Potted Biographies
ANTONIO Joseph (1794-1860) Licensee of The Brick Inn (now the Full Pitcher) and The George Hotel.
Born in Portugal, (although in one census he says he was born in Germany) he married Hannah Matthews in Ledbury Church on 30th Apr 1836. Sometime before 1839 he took the lease of the Brick House Inn (later known as the Biddulph Arms now the Full Pitcher) as a report in the Hereford Journal of 31st July 1839 shows when Ambrose Webb, a barge owner and Edward Fletcher, a boatman, were charged with 'entering a building within the curtilage of the dwelling house, and stealing 12 gallons of port wine of the value of £ 10 the property of Mr Joseph Antonio, innkeeper, near Ledbury.'
The census of 1841 confirms his and Hannah's occupancy. In Wed 25th November 1844 the annual dinner of the Cricket Club took place at 'The Biddulph Arms, adjoining the ground.....excellent repast served up in a style that did great credit to the worthy host, Joseph Antonio.'
By 1845 he was established in the George Hotel, South End, as this advert in the Hereford Times of 29th November shows.
In 1854 his right to vote was challenged on the grounds that he was an alien. He admitted he was born in Portugal and had never been naturalised, common sense prevailed and the objection was later withdrawn. He died on July 26th 1860 'for many years the respected landlord of the George Hotel Ledbury.'
After Joseph died Hannah took the licence for the Biddulph Arms where she is on the 1861 census age 57 (b 1804). In January 1867 the license of the Biddulph Arms was transferred from Mrs Antonio to Mr James Hill. Mrs Antonio died in 1869.
BIBBS Thomas (1798-1860).
Land Steward to the Biddulph family for 48 years, 41 years clerk to the Commissioners of the Ledbury Turnpike Trust and 36 years sub-agent for property belonging to Colonel Myddleton, ( Colonel Robert Myddleton Biddulph MP, the son of Charlotte Myddelton and Robert Biddulph of Ledbury) of Chirk Castle.
Thomas was the fourth son of Benjamin Bibbs (1757-1846) and Catherine Robinson (1760-1837) of Hall House Farm.
The entrance to Hall House Farm is on the Gloucester Road just before the road from Ledbury climbs uphill to Parkway, a modern bungalow to the left of the drive marks the entrance.
He can be found in High Street as a lodger in 1841.
Married late in life, in 1851 in Ottery St Mary Devon, to Ann Salter (1803-1877), he was 50 she was 49. He died at his residence in Southend Street on February 28th 1860.
Other Bibbs in Ledbury:
The first son of Benjamin Bibbs Snr (1757-1846), was also Benjamin (1790-1877), he married Mary Jones in Worcester and settled there as a Saddler.
He too had a son Benjamin b1821 (*see later)
Benjamin senior's second son, Henry (1792-1865) married Elizabeth Fawke (1798-1869). Henry carried on farming at Hall House and had 8 children including Harriett May in 1832 (who crops up in No 25 the Southend in 1861). Henry died in 1865 at Hall House, Elizabeth in 1869 in Ledbury.
The third son,John (1795-1873), a farmer at Noad farm ( now Ledbury Self Storage etc.) married Elizabeth Pedlingham (1790-1870) in 1815. John & Elizabeth's first daughter, Elizabeth Catherine Ann Bibbs (1820-1912) married Benjamin Bibbs (1821-1904), who was in fact her cousin (*see above)
BIDDULPH family of New House Ledbury were bankers, shareholders in the Canal and major land owners in the district. Founded in 1757 as Biddulph and Cocks the bank was acquired first by Martins in 1928, who became part of Barclays in 1969.
Principal personalities associated with the canal are: Michael Biddulph (1725-1800), his son John (1767-1845,) and Robert (1805-1872)
It was John Biddulph who took a great interest in Ledbury affairs, steering the policing of Ledbury through changing times.
DAVIS Edmund (1830-1907?) Lock Keeper for the flight of locks in New Street.
Born in Iron Acton, South Glos, 1830 he is living in New Street in 1851. He married Elizabeth Hinton in Worcester in 1853 and by 1861 they are established in the Lock House with four children and his mother and father. Must have been crowded!
By 1871 they had had five more children. The arrival of the railways put an end to his lock keeping, (presumably the house was pulled down) and in 1891 and 1901 he is a general labourer.
FAWKE Joseph Calder (1793- Oct 8th 1861), Wharfinger in Ledbury in 1861. Born in Ledbury he married Harriet Calder in 1823. An Ag lab in 1841 he improved his lot by 1851 being a flour dealer in the Homend. Notice of death in Hereford papers adds 'late of the Wharf Ledbury'.
GOODE Joseph (1816-1892) Licensee of The Bridge Inn. Originally from Newent he married Eliza Jones in Hereford in 1846. Publican in Ledbury in 1861, 1871. Described as 'Farmer and grocer, formerly publican' in 1873. Farmer in Dymock in 1881 Died in Newent District.
GREGG James (1766-1839) of Bye Street, Builder, Stone Mason, Maltster and Cider Merchant was in partnership with Robert Ballard at the Brick Works in New Street. A notice in the London Gazette, dated 31st January 1840 confirms all this:
James' house was available to rent as an advert in the Hereford Journal of Wednesday 26th February 1840 shows and makes interesting reading:
James Gregg, solicitor, was the son of James Gregg, Builder.
In 1851 James' widow and daughters Elizabeth and Mary are living in the Southend in a house the location of which I cannot properly establish. It seems to be between No 13 (the School ) and No 15 (The Unicorn). Logic suggests this would be No 14 but there is no No 14 now and I cannot (yet) see where it was in the 19C. For more see Southend 25 and 27.
