Chipping Sodbury, Gloucestershire Family History Guide
Chipping Sodbury is an Ecclesiastical Parish and a market town in the county of Gloucestershire, created in 1831 from Old Sodbury Ancient Parish.
Parish church:
Parish registers begin: 1661
Nonconformists include: Baptist, Roman Catholic, and Society of Friends/Quaker.
Table of Contents
Adjacent Parishes
Parish History
Imperial Gazetteer of England & Wales 1870
Sodbury (Chipping), a small town, and a parish, a sub-district, and a district, in Gloucester. The town stands on a declivity, adjacent to the river Frome, 1¾ mile E of Yate r. station, and 10½ NE of Bristol.
It is a seat of petty-sessions, and a polling-place; is governed by a bailiff and 12 burgesses; and has a head post-office, a banking-office, two chief inns, an old town-hall with rebuilt front, a police station, an ancient church with pinnacled tower, Baptist and Quakers’ chapels, a Roman Catholic chapel, a literary society, a reading-room and library, an endowed grammar-school, a national school, town-lands, £288, a market on the first Tuesday of every month, and fairs on Holy Thursday and 24 June.
The parish comprises 120 acres. Real property, £2,805. Pop., 1,112. Houses, 249. The manor belongs to W. H. Hartley, Esq.
The living is a p. curacy in the diocese of Gloucester and Bristol. Value, £167. Patron, the Vicar of Old Sodbury.
The Sub-district contains also 5 other parishes. Acres, 14,115. Pop., 5,252. Houses, 1,091.
The district comprehends also the sub-districts of Marshfield, Hawkesbury, and Iron-Acton; and comprises 62,356 acres. Poor-rates in 1863, £8,087. Pop. in 1851, 18,256; in 1861, 18,763. Houses, 4,020. Marriages in 1863, 76; births, 656, of which 40 were illegitimate; deaths, 457, of which 200 were at ages under 5 years, and 15 at ages above 85. Marriages in the ten years 1851-60, 944; births, 5,954; deaths, 3,591.
The places of worship, in 1851, were 27 of the Church of England, with 7,913 sittings; 10 of Independents, with 2,049 s.; 5 of Baptists, with 1,105 s.; 1 of Quakers, with 120 s.; 1 of Unitarians, with 25 s.; 6 of Wesleyans, with 1,206 s.; 3 of Primitive Methodists, with 280 s.; 1 undefined, with 20 s.; and 1 of Roman Catholics, with 120 s.
The schools were 26 public day-schools, with 1,630 scholars; 32 private day-schools, with 496 s.; 31 Sunday schools, with 2,478 s.; and 1 evening school for adults, with 3 s. The workhouse is in Yate.
Source: The Imperial Gazetteer of England & Wales [Wilson, John M]. A Fullerton & Co. N.d.c. [1870-72].
Black’s Guide to Gloucestershire 1865
Chipping-Sodbury, a mile from Yate station, which is 10½ from Bristol, is situated at the foot of a hill near the river Avon. The town was incorporated by Charles II., but, at the request of the inhabitants, the grant was annulled in 1688; it is now governed by certain officers who are appointed by the lord of the manor. There are some excellent markets held here. The population is 1112, and the inhabited houses 249.
The principal occupation of the population is supplied by coal-mine’s, which employ 459 persons. A few men are engaged in iron-mining. The Church is a large building, whose only feature of elegance is its tower, which is ancient. There are several Dissenting chapels, that of the Roman Catholics being specially noticeable for its taste. The other buildings are a town-hall and a national school.
Source: Black’s Guide to Gloucestershire Black Adam and Charles, Ltd. 1865
Leonard’s Gazetteer of England and Wales 1850
Chipping-Sodbury, 114 miles S.W. London, and 25 miles S. Gloucester. Mrkt. Thurs. P. 1273
Source: Leonard’s Gazetteer of England and Wales; Second Edition; C. W. Leonard, London; 1850.
Directors of Companies
The following people were listed in the Directory of Directors 1881 as directors of companies who were either living in Chipping Sodbury or the company was based in Chipping Sodbury or both.
Hooper – Mr Robert Nathaniel Hooper, Stanshawes Court, Chipping Sodbury, Gloucestershire, is a director of the –
Sharpness New Docks and Gloucester and Birmingham Navigation Cmpy
Parish Records
FamilySearch
Bankrupts
Below is a list of people that were declared bankrupt between 1820 and 1843 extracted from The Bankrupt Directory; George Elwick; London; Simpkin, Marshall and Co.; 1843.
