sister Mary and two servants.

The death of Stephen Parsloe Bendall was registered at Dursley in the
March Quarter of 1857.

Another Stephen Parsloe Bendall, Corn and Grist Miller of Wootton-under-Edge gave notice of the dissolving of his partnership with John Bendall. See Bristol Mercury 9.2.1878.

Looking up stuff becomes addictive…….

The above is my first cousin, Larry (Clarence Henry John) Honour during his National Service days. He died this morning after a long illness.

He lived with my family in Kingswood as an unofficial evacuee during the Second World War and was always held up to me by my mother, Florence Pillinger, as an example of good behaviour. He always said this made him sound like a real goody-goody.

I remember how he showed the local boys (I was an honorary member of the gang) how to make candle lanterns from jam jars but whether this evoked the perennial shout “Get that b…… light out”, I can’t remember. He was a talented engineer and made a bicycle out of spare parts whilst he was still staying at our house. Later he made a motor bike from other bits and pieces which he rode down to Kingswood from Epsom, Surrey.

In “MPH” the Journal Magazine of the Vincent HRD Owners Club (June 2002) he recounted the story of an amazing find:

“My bike is a bit non-standard but I have modified it to suit my own taste. It is known as the Skye Comet because I found what was left of it on a rubbish tip north of Uig Bay on that island. We were on holiday in May 1977, driving around enjoying the scenery, the magnificent Cuillins almost always visible in the background. Suddenly, I saw a pair of handlebars sticking out of a rubbish dump. They turned out to be part of a BSA with the Vincent remains alongside. I wanted to pack my find into the car, but with luggage, etc., there just wasn’t room. Sadly, my wife did not go along with the suggestion that she might have a more comfortable ride if she took the train home!

“In the  autumn, being careful not to mention rubbish tips or motorcycles, I persuaded my wife and son to return to Scotland in a motorised caravan (large). They were expecting to explore the West Coat on the mainland on this holiday and looked puzzled when I insisted on catching the Skye ferry. Not for long though – nods and smiles (at least I hope they were smiles) told me that they had guessed my mission. Fortunately, the remains were still in place which some might find hard to believe.

“Now, some 20 years later, with many hours of work, not to mention the cost of bits and pieces, I find that Old Father Time has caught up with me. I really need a lighter bike, but I thought I would recount the old girl’s history before we eventually part.

“The registration is OSJ 330 – Old Skye Junk?” 

Larry was the son of Harry Honour, my mother’s brother, my favourite uncle and his wife Winnie (Stovell). He knew his wife, Kathleen, nee Bullen from the time they were six! They were childhood sweethearts and were married in 1955. In 1959 twins were born to the couple, but sadly the baby girl, Anne, died shortly after birth. Larry is survived by his wife Kathleen and their only son Patrick and his wife Christine.