HIGGINS Richard (1807-1855) Owned the lease of the Cider Warehouse at the Old Wharf in 1842. Married Amelia Whatley in Newent in 1837. Occupation 'Cider Merchant' when his children were baptised, lived in the Homend in 1841. Later moved to Tenby where he is a Commission Agent in 1851.
JONES James (1810-1870) A cider merchant and Inn Keeper. Evidently considerably overweight as this snippet from the Hereford Journal Wednesday May 1st 1861 shows:
* [Daniel Lambert 1770-1809 was famous for his unusually large size, 52 stone when he died!]
James may have been the owner of the Talbot Inn:
From the Hereford Times 31st August 1861:
East Bank (House) was a substantial house about a mile along the Ross Road on the left hand side. James, a retired Cider Merchant, is there in the 1861 census with his wife Mary (1802-1887). A handsome, and well preserved, gravestone to James and his wife exists in Ledbury Cemetery,
The JUCKES, Carpenters and Builders were particularly active in the Southend. To explain the relationships between the various members of the family I need to go back to: (All events in Ledbury)
William Juckes (1737-1813) married Ann Hartland (1744-1813).
They had:
William in September 1770.
John in May 1772.
Benjamin in December 1773.
Ann in September 1776. She died in 1875.
Barnaby in November 1779
Elizabeth in September 1782.
Henry in September 1784.
Barnaby (1779-1833) married Ann Amey (1785-1855) on August 25th 1808. They had:
Amey in March 1809.
Barnaby in May 1810. He died in 1842.
Elizabeth in May 1811.
Ellen in Jan 1813.
Ann in March 1815.
Henry in April 1816.
Mary in September 1818.
James in August 1819.
Richard Amey in February 1821.
John in July 1822.
Harriet in Jan 1824.
Penelope in Jun 1825.
Benjamin Amey in March 1827.
Francis in Aug 1828.
William Juckes (1770-1826) married Sarah Mason (1761-1826) on September 24th 1791.
They had:
Robert in July 1792.
Nathaniel in January 1794
William in February 1795.
Maria in February 1797.
Constant in April 1799.
Benjamin in 1800.*
George in August 1802.
Robert married Mary Wood in Ledbury on September 28th 1819. They had:
Nathaniel in 1820.
Charles in 1822.
George in 1825.
Thomas in 1826.
Mark in 1829.
Harriet in January 1831.
Joseph in October 1833.
Hannah in August 1835.
Robert was a builder in No 6 Southend where the children were born.
Mary died in 1843 in the Southend and Robert in 1869.
Nathaniel, a joiner in the Southend at the time, married Jane Lewis on August 10th 1854.
He died in October 1891 Jane died in February 1907, they are buried in the cemetery.
Hannah married John Bishop in October 1867.
*I have put Benjamin in italics as I can find no record of a baptism but he fits here especially as he named his son William.
Benjamin, a carpenter, is living in No 41 Southend in 1851 and 1861, his age given as 61 in 1861. He married Elizabeth Pain on May 15th 1834 in Ledbury and they had one child, William, in 1836 who died in 1841.
Benjamin died in 1863.
William Juckes (1795-1864) married Susanna Russell in 1821, she died in 1832 in the Southend. They had:
William in 1822. (he died in 1823)
Hannah in 1824. (she died in 1830)
Francis William in 1826.
Jane in 1828. She is living with Francis in 1881 and in No 41 Southend in 1891. She died in 1901
Susannah in 1830. She died in 1846.
all born in the Southend.
William followed by his son Francis were in No 40 Southend from 1839 to 1885 .
Francis (1826-1885) married Letitia Young(1828-1912) in 1854. They had:
William Henry in October 1855. He died in infancy.
Susanna Jane in July 1856. She died in infancy.
Francis William in May 1860.
Letitia Mary in September 1861.
Edith Elizabeth 1864.
Allan Russell in 1867.
William and Susanna were born in the Southend.
Letitia senior was in No 39 Southend in 1891. She died in Bristol in 1912.
LISSIMAN The Lissimans were significant members of the Ledbury trade through the C19.
Descended from John, 1751-1822, and Sarah, surname, inexplicably, also Lissiman, who married in Ledbury in Oct 24th 1781 and settled in Colwall Green where houses, barn, cider mill and eight acres are up for sale in 1822 when he died.
They had
1 Thomas 1782 March 4th
2 William 1783
3 John 1784 Feb 10th
4 Mary 1786
5 Benjamin 1790
Thomas Lissiman (1782-1830) married Elizabeth Brookes (1785?-1849) in Ledbury on June 20th 1807.
They had:
1 Elizabeth July 24th 1807 no residence given
2 Thomas 1810 unbaptised
3 Edward 1812 unbaptised
4 Mary Ann May 13th 1814 Residence Jugs Green
5 Mark March 19th 1817 Residence Jugs Green
Edward and Thomas both became bakers in Ledbury.
Thomas Lissiman (1810-1862) was a Baker and Grocer in Homend and William Lissiman (1806-1850?) was also in the Homend in the same trade, perhaps they were partners.
From Hereford Times October 15th 1842:
Giving up the bakery, Edward took on the licence of the White Lion Inn, in Bishop Street (Bye Street), from Thomas Watkins in December 1847. By now 36 he married Elizabeth Preece in 1848 and by 1851 they are established in the White Lion with a son John 3 months old. Also living with them at this time is William Lissiman, 16 ie born 1835* in Woolhope and described by the enumerator as son.