Weight John, Chipping, Sodbury, Gloucestershire, victualler, Oct. 9, 1840.
The London Gazette
Debtors Prison
The people listed below were sent to the debtors prison.
Alfred Arnold late of Chipping Sodbury Gloucestershire Currier out of business. In the Gaol of Gloucester – Saturday the 25th day of January 1851 – The London Gazette
Discharge of Prisoners
The people listed below were discharged as a prisoners in the debtors prison.
Before the Judge of the County Court of Gloucestershire holden at Gloucester on Thursday the the 27th day of February 1851 at Ten o’Clock in the Forenoon precisely Alfred Arnold formerly in lodgings at Castle Combe near Chippenham Wiltshire Currier then in lodgings at Jib in the parish of Littleton Drew near Chippenham aforesaid Currier and carrying on such business at Castle Combe aforesaid then in lodgings at Jib aforesaid then staying for a short time at Chipping Sodbury Gloucestershire out of business and employment then travelling through various towns to London in search of employment then in lodgings first in Portsmouth street Lincoln’s inn fields and afterwards in Paul’s alley Aldersgate street both in London aforesaid then travelling again through various towns and occasionally working as a Journeyman Currier and late staying with his father at Chipping Sodbury aforesaid Currier out of business and employment- The London Gazette 1851
Parish Registers
Marriages at Chipping Sodbury 1661-1812
Marriages at Chipping Sodbury 1661-1812 Gloucestershire Parish Registers – Marriages volume 11 – ukga.org
Transcriptions
Chipping Sodbury Marriages 1805 to 1812
Daniel Fowler, of Winterbourne, & Hannah Ball, 19 Feb. 1805
William Burt & Elizabeth Browning, 13 Mar. 1805
Thomas Isaac, of Kingswood, & Elizabeth Hulbert, 15 Apr. 1805
Stephen Turner & Kezia Dix, 1 Sept. 1805
Nathaniel Compton & Esther Miles, 13 Nov. 1805
James Lewis & Sarah Kendle, 25 Dec. 1805
John Ball, of Horton, & Joyce Slyfield, 7 Apr. 1806
Christopher Atkinson & Jane Westlake, 25 June 1806
Rev. Thomas Brooke & Isabella Frances Brooke, lic., 12 Aug. 1806
William Goodman, of Dodington, & Hannah Redwood, 9 Nov. 1806
John Lewin, of Dodington, & Elizabeth Thomas, 10 Nov. 1806
Isaac Isaac, of Badminton, & Anna Maria Vick, 13 Jan. 1807
Samuel Courtier & Elizabeth Silverthorn, lic., 13 Apr. 1807
Josiah Winbow & Ann Dyke, 20 July 1807
Rev. Henry Wintle, of Culham, Oxon, & Ann Box, of C. S., Drayton, lic., 20 Oct. 1807
Thomas Holmes, of St. Peter’s, Bristol, & Mary Watkins, 26 Oct. 1807
Richard Arnold & Mary Tily, 17 Nov. 1807
James Riley, of Clayton, Lancashire, & Sarah Tanner, lic., 2 Jan. 1808
Stephen Pinnel, b., & Charlotte Neal, s., 28 Jan. 1808
Edward Watts & Elizabeth James, 29 Feb. 1808
Daniel Neames & Catherine Paul, 25 Apr. 1808
Thomas Hulbert & Elizabeth Knapp, lic., 21 Aug. 1808
Josiah Higgs, of Westerleigh, & Elizabeth Tily, lic., 1 Nov. 1808
Thomas Jennings Jones, of St. Paul’s, Bristol, & Esther Wigg, lic., 21 Nov. 1808
Benjamin Turner & Ann Morgan, 27 Nov. 1808
Richard Jones & Betty Beames, 10 Apr. 1809
John Ball & Mary Ann Slade, 1 May 1809
Walter Lovelock & Miriam Stafford, 1 May 1809
William Comley, of Old Sodbury, & Ann Turner, 7 Sept. 1809
Thomas Gale & Susanna Wigg, 12 Nov. 1809
Moses Baker & Cicely Bowyer, 20 Dec. 1809
John Hinton & Prudence Silverthorn, 25 Dec. 1809
Edward Hall & Sarah Mansfield, lic., 14 Jan. 1810
Fitzherbert Brooke & Theresa Frances Ansty, lic., 29 Mar. 1810
