Stephen's Alley

by Steve Goodchild
Map of Stephen's Alley
Map of Stephen's Alley

Stephens’ Alley is opposite the Black Bear, and the last alley along the High Street. 

Mr Stephens was a hosier, and the alley contained his business. There were six occupied cottages in 1905, but had been more. Some had been converted to other uses, and in the middle of the alley is a building which was a workshop used to maintain stocking frames, and as a store and factory. The stocking business was weighted towards the ‘master, who rented out both cottages and frames to the stocking makers, who worked on piece-work, being paid on Saturday, after their rents had been deducted.

Front view
Front viewClick Image
 to Expand

Mr Stephens was described as a ‘Respectable man’, but his fortune didn’t stay with his family. The last Stephens was Tewkesbury’s lamplighter. John, known as ‘Lampy’ seemed to have been mistreated by his employers. After thirty years’ service, the number of lamps had risen considerably. His job consisted of carrying a ladder to each lamp to light the gas at dusk, extinguishing half of them at 11pm and the rest at dawn. He asked for a rise, but he was sacked instead! When a replacement couldn’t be found, he was re-instated, with the promise of a light on a stick to make life easier. When he retired, after 58 years, in 1886, he applied for a pension, to be told that he was officially employed by the gas company, not the Council! He didn’t have an entirely unblemished record. In 1869, he had the misfortune to be the first defendant before a new recorder (judge) at the Borough quarter sessions, accused of stealing a meerschaum tobacco pipe from Henry Treasure, a deaf and dumb man, in the Brewer’s Arms. He was sentenced to a month’s hard labour.

In 1905, there were six cottages in the alley. In 1913, four were occupied. This alley didn’t go through the clearances of other alleys and though altered the buildings are still there. It’s still possible to identify the workshop and all the cottages. In 1898, the Medical Officer reported that the well water in the alley was unfit to drink, but 15 years later, the alley pump remained the only water available: Municipal wheels turned slowly. The cottages were as basic as elsewhere. In 1913, No 3 was described as “Very Old Brick & Tile Cottage in Good Order. Ground floor: Living Room & Wash House. 1st Floor: 1 Bedroom. Pump Water. WC. Shared.”

Inside Stephens’ Alley
Inside Stephens’ AlleyClick Image
 to Expand

No. 71, the front house, was in the distant past a pub, the Crown, and in 1812 possibly a fish shop. It became a residence, and in the twentieth century was converted to offices.

The opposite side of the alley was occupied by 72 High Street, Enderby House, and its garden, which extended to Oldbury Road. Mrs Jesse Preece lived here. It was she who gave the Philharmonic Hall in Barton Street to the town in memory of her brother, George Watson. In 1916, her estate was sold. A large part of the garden was later developed, and now contains a tire workshop; the only modern intrusion in the alley, discounting the ‘stucco’ rendering and wall repairs to No 72.

Stephens’ Alley has had an unremarkable history, and retains a lot of its charm.