He might well be Edward's son but he isn't from this marriage and I can't find an earlier one.
*Registered Q4 1837 in Ledbury as William Liciman Moore (From Free BMD) suggesting his mother was a Moore.
Edward died in 1870 and by 1871 his widow Elizabeth had the White Lion licence, she died in 1877. John (1851-?) became a Haulier and leased part of the Bye Street Wharf when he was just 20. He married Harriett Brooks in 1872 in Hereford, went bankrupt in 1880, emigrated to Canada where a daughter was born.
Henry, b 1813, a son of the John Lissiman b 1784 and his wife Ann (Williams) is worth mentioning.
Attracting the sobriquet of “Daunter” he appears regularly in the newspapers. A report in January 1847 entitled “Cleansing and Lighting” paints the picture:
Fined at various times for 'being drunk and making a great disturbance in the streets' he was, in August 1851, accused of insulting a solicitor, Mr Chamberlain, 'thereby tending to provoke a breach of the peace'.
Daunter was accused of hooting after him whilst he was talking to Robert Biddulph and later shouting 'Robert Biddulph for ever'.
Arrested, the charge was withdrawn after he promised not to insult him in the future. However Superintendent Shead then preferred a charge for having broken one of the flagstones in the cell valued at 2s. Fined 2s and expenses, the money was soon paid for him and he was released.
He died in 1860.
A daughter of the William b 1783 and who married Sarah Bibbs in Ledbury in 1811 didn't turn out too well either:
Born in 1822, she first came to the attention of the authorities in July 1839 when she was convicted of stealing coal and sentenced to fourteen days imprisonment.
Over the next few years she was convicted of being drunk and disorderly, three months; 'wandering about as a common prostitute and behaving herself in a riotous and indecent manner'; vagrancy, one month; in August 1842 vagrancy (tenth time) one month and in January 1843 she was charged, but not convicted, of stealing 9s ½ d.
This report fortunately gives her age as 20. After this she disappears from the newspapers. (An Elizabeth Lissiman died in Ledbury in 1849).
MADDOX Richard (1803-1869) Long term Canal Company employee.
Born in Ledbury he married Priscilla Bowkett in 1826 in Much Marcle.
In 1841 he is 'Clerk to Hereford and Gloucester Canal Co.' at the Monk Meadow Wharf. By 1851 he is living at Bye Street Canal Wharf, now the business centre of the canal in Ledbury, as 'Accountant to the Herefordshire and Gloucestershire Canal Company' and Wharfinger.
Moving to Hereford in 1861 he is in Canal Road Hereford as 'Commercial Clerk to Hereford and Gloucester Canal'. With him is son, Thomas, 23 'Canal Commercial Clerk'.
In 1871, son Thomas lives at 'Canal Wharf' Hereford as 'Clerk to Canal Wharf' and, predictably, by 1881 is 'Clerk GWR Co'
MATTHEWS James b 1812 in Derbyshire. Lived in the Carriage House at Monk Meadow for a while. Married Maria (possibly Mary Ann Court) from Ledbury about 1842, is a grocer in Bye Street in 1851 and the landlord of the George Inn in 1861. He died in 1865 and in the 1871 census Maria, b 1815 is a widow and landlady of the Royal Oak Inn Southend. She died in 1891
MAYALL James (1799-1868) leased the cider Warehouse at The Old Wharf.
A Boot maker employing 7 men and living in New Street 6 houses down from the Bell Inn in 1861. A senior officer of the Freehold Land Society and a well respected businessman he appears many times in newspaper reports of important events in the town. Among his many successes he grew a 91lbs gourd 5ft 9inches in diameter according to a report in the Hereford Times of 4th November 1854.
NAPPER John (1789-1874) The Canal Company carpenter by 1848.
Born in Bosbury. Living in the Carpenter's Shop at Monk Meadow in 1851. Married Elizabeth Bruton in Stoke Lacey on July 27th 1814, they had 8 children: Anne born in 1815, Louisa in 1821, Mary in 1821, Eliza in 1823, John in 1825, William in 1828, Elizabeth in 1831 and Caroline in 1836.
Mary married Henry Thompson, carpenter of Old Wharf, in 1844. William married Rosanna Davis in 1850, his occupation given as Canal Carpenter at the Old Wharf.
The youngest, Caroline married John Vaughan Mutlow of Wall Hills described as Attorney, Land owner and Farmer in 1871.
John is still a carpenter in 1871 aged 82 and living in one of the Old Wharf houses on the Ross Road.
There is a well preserved monument to John in Ledbury Cemetery, paid for no doubt by his daughter Caroline, which reads:
PARRY Elizabeth, of the Ledbury scandal, was born in Marden, Herefordshire, in 1837 to John Parry, a thatcher, and his wife Esther.
In 1851, the second child of six, she is at home a 'Servant out of place' at the tender age of 14. She found a position and promotion as by 1861 she is a cook to a John Suter, Bank Manager of Commercial Street Hereford.
She joined the household of the Rev J Jackson by 1866. Her son, b 1869 was registered as John, in Ledbury and is with his maternal grandfather and grandmother in Marden in 1871, as John W Parry Grandson. Elizabeth is not with them.
The son John was not baptised in Ledbury or Marden but a Margaret Parry was baptised in Marden on July 17th 1871 'Illegitimate daughter of Elizabeth Parry'
In 1881 Elizabeth is with her mother Esther, (now a widow) with William Parry, 12 born Ledbury and Margaret 9 born Marden.
Return to The Iron Church
POYTHERUS Richard (1818-1902). Ledbury Wharfinger in 1871 and 1881.