Thomas Williams, b., & Sarah Neal, w., lic., 18 June 1810
George Pritchard & Mary Prater, 4 Sept. 1810
William Andrews, b., of Wickwar, & Sarah Rees, s., 10 Oct. 1810
William Chandler, of Horton, & Betty Ware, lic., 4 Mar. 1811
Nicholas Stinchcomb & Hester Pritchard, 1 Apr. 1811
Cornelius Sargent & Ann Clark, 8 Apr. 1811
James Wickham & Sarah Tyler, 16 May 1811
Richmond Rodman & Jane Short, lic., 4 July 1811
Edmund Ilix & Sarah Tanner, lic., 5 Aug. 1811
John Thompson, of Old Sodbury, & Anne Fry, 27 July 1812
William Longstaff, of Wotton-under-Edge, & Jane Harvey, lic., 7 Oct. 1812
James Thorn, of Clifton, & Mary Herbert, 26 Dec. 1812
Source: Gloucestershire Parish Register. Marriages. Edited by W. P. W. Phillimore, M.A., B.C.L., Vol. XI. Issued to the Subscribers by Phillimore & Co., 124, Chancery Lane, London. 1905
Chipping Sodbury Marriages 1800 to 1804
Samson Townsend, of Isleworth, & Ann Short, 1 Jan. 1800
Joseph Dee & Jane Gowin, 3 Feb. 1800
William Smith & Martha Hellier, 7 Apr. 1800
Charles Lake & Ann Morgan, 15 June 1800
James Watts & Elizabeth Adlam, 26 June 1800
William Hanks & Betty Alden, 28 July 1800
William Hart & Sarah Field, 6 Nov. 1800
Robert Townsend & Betty Morgan, 9 Feb. 1801
Thomas Phillips White, of C. S., & Elizabeth Chandler, of Old Sodbury, lic., 2 May 1801
Elias Shipway, of Iron Acton, & Sophia Kent, 11 May 1801
Samuel Creed & Elizabeth Adams, 20 Sept. 1801
Daniell [sic] Harvey & Anne Smith, 11 Oct. 1801
James Gardiner, of Wilton, Wilts, & Catherine Ball, lic., 4 Nov. 1801
Daniel Rice & Mary Pinnell, 18 Nov. 1801
George George & Mary Robins, 25 Dec. 1801
Arthur Rouch & Frances James, 14 Feb. 1802
William Felton & Elizabeth Watts, 30 Mar. 1802
Moses Alden & Susanna Turner, 4 May 1802
Richard Clark, of Marshfield, & Mary Pritchard, 24 May 1802
Thomas Morgan & Ann Wigg, 29 Nov. 1802
William Shipp, of Yate, & Elizabeth Wigg, 29 Nov. 1802
John Caradine & Hannah Derrett, 20 Dec. 1802
Daniel Higgs & Elizabeth Brown, 10 Apr. 1803
Nathaniel Pickford & Mary Long, 2 May 1803
Richard Bennett & Mary Redwood, 3 May 1803
Stephen Short & Sarah Iles, 30 May 1803
Robert Shaw, of St. James’, Clerkenwell, & Frances M’Mahon, lic., 18 Jan. 1804
William Arnold, of West Littleton, & Jane Tily, lic., 23 Apr. 1804
William Scutts & Mary Hicks, 21 May 1804
Humphrey Farr, of Grittleton, & Sarah Hall, lic., 27 July 1804
Charles Head & Susannah Bowen, 13 Aug. 1804
Samuel Morgan & Mary Frape, 18 Aug. 1804
Lewis Frost Mulary & Elizabeth Player, 10 Sept. 1804
Charles Bailey, of Dodington, & Patience Gay, 28 Oct. 1804
Source: Gloucestershire Parish Register. Marriages. Edited by W. P. W. Phillimore, M.A., B.C.L., Vol. XI. Issued to the Subscribers by Phillimore & Co., 124, Chancery Lane, London. 1905
Chipping Sodbury Marriages 1790 to 1799
Henry Perrett & Mary Rice, 26 Feb. 1790
George Hendy, b., & Mary Duval, s., 15 Mar. 1790
William Vizard, b., & Betty Jobson, s., 21 Mar. 1790
William Wright, of Stoke-on-Trent, w., & Mary Lake, lic., 6 June 1790
James Garaway, of Old Sodbury, w., & Ann James, s., 4 July 1790
William Clarke, b., of C. S., & Ann Short, of Old Sodbury, 28 Oct. 1790
Stephen Salliss, b., & Beata Watkins, s., 7 Mar. 1791
James Clarke & Rachel Hallier, 11 Mar. 1791
George Morgan, b., & Betty Heart, s., 3 May 1791
William Chilcot, of C. S., & Sarah Wickham, of Westerleigh, 1 Sept. 1791
Moses Amos, of Wickwar, b., & Elizabeth Ford, 22 Jan. 1792
Daniel Rice & Mary Preater, 4 Mar. 1792