Census Data 1841-1891

1851
Stephens Alley
1851-b51007
Esther Barnes; Head; Widowed; Female; 77; Seamstress; Ripple;worcs
Charlotte Barnes; Granddaughter; ; Female; 11; Silk Factory Girl; Ripple;worcs
Matilda Barnes; Daughter-in-law; Widowed; Female; 52; Seamstress; Gloucester;glos
Sarah Barnes; Granddaughter; Unmarried; Female; 20; Serv; Ripple;worcs
Susan Barnes; Granddaughter; ; Female; 10; Scholar; Bishopstone;hereford
1851
Stephens Alley
1851-b51008
Joseph Roberts; Head; Married; Male; 46; Bricklayers Lab; Tewkesbury;glos
Jane Roberts; Wife; Married; Female; 41; Bricklayers Lab; Tewkesbury;
Frederick Carter; Son-in-law; Unmarried; Male; 22; Stone Mason; Leckampton;glos
Jane Roberts; Daughter; ; Female; 10; Scholar; Tewkesbury;
1851
Stephens Alley
1851-b51009
Thomas Blizard; Head; Married; Male; 50; Tanners Lab; Tewkesbury;glos
Elizabeth Blizard; Wife; Married; Female; 52; ; Bredon;worcs
Elizabeth Blizard; Daughter; ; Female; 13; House Serv; Tewkesbury;glos
Thomas Blizard; Son; ; Male; 16; Sunday Scholar; Tewkesbury;glos
1851
Stephens Alley
1851-b51010
John Mann; Head; Married; Male; 28; Rail Lab; Tewkesbury;glos
Hanah Mann; Wife; Married; Female; 28; Dressmaker; Tewkesbury;glos
Amelia Mann; Daughter; ; Female; 7; Scholar; Tewkesbury;glos
Elizabeth Mann; Daughter; ; Female; 2; ; Tewkesbury;glos
1851
Stephens Alley
1851-b51011
William Baker; Head; Married; Male; 35; Ag Lab; Inkborough;worcs
Mary Baker; Wife; Married; Female; 67; ; Eckington;worcs
Thomas Allenborough; Visitor; Married; Male; 61; Frame Work Knitter; Nottingham;
1861
Stephens Alley
1861-b61007
John Wilkes; Head; Married; Male; 62; Lab; Kemmerton;glos
1861
Stephens Alley, Same As 007
1861-b61008
Sarah Reane; Lodger; Widowed; Female; 75; Stockingmaker; Tewkesbury;glos
1861
Stephens Alley
1861-b61009
Martha Barnes; Head; Widowed; Female; 66; Seamstress; Gloucester;
Susan Barnes; Daughter; Unmarried; Female; 18; Shoebinder; Bishopstone;
1861
Stephens Alley
1861-b61010
John Bassett; Head; Married; Male; 32; Gentlemans Servant; Tewkesbury;glos
Amelia Bassett; Wife; Married; Female; 30; Seamstress; Tewkesbury;glos
A E Bassett; Daughter; ; Female; 4; ; Tewkesbury;glos
1861
Stephens Alley, Same As 010
1861-b61011
William Allen; Lodger; Unmarried; Male; 22; Gardner; Twyning;glos
1861
Stephens Alley
1861-b61012
Ann Pratley; Head; Widowed; Female; 68; Laundress; Twyning;glos
1861
Stephens Alley
1861-b61013
Louisa Bedford; Head; Widowed; Female; 44; Stockingmaker; Tewkesbury;glos
Elizabeth Bedford; Daughter; ; Female; 11; Scholar; Tewkesbury;glos
S A Bedford; Daughter; ; Female; 8; Scholar; Tewkesbury;glos
1861
Stephens Alley
1861-b61014
Joseph Mann; Head; Married; Male; 44; Chairmaker; Tewkesbury;glos
Louisa Mann; Wife; Married; Female; 41; Seamstress; Tewkesbury;glos
1861
Stephens Alley, Same As 014
1861-b61015
Ann Mayo; Lodger; Unmarried; Female; 17; ; Little Fordhouse;glos
1861
Stephens Alley, Same As 014
1861-b61016
Jane Meadows; Lodger; Unmarried; Female; 24; ; Tewkesbury;glos
1871
Stephens Alley
1871-b71008
George Lawrence; Head; Married; Male; 31; Silk Throwster; Worcester;
Hanah Lawrence; Wife; Married; Female; 25; ; Earls Croome;worcs
1871
Stephens Alley
1871-b71009
Susan Barnes; Head; Unmarried; Female; 27; Machinist Shoe; Bishopstone;herefords
Emma Holder Haines; Visitor; Unmarried; Female; 27; Dressmaker; Tewkesbury;glos
1871
Stephens Alley
1871-b71010
William James; Head; Married; Male; 42; Groom & Gardner; Great Russington;glos
Mary Ann James; Wife; Married; Female; 38; ; Northleach;glos
William James; Son; ; Male; 3; Scholar; Walton Hill;glos
1871
Stephens Alley
1871-b71011
Thomas Hendery; Head; Married; Male; 36; Lab; Tewkesbury;glos
Kezia Hendery; Wife; Married; Female; 31; Char Woman; Uckington;glos
Alice Hendery; Daughter; ; Female; 3; Scholar; Tewkesbury;glos
1871
Stephens Alley
1871-b71012
Sarah Bird; Head; Widowed; Female; 55; Nurse; Tewkesbury;glos
1871
Stephens Alley, Same As 012
1871-b71013
Mary Collins; Lodger; Unmarried; Female; 23; Laundress; 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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