Born in Worcester he married Sarah Sandford in 1846 at Callow. A Blacksmith at Withington in 1861. He retired as Wharfinger, or was made redundant by the advent of the railways, sometime after 1881, to Newtown, Lower Road, Ledbury, where he is living 'on his own means' in 1891 and died there in 1902. No children recorded.
REYNOLDS John. (1801) Described as Servant to Canal Co. Lived in one of the Old Wharf houses from at least 1851 to 1871. Born in Gloucester he was a loyal employee of the Company for many years. He married Maria ? before 1831 they had three children born in Ledbury, Hester, 1831, John, 1834 and Ann in 1836.
SKIPP George (1775-1861), the first lessee of the cider warehouse at the Old Wharf, was a man of many talents. Bankrupt in 1842 the press announcement stated he was 'of Malvern Wells and late of the Cannop Works at St Briavels, formerly of Birmingham, Cider Merchant, Vinegar Distiller, and Chemist Dealer and Chapman.' The Works at Cannop, with all Plant Machinery and Apparatus used to manufacture Pyroligneous Acid (wood vinegar) and Naptha, were sold in 1845 and included four dwelling houses. In partnership with Charles Asprey Beddoe as Cider Merchants in Ledbury, the partnership was formally dissolved on 24th February 1841 by a notice in the London Gazette.
SPENCER Timothy. (1776-1849) Born in 1776, in 1841 he lived in what is now known as the old Magistrates Court/ Police Station and owned the garden opposite, now called the Walled Garden.
A section of the 1841 Tithe map
The green line on the map was the Borough Boundary at that time and the property owners appear on different schedules inside and outside the Borough hence the strange looking numbering.
Timothy Spencer owns Plots 40, 41, 989 and 990 the main interest here. (He also owned the block including the Market Cafe and Specsavers and the area where the Cottage Hospital was together with a large orchard behind it now the 'Belle Orchard' area.)
He appears on the 1841 census aged 64 with his wife Elizabeth, born 1761, she died in 1843.
He remarried Mary Hill (1801-1868) widow of Thomas Hill of Old Rock Dymock in 1845. From the Hereford Journal 12 November 1845.
She died on 12th March 1868 aged 67.
A partner in the Ledbury banking firm of Webb, Holbrook and Spencer as this citation in the Hereford Journal of 19 February 1845 shows:
he was also on the Committee of the Canal Company
and a shareholder in the Great Western Railway.
Note that he is always referred to as living in Church House and as shown he lived in the house opposite the Walled Garden! In 1851 his widow, Mary, is living in Church Lane. The vicar, James Watts, is living in a separate house in Church Lane. Church House at that time was not the Vicarage.
Timothy Spencer died in 1849.
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WHITTENBURY Mary (Marie) (1845-1907). Mary Whittenbury born Manchester to Richard and Mary nee Holcroft in 1845.
Disappears from census returns until 1871 when she is in Old Court Bosbury as a governess/teacher in the household of Richard Hickman, farmer.
In 1881 she is living in the Southend as a 'Principal of School' with her mother Mary, now 70 and sister Amelia, 30 a teacher. Mary senior died in 1882 in New Street so it seems likely that the Whittenburys were in the throes of moving to New Street in 1881. In 1891 Mary and Amelia are in New Street as Schoolmistress and Governess respectively, newspaper reports show that they were in Linden House.
Marie Jane Whittenbury, of Linden House, died in Ledbury in April 1907 aged 62.
Amelia Frances moved to a Boarding House kept by Emily Barnes in Worcester St by 1911, she died in St Katherine's Hospital in 1923.
Linden House had been a school since at least 1856 as this report from the Hereford Times of July 12th 1856 shows.
From the Hereford Journal July 27th 1907:
Born in Portugal, (although in one census he says he was born in Germany) he married Hannah Matthews in Ledbury Church on 30th Apr 1836. Sometime before 1839 he took the lease of the Brick House Inn (later known as the Biddulph Arms now the Full Pitcher) as a report in the Hereford Journal of 31st July 1839 shows when Ambrose Webb, a barge owner and Edward Fletcher, a boatman, were charged with 'entering a building within the curtilage of the dwelling house, and stealing 12 gallons of port wine of the value of £ 10 the property of Mr Joseph Antonio, innkeeper, near Ledbury.'
The census of 1841 confirms his and Hannah's occupancy. In Wed 25th November 1844 the annual dinner of the Cricket Club took place at 'The Biddulph Arms, adjoining the ground.....excellent repast served up in a style that did great credit to the worthy host, Joseph Antonio.'
By 1845 he was established in the George Hotel, South End, as this advert in the Hereford Times of 29th November shows.
In 1854 his right to vote was challenged on the grounds that he was an alien. He admitted he was born in Portugal and had never been naturalised, common sense prevailed and the objection was later withdrawn. He died on July 26th 1860 'for many years the respected landlord of the George Hotel Ledbury.'
After Joseph died Hannah took the licence for the Biddulph Arms where she is on the 1861 census age 57 (b 1804). In January 1867 the license of the Biddulph Arms was transferred from Mrs Antonio to Mr James Hill. Mrs Antonio died in 1869.
BIBBS Thomas (1798-1860).
Land Steward to the Biddulph family for 48 years, 41 years clerk to the Commissioners of the Ledbury Turnpike Trust and 36 years sub-agent for property belonging to Colonel Myddleton, ( Colonel Robert Myddleton Biddulph MP, the son of Charlotte Myddelton and Robert Biddulph of Ledbury) of Chirk Castle.