Uriah White, b., & Rebecca Mills, s., 10 Apr. 1792
James Bushell, of Old Sodbury, b., & Jane Brown, s., 27 May 1792
William Dixon, b., & Ann Witts, s., 24 June 1792
John Parker, b., & Rachael Latimer, s., 9 Sept. 1792
William Holford, b., & Ann Prater, s., 5 Oct. 1792
Moses Bruton, b., & Ann Gale, s., lic., 14 Feb. 1793
Thomas Seale, of Bristol, b., & Elizabeth Clark, s. lic., 9 Mar. 1793
William Lennard, of Westerleigh, w., & Sarah Allpass, s., lic., 1 Apr. 1793
Isaac Warner & Elizabeth Matthews, 4 July 1793
John Walter, b., & Susannah Prichard, s., 3 Oct. 1793
Stephen Dando, Frampton Cotterell, b., & Grace Thatcher, s., 17 Nov. 1793
Robert Cole, Frampton Cotterell, b., & Jane Morgan, s., 17 Nov. 1793
Samuel Smith, b., & Sarah Amos, s., 31 Mar. 1794
William Griffin, b., & Christian Turner, s., 3 Apr. 1794
John Lodge, b., & Margaret Stafford, s., 1 July 1794
Newdigate Poyntz, Tormarton, & Mary Bliss, lic., 25 Sept. 1794
Ralph Dorvill Woodforde & Arabella Montagu, lic., 10 Oct. 1794
Samuel Gibson, b., & Mary Slade, s., 3 Nov. 1794
Thomas Pulling & Sarah Rodway, 26 Nov. 1794
Thomas Cross & Sarah Cowells, 11 Dec. 1794
William Robins & Mary Martin, 10 Apr. 1795
Moses Higgs & Hester Russal, 17 June 1795
Robert Lewis & Elizabeth Beateman, 25 June 1795
Nathaniel Watts & Mary Ford, 2 July 1795
John Higgs, of Horton, & Sarah Knapp, lic., 26 July 1795
John Rabbets & Mary Palmer, 6 Aug. 1795
Josiah Higgs, w., & Hannah Bennett, w., lic., 28 Mar. 1796
William Cox & Mary Warner, 10 Apr. 1796
Arthur Smith & Elizabeth Fussell, 18 May 1796
Isaac Reed & Susanna Slyfield, 3 July 1796
Thomas Head, of Old Sodbury, & Elizabeth Ansty [signs Anstie], 22 Nov. 1796
Richard Newman, of Little Drew, & Elizabeth Bowyn, lic., 10 Jan. 1797
Gorge Hayward, of Beverstone, & Charlotte Elizabeth Nicholls, lic., 12 Jan. 1797
James Weeks & Mary Parker, lic., 22 Jan. 1797
Samuel Isaac & Ann Trotman, 27 July 1797
Henry Garton, of St. Mary, Nottingham, w., & Rebecca Michell, s., lic., 29 July 1797
Edmund Hook & Mary Walter, 4 Sept. 1797
William Woodward & Mary Prichard, 5 Sept. 1797
James Massey, of Mount Sorrell, Leicester, & Susannah Cox, lic., 23 Nov. 1797
Joseph Tandy, Hawkesbury, & Margaret Ann Walker, 25 Dec. 1797
John Stockwell & Sarah Peavey, 21 Jan. 1798
Charles Beames & Hannah Gowen, 16 Apr. 1798
Edward Godwin, of Wapley and Codington, & Susannah Bellshire, lic., 10 Aug. 1798
Daniel Jenkins, of Wickwar, & Mary Morgan, 13 Sept. 1798
George Arthurs & Mary Ford, 30 Oct. 1798
Thomas Nelson & Edith Milleard, 28 Apr. 1799
James Rabbits & Maria Dike, 18 Sept. 1799
William Higgs, junr., & Nancy Stone, lic., 19 Nov. 1799
James Pritchard & Sarah Offer, 2 Dec. 1799
James Gibson & Anne Morgan, 23 Dec. 1799
Source: Gloucestershire Parish Register. Marriages. Edited by W. P. W. Phillimore, M.A., B.C.L., Vol. XI. Issued to the Subscribers by Phillimore & Co., 124, Chancery Lane, London. 1905
Directories
Sodbury (Chipping Sodbury) (inc. Little Sodbury and Old Sodbury) 1791
Otherwise called Chipping-Sodbury, (to distinguish it from two villages in the neighbourhood,) is an ancient town, and was made a corporation by Charles II but, at the request of the inhabitants, the charter was annulled by proclamation in the year 1690, from which period it has been governed by a bailiff, chosen by the lord of the manor. It is, however, still called a borough, and has a small market on Thursday, and two annual fairs, viz. Holy Thursday, and June 24.
