Charlwood's and Long's Alleys

by Steve Goodchild
Location of Charlwood and Long
Location of Charlwood and LongClick Image
 to Expand

In about 1744, John Wesley first came to Tewkesbury and preached, it is said, under a large elm tree in Perry Hill Field. After that, a room was hired in Long’s Alley, and according to John Rogers[1] this became two adjoining cottages, as a meeting place for Tewkesbury Wesleyans. After a few years, the chapel in Tolsey Lane, which is now the Antiques Centre was built and the Long’s Alley property reverted to cottages.

Fifty years ago, Tewkesbury needed a new police station, and a site in Barton Street was selected. Long’s Alley disappeared in the demolition, and neighbouring Charlwood’s Alley was changed forever by the loss of all its cottages and points of interest. At the same time, through some bureaucratic misunderstanding its official name became Charleswood Alley, though for the purposes this article the old nomenclature is used.

Charlwood’s Alley, sometimes called Harewood’s Alley in the past, is apparently named after Isaac Charlwood, described by John Rogers as a tailor and draper, but also as the landlord of the Quart Pot, an inn which used to be at 3 Church Street, later to be the Methodist Minister’s manse. He died in 1837, aged 59.
In the twentieth century, the ‘front house’ was occupied by Mellor’s furniture business. Charles Mellor was a Town Councillor, who died in 1935, the business being carried on by others. In 1947, the premises and two cottages were sold to Mr Hampton for £620.

25 Barton St about 1958
25 Barton St about 1958Click Image
 to Expand

A reminder of how recent Universal Suffrage is comes from a ‘Revision Court’ in 1902, when the electoral roll was minutely examined. William Henry Watts claimed a vote as occupier of a cottage in Long’s Alley, but Mr More, acting for the Conservative Party, objected, contending that Sarah Ann Smith owned the furniture and she was the real tenant. Mr Watts didn’t get his vote.

At around the same time, the Sanitary Committee were concerned about conditions in Long’s Alley and East Street, and the property owner’s reluctance to remedy the problems, which were about sanitary facilities and standards. After 1903, though, this matter drops off the agenda, so was presumably resolved.

Life in these alleys was not as tumultuous as some, with only one prosecution coming to light; in 1885, Robert Hotchkins struck Ezekiel Shepherd a violent blow and threatened to split his head open with a hatchet if he ventured into Charlwood Alley.  In 1945, Grace Evelyn Beacher, of 1, Charlwood Alley, took a large advertisement in the personal column of the Echo to say that any person ‘found scandalising her character’ would be prosecuted. There must be a story behind that!

Life went on quietly until that fateful decision to relocate the police, and the alleys had to be sacrificed. Long’s Alley has gone forever, and Charlwood’s has been turned into a simple short cut between Barton Street and East Street. The Police have moved on now, and the old station has been converted into houses and the area has entered the next phase of its evolution.