Thomas was the fourth son of Benjamin Bibbs (1757-1846) and Catherine Robinson (1760-1837) of Hall House Farm.
The entrance to Hall House Farm is on the Gloucester Road just before the road from Ledbury climbs uphill to Parkway, a modern bungalow to the left of the drive marks the entrance.
He can be found in High Street as a lodger in 1841.
Married late in life, in 1851 in Ottery St Mary Devon, to Ann Salter (1803-1877), he was 50 she was 49. He died at his residence in Southend Street on February 28th 1860.
Other Bibbs in Ledbury:
The first son of Benjamin Bibbs Snr (1757-1846), was also Benjamin (1790-1877), he married Mary Jones in Worcester and settled there as a Saddler.
He too had a son Benjamin b1821 (*see later)
Benjamin senior's second son, Henry (1792-1865) married Elizabeth Fawke (1798-1869). Henry carried on farming at Hall House and had 8 children including Harriett May in 1832 (who crops up in No 25 the Southend in 1861). Henry died in 1865 at Hall House, Elizabeth in 1869 in Ledbury.
The third son,John (1795-1873), a farmer at Noad farm ( now Ledbury Self Storage etc.) married Elizabeth Pedlingham (1790-1870) in 1815. John & Elizabeth's first daughter, Elizabeth Catherine Ann Bibbs (1820-1912) married Benjamin Bibbs (1821-1904), who was in fact her cousin (*see above)
BIDDULPH family of New House Ledbury were bankers, shareholders in the Canal and major land owners in the district. Founded in 1757 as Biddulph and Cocks the bank was acquired first by Martins in 1928, who became part of Barclays in 1969.
Principal personalities associated with the canal are: Michael Biddulph (1725-1800), his son John (1767-1845,) and Robert (1805-1872)
It was John Biddulph who took a great interest in Ledbury affairs, steering the policing of Ledbury through changing times.
DAVIS Edmund (1830-1907?) Lock Keeper for the flight of locks in New Street.
Born in Iron Acton, South Glos, 1830 he is living in New Street in 1851. He married Elizabeth Hinton in Worcester in 1853 and by 1861 they are established in the Lock House with four children and his mother and father. Must have been crowded!
By 1871 they had had five more children. The arrival of the railways put an end to his lock keeping, (presumably the house was pulled down) and in 1891 and 1901 he is a general labourer.
FAWKE Joseph Calder (1793- Oct 8th 1861), Wharfinger in Ledbury in 1861. Born in Ledbury he married Harriet Calder in 1823. An Ag lab in 1841 he improved his lot by 1851 being a flour dealer in the Homend. Notice of death in Hereford papers adds 'late of the Wharf Ledbury'.
GOODE Joseph (1816-1892) Licensee of The Bridge Inn. Originally from Newent he married Eliza Jones in Hereford in 1846. Publican in Ledbury in 1861, 1871. Described as 'Farmer and grocer, formerly publican' in 1873. Farmer in Dymock in 1881 Died in Newent District.
GREGG James (1766-1839) of Bye Street, Builder, Stone Mason, Maltster and Cider Merchant was in partnership with Robert Ballard at the Brick Works in New Street. A notice in the London Gazette, dated 31st January 1840 confirms all this:
Notice is hereby given, that the Partnership in the trade or business of Brick and Tile Makers, carried on for some time past, at Ledbury in the County of Hereford, by Robert Ballard, together with James Gregg, senr. deceased in his life time, and, since his death, with James Gregg, junr. and Sidney Gregg, the Trustees named in the will of the said James Gregg, deceased, under the firm of Ballard and Gregg, is this day dissolved by mutual consent. The business will in future be carried on by the said Robert Ballard, by whom all debts and credits of the said late firm will be paid and received.
James' house was available to rent as an advert in the Hereford Journal of Wednesday 26th February 1840 shows and makes interesting reading:
To be Let And entered upon at any time A Dwelling House, Stable, Malthouse, Cider Warehouses, Cider Mill House, Garden and Orhardin Bye Street Ledbury, lately occupied by Mr James Gregg (deceased) and in which the business of a Builder, Stonemason, Maltster and Cider Merchant, have been extensively carried on for the last 40 years. The Malthouse, in which 1500 Bushels may be made in the season, and the warehouses which are capable of holding between 100 and 200 Hogsheads may be let separately if required. The House is convenient, and the Garden and Orchard very productive, and as the new Canal now in progress will pass within 15 yards of these premises, where the wharfs will be made, there cannot be a better situation for an Inn, or a Coal Merchant, or for any other business requiring room.Apply Mr James Gregg, Solicitor, Ledbury.
James Gregg, solicitor, was the son of James Gregg, Builder.
In 1851 James' widow and daughters Elizabeth and Mary are living in the Southend in a house the location of which I cannot properly establish. It seems to be between No 13 (the School ) and No 15 (The Unicorn). Logic suggests this would be No 14 but there is no No 14 now and I cannot (yet) see where it was in the 19C. For more see Southend 25 and 27.
HIGGINS Richard (1807-1855) Owned the lease of the Cider Warehouse at the Old Wharf in 1842. Married Amelia Whatley in Newent in 1837. Occupation 'Cider Merchant' when his children were baptised, lived in the Homend in 1841. Later moved to Tenby where he is a Commission Agent in 1851.
