Wainlode Hill (Norton Court Estate Cottage No 33)
At the turn of the nineteenth century the Red Lion Inn, a cottage, and some land in this area, was owned by the Belcher family but in February 1805 the cottage was put up for auction; “Gloucester. To be sold by auction by Mr Phillpotts, Sen, at the White Hart Inn, in this city, on Monday, the 25th day of February inst, at the hour of six in the afternoon, subject to such conditions of sale as shall be then produced … Lot 2. All that cottage or tenement, with the orchard and garden thereunto belonging,, together with about one acre of arable land, situate at Wainload’s Hill, in the parish of Norton. The premises contained in this Lot are held during the life of William Belcher, of Twyning, in this county, aged about 51 years”.
At the time of the 1806 Inclosure Act this was Plot No 235 and owned by Edward Webb of the Norton Court Estate.
[1806]
In 1838, the cottage and garden of 38 perches was still owned by Edward Webb of the Norton Court Estate and was occupied by Giles Smith. In November 1828 Giles Smith had married Ann Oakey at St Mary de Lode, Gloucester. Ann may have been connected with the family who owned Plot Nos 222/223 at the top of the hill that was known as Okeys at this time. In 1841 the census confirms that Giles Smith, a 40 year old waterman, his wife Ann and five young children were here. In 1844 they were still here and Giles was recorded as a fisherman.
In 1851 Joseph Merriman, a 29 year old agricultural labourer and pauper, was living here with his wife Patience and four young children. Joseph was born at Norton in 1821, son of Thomas and Mary Merriman, and he married Patience Cole at Norton in 1845. Patience had been born at Blaisdon in 1820, daughter of William and Joanna Cole but at the time of their marriage she was employed as a servant in Norton. It is likely that Joseph and Patience settled here straight after marriage and in 1846 Joseph was employed as a waterman.
Joseph died in 1853 and in 1861 Norton Court Estate papers record that the cottages and gardens were in the occupation of Widow Merriman. The census of that year confirms that Eliza Merriman, a 41 year old widow was here with four children. Patience seems to have started to use the name Eliza.
Lots of Patience’s children left home in the following decade. Daughter Caroline went into service at Sink Farm, Hanley Castle, Worcestershire, son George joined the army as Private, 2nd Battalion, Scots Fusilier Guards, and son Charles married Mary Hannah Wells and they left for New Zealand settling initially at Slipper Island, a tiny piece of land off the Coromandel Peninsula. They later moved a little south and onto the mainland at Bay of Plenty and it was here, in 1913, that Mary died at Opotiki and on 2 September 1940, Charles also died about 30 miles west of Opotiki, at Taneatua, also Bay of Plenty.
Charles and Mary Merriman in New Zealand
Patience continued to use the name Eliza Merriman living here with her daughter Mary Ann. In 1881 Eliza described herself as an annuitant, and daughter Mary Ann, a parish helper. Also in residence was Ann Eliza a 3 year old granddaughter and illegitimate daughter of Mary Ann. Patience died in November 1887.
In 1901 Henry Merriman, a 25 year old farm carter, was resident here with his wife Annie and two young children. Henry Norman, a 41 year old general farm labourer was lodging here. Henry was no doubt a relation of Joseph Merriman but they don’t appear to have stayed here long.
In 1908 William James paid £5 in Ladyday rentals to the Norton Court Estate. It is recorded that the cottage was ‘late Esther Hughes’.
In 1924-26 William James and Frances Critchley were here, in 1926-39 Sidney, an agricultural labourer, Emily and son Roy Pitman.
In 1947 Archibald and Mabel Morris were here and in 1948 Gordon and Elsie Margaret Morris moved from No 33 to No 26 Tythe Cottages.
In 1948 Laura Gertrude James was here when The Citizen newspaper of 15 November 1948 reported; “Heat from a domestic fire started a small fire at a cottage at Wainlode Hill, on Saturday. The cottage is occupied by Mrs Laura James. The blaze, which involved a wooden lintel supporting a fireplace, was extinguished by members of Gloucester City Fire Brigade, with the use of a stirrup pump. Little damage was done”.
Laura Gertrude James was still here in 1949 but shortly after moved to No 13 near the Green.
In June 1952 the Norton Court Estate was sold at auction and the brick built cottage with a mainly tiled roof, was described as containing; "Living room with fireplace, oven and sham, larder and cupboard, back kitchen with sink and furnace. Two bedrooms, one with a fireplace. Garden, EC, and coal shed. Water is obtained from the Red Lion Inn by courtesy of the Licensee, Mrs Mitchell. This Lot is sold subject to the service occupation or service tenancy of Mr A C Bayliss".
Alexander Claude Bayliss and his wife Margaret who had been at No 32 since 1949, were here from before 1952 until Alexander died in 1963. Now widowed, Margaret stayed here briefly with son William Frederick but shortly after he married Doreen Margaret Tarran at Deerhurst just a few months later she went to live with her daughter in Gloucester.
In 1966 Graham J and Doreen P Wild were here. Finally, in 2002 Joan Ceinwen Mitchell of the Red Lion.
[2000]