Census Data 1841-1891

1841
Charlwoods Alley
1841-c41147
William Carter; Head; ; Male; 40; Bricklayer; ;y
Martha Carter; ?wife; ; Female; 40; ; ;y
John Carter; ; ; Male; 10; ; ;y
Matilda Carter; ; ; Female; 10; ; ;y
Reuben Carter; ; ; Male; 15; ; ;y
William Carter; ; ; Male; 9; ; ;y
Ann Weaver; ; ; Female; 5; ; ;y
1841
Charlwoods Alley
1841-c41148
Joseph Crump; Head; ; Male; 45; Stocking Maker; ;y
Elizabeth Crump; ?wife; ; Female; 45; ; ;y
Abrea Crump ; ; ;? Male; 12; ; ;y
Jane Crump; ; ; Female; 15; ; ;y
Sarah Crump; ; ; Female; 9; ; ;y
1841
Charlwoods Alley
1841-c41149
Luke Panter; Head; ; Male; 60; Lab; ;y
Joseph Panter; ; ; Male; 10; Lab; ;y
1841
Charlwoods Alley
1841-c41150
Samuel Simons; Head; ; Male; 65; Stocking Maker; ;y
Happy Simons; ?wife; ; Female; 65; ; ;y
Ann Simons; ; ; Female; 5; ; ;y
Joseph Simons; ; ; Male; 25; ; ;y
1841
Charlwoods Alley
1841-c41151
George Hampton; Head; ; Male; 25; Lab; ;y
Charlotte Hampton; ?wife; ; Female; 20; ; ;y
Charles Hampton; ; ; Male; 6; ; ;y
Elizabeth Hampton; ; ; Female; 4; ; ;y
Harriet Hampton; ; ; Female; 2; ; ;y
1841
Charlwoods Alley
1841-c41152
Philip Parsons; Head; ; Male; 30; Lab; ;y
Diana Parsons; ?wife; ; Female; 25; ; ;y
Rachel Parsons; ; ; Female; 15; Laundress; ;y
1861
Charlwoods Alley
1861-c61073
Henry Wagstaff; Head; Married; Male; 26; Lab; Tewkesbury;glos
Susan Wagstaff; Wife; Married; Female; 32; ; Westminster;
Ann Harris; Mother-in-law; Widowed; Female; 73; ; Longdon;worcs
Charles Harris; Son-in-law; ; Male; 7; Scholar; Tewkesbury;glos
Mary Ann Harris; Daughter-in-law; ; Female; 10; Silk Throwster; Tewkesbury;glos
Sarah Wagstaff; Daughter; ; Female; 1; ; Tewkesbury;glos
1861
Charlwoods Alley
1861-c61074
Elizabeth Judd; Head; Widowed; Female; 49; Stocking Maker; London;
Harriet Hackett; Daughter; Unmarried; Female; 24; Gen Serv; Tewkesbury;glos
Henry Judd; Son; ; Male; 14; Stocking Factory Winder; Tewkesbury;glos
1861
Charlwoods Alley
1861-c61075
George Crump; Head; Married; Male; 40; Lab At Gas Works; Tewkesbury;glos
Dina Crump; Wife; Married; Female; 42; Laundress; Tewkesbury;glos
Luke Panting; Lodger; Widowed; Male; 91; Ag Lab; Winchcomb;glos
1861
Charlwoods Alley
1861-c61076
Mark James; Head; Married; Male; 72; Stocking Maker; Chipping Norton;oxon
Ann James; Wife; Married; Female; 69; ; Tewkesbury;glos
1861
Charlwoods Alley
1861-c61077
Joseph Panting; Head; Married; Male; 35; Masons Lab; Tewkesbury;glos
Ann Panting; Wife; Married; Female; 29; ; Forthampton;glos
Joseph W Panting; Son; ; Male; 5; Scholar; Forthampton;glos
1861
Charlwoods Alley
1861-c61078
Richard Sandilands; Head; Married; Male; 72; Basket Maker; Forthampton;glos
Kitty Sandilands; Wife; Married; Female; 60; ; Cirencester;glos
1861
Charlwoods Alley
1861-c61079
Joseph Wagstaff; Head; Married; Male; 54; Lab; Tewkesbury;glos
Ann Wagstaff; Wife; Married; Female; 45; ; Tewkesbury;glos
*elizabeth Wagstaff; Daughter; ; Female; 9; ; Tewkesbury;glos
Jane Wagstaff; Daughter; ; Female; 16; ; Tewkesbury;glos
John Wagstaff; Son; ; Male; 10; ; Tewkesbury;glos
1871
Charlwoods Alley
1871-c71057
William Ivins; Head; Married; Male; 36; Drainer; Tredington;glos
1871
Charlwoods Alley
1871-c71058
George Crump; Head; Married; Male; 50; Day Lab; Tewkesbury;glos
1871
Charlwoods Alley
1871-c71059
Mary Yarnall; Head; Widowed; Female; 80; Pauper; Tewkesbury;glos
1871
Charlwoods Alley
1871-c71060
Ann Panter; Head; Married; Female; 38; Glover; Forthampton;glos
Jesse Panter; Son; ; Male; 9; Scholar; Tewkesbury;glos
1871
Charlwoods Alley
1871-c71061
Thomas Evans; Head; Married; Male; 61; Farm Lab; Beckford;glos
Mary Ann Evans; Wife; Married; Female; 47; Lab; Tewkesbury;glos
Clara Evans; Daughter; ; Female; 10; ; Fiddington;glos
1881
Charlwoods Alley
1881-c81058
Thomas Evans; Head; Married; Male; 76; Ag Lab; Tewkesbury;glos
Ann Evans; Wife; Married; Female; 59; Ag Lab; Beckford;glos
Unice Herbert Evans; Daughter; Married; Female; 25; Charwoman; Stow On The Wold;glos
1881
Charlwoods Alley
1881-c81059
Robert Hodgkins; Head; Married; Male; 68; Journeyman Bricklayer; Tewkesbury;glos
Elizabeth Hodgkins; Wife; Married; Female; 69; ; Kemerton;glos
1881
Charlwoods Alley
1881-c81060
Henry Charles Morris; Head; Married; Male; 36; Gardener; Tewkesbury;glos
Displaying the 20 property records. There are more, but the search output is limited (paging has not been developed).
Number of records found: 21


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Comments


Tuesday 12-Apr-2022   by: Christine fletcher
Can you buy a book with the information of the alleys?

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