JONES James (1810-1870) A cider merchant and Inn Keeper. Evidently considerably overweight as this snippet from the Hereford Journal Wednesday May 1st 1861 shows:
'A ludicrous scene occurred in Ledbury on Monday morning. Mr James Jones of East Bank, residing near Ledbury, a modern Daniel Lambert*, had left his horse and spring cart opposite the Talbot Inn with some groceries inside, when the barmaid observing a man take a parcel away, informed Mr Jones, who immediately pursued him, and on overtaking him, seeing the parcel under his arm, at once collared him. A scuffle ensued, when the man got away, and Jones started after him, but having so much fat to carry found he had no chance of overtaking him, so he commenced with the hue and cry, Stop him, stop, thief. Singular enough, on coming to the Police Station, one of the police who happened to be there, held out his arms, and the thief, in great fright of the huge person who pursued him, ran into them for protection.'
* [Daniel Lambert 1770-1809 was famous for his unusually large size, 52 stone when he died!]
James may have been the owner of the Talbot Inn:
From the Hereford Times 31st August 1861:
To Innkeepers.-To be Let, and entered upon 29th September, the “TALBOT INN” in the town of Ledbury, being an old established commodious Market Inn; full licensed, good cellars, stabling for 50 horses, and every convenience; doing a good trade. Not compelled to take to any stock, as the present tenant is leaving to go to her own house. For particulars, apply to James Jones, Cider Merchant, East Bank, Ledbury.
East Bank (House) was a substantial house about a mile along the Ross Road on the left hand side. James, a retired Cider Merchant, is there in the 1861 census with his wife Mary (1802-1887). A handsome, and well preserved, gravestone to James and his wife exists in Ledbury Cemetery,
The JUCKES, Carpenters and Builders were particularly active in the Southend. To explain the relationships between the various members of the family I need to go back to: (All events in Ledbury)
William Juckes (1737-1813) married Ann Hartland (1744-1813).
They had:
William in September 1770.
John in May 1772.
Benjamin in December 1773.
Ann in September 1776. She died in 1875.
Barnaby in November 1779
Elizabeth in September 1782.
Henry in September 1784.
Barnaby (1779-1833) married Ann Amey (1785-1855) on August 25th 1808. They had:
Amey in March 1809.
Barnaby in May 1810. He died in 1842.
Elizabeth in May 1811.
Ellen in Jan 1813.
Ann in March 1815.
Henry in April 1816.
Mary in September 1818.
James in August 1819.
Richard Amey in February 1821.
John in July 1822.
Harriet in Jan 1824.
Penelope in Jun 1825.
Benjamin Amey in March 1827.
Francis in Aug 1828.
William Juckes (1770-1826) married Sarah Mason (1761-1826) on September 24th 1791.
They had:
Robert in July 1792.
Nathaniel in January 1794
William in February 1795.
Maria in February 1797.
Constant in April 1799.
Benjamin in 1800.*
George in August 1802.
Robert married Mary Wood in Ledbury on September 28th 1819. They had:
Nathaniel in 1820.
Charles in 1822.
George in 1825.
Thomas in 1826.
Mark in 1829.
Harriet in January 1831.
Joseph in October 1833.
Hannah in August 1835.
Robert was a builder in No 6 Southend where the children were born.
Mary died in 1843 in the Southend and Robert in 1869.
Nathaniel, a joiner in the Southend at the time, married Jane Lewis on August 10th 1854.
He died in October 1891 Jane died in February 1907, they are buried in the cemetery.
Hannah married John Bishop in October 1867.
*I have put Benjamin in italics as I can find no record of a baptism but he fits here especially as he named his son William.
Benjamin, a carpenter, is living in No 41 Southend in 1851 and 1861, his age given as 61 in 1861. He married Elizabeth Pain on May 15th 1834 in Ledbury and they had one child, William, in 1836 who died in 1841.
Benjamin died in 1863.
William Juckes (1795-1864) married Susanna Russell in 1821, she died in 1832 in the Southend. They had:
William in 1822. (he died in 1823)
Hannah in 1824. (she died in 1830)
Francis William in 1826.
Jane in 1828. She is living with Francis in 1881 and in No 41 Southend in 1891. She died in 1901
Susannah in 1830. She died in 1846.
all born in the Southend.
William followed by his son Francis were in No 40 Southend from 1839 to 1885 .
Francis (1826-1885) married Letitia Young(1828-1912) in 1854. They had:
William Henry in October 1855. He died in infancy.
Susanna Jane in July 1856. She died in infancy.
Francis William in May 1860.
Letitia Mary in September 1861.
Edith Elizabeth 1864.
Allan Russell in 1867.
William and Susanna were born in the Southend.
Letitia senior was in No 39 Southend in 1891. She died in Bristol in 1912.
LISSIMAN The Lissimans were significant members of the Ledbury trade through the C19.
Descended from John, 1751-1822, and Sarah, surname, inexplicably, also Lissiman, who married in Ledbury in Oct 24th 1781 and settled in Colwall Green where houses, barn, cider mill and eight acres are up for sale in 1822 when he died.
They had
1 Thomas 1782 March 4th
2 William 1783
3 John 1784 Feb 10th
4 Mary 1786
5 Benjamin 1790
Thomas Lissiman (1782-1830) married Elizabeth Brookes (1785?-1849) in Ledbury on June 20th 1807.
They had:
1 Elizabeth July 24th 1807 no residence given
2 Thomas 1810 unbaptised
3 Edward 1812 unbaptised
4 Mary Ann May 13th 1814 Residence Jugs Green
5 Mark March 19th 1817 Residence Jugs Green
Edward and Thomas both became bakers in Ledbury.
Thomas Lissiman (1810-1862) was a Baker and Grocer in Homend and William Lissiman (1806-1850?) was also in the Homend in the same trade, perhaps they were partners.
