Chapter 3: JOHN OF TETBURY

John married Alice Cox, who was 12 years his junior, in 1807 at St Mary the Virgin, the parish church in Tetbury. The couple had three children. The couple first lived at the Knapp in Tetbury, moving to Upton Tything by 1841. John was a labourer in the fields.

Tetbury Parish Church

John's first child, Thomas, like his father became an agricultural labourer. Thomas’s wife, Elizabeth, was from Dauntsey in north Wiltshire. The couple started their married life in Westerleigh near Bristol, where Jane was born. In about 1842 the young family moved back to Thomas's home village, Tetbury. By 1851 Thomas and Elizabeth had four surviving children. They had a lodger, Robert Piginton, living with them in their home at 26 The Knapp in Tetbury village. A fifth child, John, was born in 1852. At the age of 21 Thomas's third daughter, Charlotte, gave birth to an illegitimate child, James.

In addition to Thomas, John and Alice had two more children, Jane and Elizabeth. In 1841 Elizabeth, then aged 18, was still living at home; her elder sister had possibly married by then. Elizabeth married Joseph Smith the following year. Joseph was a widower at the time of his marriage. Both he and his father were labourers.

Both John and Alice appear to have died by 1857.

2 . . . John THORNHILL b.1774 d.1848 m.Alice COX
3 . . . . .Thomas THORNHILL b.1814 d.1884 m.Elizabeth -
4 . . . . . . Jane THORNHILL b.c1841 d.>1901 m.John WILKINS
5 . . . . . . . Susan THORNHILL (illigit.) b.1859 d.1859
5 . . . . . . . Sarah A. WILKINS b.1863 d.>1881
5 . . . . . . . Frederick WILKINS b.c1863 d.>1871
5 . . . . . . . Alma E. WILKINS b.c1866 d.>1871
5 . . . . . . . Thomas WILKINS b.c1868 d.>1881
5 . . . . . . . Ellen M. WILKINS b.c1870 d.>1881
4 . . . . . . Mary THORNHILL b.c1843 d.>1866 m.Thomas BAYLISS
4 . . . . . . John Smart THORNHILL b.1843 d.1846
4 . . . . . . Charlotte THORNHILL b.1848 d.<1881 m.John WOODMAN
5 . . . . . . . James Thomas THORNHILL (illigit) b.1868 d.>1901 m.Louisa Anstruther SUTHERLAND
6 . . . . . . . . .Elsie Christinea THORNHILL b.1893 d.>1901
6 . . . . . . . . .Ellen Anstruther THORNHILL b.1894 d.>1901
4 . . . . . . Ellen THORNHILL b.1850 d.>1871 m.Thomas MUSTY
4 . . . . . . John THORNHILL b.1852 d.>1861
3 . . . . .Jane THORNHILL b.1817
3 . . . . .Elizabeth THORNHILL b.1823 d.1855 m.Joseph SMITH
4 . . . . . . Charles SMITH b.1842
4 . . . . . . Joseph SMITH b.1845