From Hereford Times October 15th 1842:
Charge of Assault. Julia Brace, keeper of a lodging house in the Homend, summoned Thomas Lissiman, baker and shopkeeper, for assaulting and beating her. The dispute arose about some article which complainant had bought at defendant's shop. The latter brought forward a whole host of witnesses to prove that both she and ughter were beaten in the most shameful manner by the defendant; only one of these witnesses, however, was heard. fined 1s and expenses, amounting to 8s more.
Giving up the bakery, Edward took on the licence of the White Lion Inn, in Bishop Street (Bye Street), from Thomas Watkins in December 1847. By now 36 he married Elizabeth Preece in 1848 and by 1851 they are established in the White Lion with a son John 3 months old. Also living with them at this time is William Lissiman, 16 ie born 1835* in Woolhope and described by the enumerator as son.
He might well be Edward's son but he isn't from this marriage and I can't find an earlier one.
*Registered Q4 1837 in Ledbury as William Liciman Moore (From Free BMD) suggesting his mother was a Moore.
Edward died in 1870 and by 1871 his widow Elizabeth had the White Lion licence, she died in 1877. John (1851-?) became a Haulier and leased part of the Bye Street Wharf when he was just 20. He married Harriett Brooks in 1872 in Hereford, went bankrupt in 1880, emigrated to Canada where a daughter was born.
Henry, b 1813, a son of the John Lissiman b 1784 and his wife Ann (Williams) is worth mentioning.
Attracting the sobriquet of “Daunter” he appears regularly in the newspapers. A report in January 1847 entitled “Cleansing and Lighting” paints the picture:
One of the most remarkable circumstances connected with lighting this town with gas, was that, on that day, “Daunter Lissiman” washed himself and put on a clean shirt! Such an event, it is believed had not occurred for many months previously. This was, indeed, in Ledbury, a day of cleansing as well as lighting.
Fined at various times for 'being drunk and making a great disturbance in the streets' he was, in August 1851, accused of insulting a solicitor, Mr Chamberlain, 'thereby tending to provoke a breach of the peace'.
Daunter was accused of hooting after him whilst he was talking to Robert Biddulph and later shouting 'Robert Biddulph for ever'.
Arrested, the charge was withdrawn after he promised not to insult him in the future. However Superintendent Shead then preferred a charge for having broken one of the flagstones in the cell valued at 2s. Fined 2s and expenses, the money was soon paid for him and he was released.
He died in 1860.
A daughter of the William b 1783 and who married Sarah Bibbs in Ledbury in 1811 didn't turn out too well either:
Born in 1822, she first came to the attention of the authorities in July 1839 when she was convicted of stealing coal and sentenced to fourteen days imprisonment.
Over the next few years she was convicted of being drunk and disorderly, three months; 'wandering about as a common prostitute and behaving herself in a riotous and indecent manner'; vagrancy, one month; in August 1842 vagrancy (tenth time) one month and in January 1843 she was charged, but not convicted, of stealing 9s ½ d.
This report fortunately gives her age as 20. After this she disappears from the newspapers. (An Elizabeth Lissiman died in Ledbury in 1849).
MADDOX Richard (1803-1869) Long term Canal Company employee.
Born in Ledbury he married Priscilla Bowkett in 1826 in Much Marcle.
In 1841 he is 'Clerk to Hereford and Gloucester Canal Co.' at the Monk Meadow Wharf. By 1851 he is living at Bye Street Canal Wharf, now the business centre of the canal in Ledbury, as 'Accountant to the Herefordshire and Gloucestershire Canal Company' and Wharfinger.
Moving to Hereford in 1861 he is in Canal Road Hereford as 'Commercial Clerk to Hereford and Gloucester Canal'. With him is son, Thomas, 23 'Canal Commercial Clerk'.
In 1871, son Thomas lives at 'Canal Wharf' Hereford as 'Clerk to Canal Wharf' and, predictably, by 1881 is 'Clerk GWR Co'
MATTHEWS James b 1812 in Derbyshire. Lived in the Carriage House at Monk Meadow for a while. Married Maria (possibly Mary Ann Court) from Ledbury about 1842, is a grocer in Bye Street in 1851 and the landlord of the George Inn in 1861. He died in 1865 and in the 1871 census Maria, b 1815 is a widow and landlady of the Royal Oak Inn Southend. She died in 1891
MAYALL James (1799-1868) leased the cider Warehouse at The Old Wharf.
A Boot maker employing 7 men and living in New Street 6 houses down from the Bell Inn in 1861. A senior officer of the Freehold Land Society and a well respected businessman he appears many times in newspaper reports of important events in the town. Among his many successes he grew a 91lbs gourd 5ft 9inches in diameter according to a report in the Hereford Times of 4th November 1854.
NAPPER John (1789-1874) The Canal Company carpenter by 1848.
Born in Bosbury. Living in the Carpenter's Shop at Monk Meadow in 1851. Married Elizabeth Bruton in Stoke Lacey on July 27th 1814, they had 8 children: Anne born in 1815, Louisa in 1821, Mary in 1821, Eliza in 1823, John in 1825, William in 1828, Elizabeth in 1831 and Caroline in 1836.
Mary married Henry Thompson, carpenter of Old Wharf, in 1844. William married Rosanna Davis in 1850, his occupation given as Canal Carpenter at the Old Wharf.
The youngest, Caroline married John Vaughan Mutlow of Wall Hills described as Attorney, Land owner and Farmer in 1871.
John is still a carpenter in 1871 aged 82 and living in one of the Old Wharf houses on the Ross Road.
There is a well preserved monument to John in Ledbury Cemetery, paid for no doubt by his daughter Caroline, which reads:
In Affectionate Remembrance of John Napper who died March 8th 1874 aged 87 years. Also of Elizabeth his wife who died March 2nd 1877 aged 86 years.
PARRY Elizabeth, of the Ledbury scandal, was born in Marden, Herefordshire, in 1837 to John Parry, a thatcher, and his wife Esther.
In 1851, the second child of six, she is at home a 'Servant out of place' at the tender age of 14. She found a position and promotion as by 1861 she is a cook to a John Suter, Bank Manager of Commercial Street Hereford.
She joined the household of the Rev J Jackson by 1866. Her son, b 1869 was registered as John, in Ledbury and is with his maternal grandfather and grandmother in Marden in 1871, as John W Parry Grandson. Elizabeth is not with them.
The son John was not baptised in Ledbury or Marden but a Margaret Parry was baptised in Marden on July 17th 1871 'Illegitimate daughter of Elizabeth Parry'
In 1881 Elizabeth is with her mother Esther, (now a widow) with William Parry, 12 born Ledbury and Margaret 9 born Marden.
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POYTHERUS Richard (1818-1902). Ledbury Wharfinger in 1871 and 1881.
Born in Worcester he married Sarah Sandford in 1846 at Callow. A Blacksmith at Withington in 1861. He retired as Wharfinger, or was made redundant by the advent of the railways, sometime after 1881, to Newtown, Lower Road, Ledbury, where he is living 'on his own means' in 1891 and died there in 1902. No children recorded.
REYNOLDS John. (1801) Described as Servant to Canal Co. Lived in one of the Old Wharf houses from at least 1851 to 1871. Born in Gloucester he was a loyal employee of the Company for many years. He married Maria ? before 1831 they had three children born in Ledbury, Hester, 1831, John, 1834 and Ann in 1836.
SKIPP George (1775-1861), the first lessee of the cider warehouse at the Old Wharf, was a man of many talents. Bankrupt in 1842 the press announcement stated he was 'of Malvern Wells and late of the Cannop Works at St Briavels, formerly of Birmingham, Cider Merchant, Vinegar Distiller, and Chemist Dealer and Chapman.' The Works at Cannop, with all Plant Machinery and Apparatus used to manufacture Pyroligneous Acid (wood vinegar) and Naptha, were sold in 1845 and included four dwelling houses. In partnership with Charles Asprey Beddoe as Cider Merchants in Ledbury, the partnership was formally dissolved on 24th February 1841 by a notice in the London Gazette.
SPENCER Timothy. (1776-1849) Born in 1776, in 1841 he lived in what is now known as the old Magistrates Court/ Police Station and owned the garden opposite, now called the Walled Garden.
The green line on the map was the Borough Boundary at that time and the property owners appear on different schedules inside and outside the Borough hence the strange looking numbering.
Timothy Spencer owns Plots 40, 41, 989 and 990 the main interest here. (He also owned the block including the Market Cafe and Specsavers and the area where the Cottage Hospital was together with a large orchard behind it now the 'Belle Orchard' area.)
He appears on the 1841 census aged 64 with his wife Elizabeth, born 1761, she died in 1843.
He remarried Mary Hill (1801-1868) widow of Thomas Hill of Old Rock Dymock in 1845. From the Hereford Journal 12 November 1845.
She died on 12th March 1868 aged 67.
A partner in the Ledbury banking firm of Webb, Holbrook and Spencer as this citation in the Hereford Journal of 19 February 1845 shows:
he was also on the Committee of the Canal Company
and a shareholder in the Great Western Railway. Note that he is always referred to as living in Church House and as shown he lived in the house opposite the Walled Garden! In 1851 his widow, Mary, is living in Church Lane. The vicar, James Watts, is living in a separate house in Church Lane. Church House at that time was not the Vicarage.
Timothy Spencer died in 1849.
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WHITTENBURY Mary (Marie) (1845-1907). Mary Whittenbury born Manchester to Richard and Mary nee Holcroft in 1845.
Disappears from census returns until 1871 when she is in Old Court Bosbury as a governess/teacher in the household of Richard Hickman, farmer.
In 1881 she is living in the Southend as a 'Principal of School' with her mother Mary, now 70 and sister Amelia, 30 a teacher. Mary senior died in 1882 in New Street so it seems likely that the Whittenburys were in the throes of moving to New Street in 1881. In 1891 Mary and Amelia are in New Street as Schoolmistress and Governess respectively, newspaper reports show that they were in Linden House.
Marie Jane Whittenbury, of Linden House, died in Ledbury in April 1907 aged 62.
Amelia Frances moved to a Boarding House kept by Emily Barnes in Worcester St by 1911, she died in St Katherine's Hospital in 1923.
Linden House had been a school since at least 1856 as this report from the Hereford Times of July 12th 1856 shows.
EDUCATION: WANTED, in an old-established School, Young Lady as GOVERNESS PUPIL. She will receive instruction English grammaticallv. history, geography, the piano, drawing, and dancing, with the calisthenics. Terms £18 per annum. Also wanted in the same establishment a HALF BOARDER. Terms £14 per annum. Address, Y. Z., Linden House, Ledbury, Herefordshire.
From the Hereford Journal July 27th 1907:
LEDBURY: MUSICAL SUCCESS.
At the London College of Music examination Miss Elsie E. Gardner, of Linden House, ( Miss Whittenbury's), was again successful, passing the advanced senior division (pianoforte) first class with honours. She is a pupil of Mr. T. F. Davis, New Street, Ledbury.