Sodbury is distant from Gloucester thirty miles, Bristol twelve, Bath thirteen, Marshfield seven, Tetbury fourteen, Wotton ten, and from London 112.
This town is a great thoroughfare in the road from Bristol to Cirencester and Banbury, and has many large inns, which have a great trade by the carriage of lime and coal into Cotswold.
The parish is three miles in compass, with a stream on the north side, that runs into the Frome. It has a large church, which is a chapel of ease to Old Sodbury; and a free-school. Here is the greatest cheese-market in England, except Atherston, in Warwickshire.
King Stephen granted the burghers of this place the same liberties as those of Bristol, and allowed every burgher commonage for a heifer, in the place called the Rodings. The bailiffs and burghers are still empowered to distribute eighty-eight cow-pastures to as many of the inhabitants, and eight acres of meadow, for their own lives, and those of their widows; and, as they fall, to grant them again in like manner.
The principal inns are, the Swan, Bell, George, and Royal Oak.
Post in and out Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday. John Hancock, postmaster.
Waggons pass through, weekly, from Bristol to most parts of the kingdom. – The following is a list of the principal inhabitants:
Gentry
Almond – , Gent.
Codrington Mrs. Mary
Ludlow – , Gent.
Mitchell Mrs.
Trotsman Mrs.
Wallis Mrs.
Wickham James, (F.) Gent.
Winston William, (F.) Gent.
Clergy.
Bliss Rev. Philip, (F.)
Davis Rev. Mr. Master of the Grammar-school
Ferreby Rev. Mr. Baptist-preacher
Hardwick Rev. James
Nicholls Rev. Mr. (F.) Incumbent
Physic.
Hardwick George, (F.) M.D.
Ludlow and Hyett, (F.) Surgeons and Apothecaries
Mason R. Surgeon and Apothecary
Law.
Brooke Thomas, (F.) Attorney
Ludlow James, (F.) Ditto
Symonds John, Ditto
Traders, &c.
Ball John, Peruke-maker
Bennett – , Milliner
Beemes William, (F.) Smith
Chillcotts W. T. and J. Linen-drapers
Cooper Mrs. Schoolmistress
Cox Mary, Innkeeper, (Swan)
Courtier Samuel, (F.) Shoemaker
Grant Henry, Dealer
Green Francis, (F.) Sadler
Hall Samuel, Dealer
Hancock Bence, Dealer
Hancock John, Innkeeper, (Bell)
Hardwick Thomas, Baker
Harvey William, (F.) Chandler
Hickes George, (F.) Schoolmaster
Higgs Josiah, (F.) Brewer
Higgs Josiah, (F.) Maltster
Higgs William, (F.) Tanner
Higgs Daniel, (F.) Currier
Higgs William, (F.) Joiner
Hopkins Joseph, (F.) Brandy-merchant
Isles James, Yeoman
Knapp Tho. (F.) Innkeeper, (George)
Moffat Robert, Salt-refiner
Nash Isaac, (F.) Draper
Nash James, Grocer
Neale James, Brazier
Parker Arthur, (F.) Shoemaker
Phillips – , Shopkeeper
Rice William, (F.) Carpenter
Roach – , (F.) Grocer
Short George, (F.) Shoemaker
Sheate T. Salt-refiner
Tanner Arthur, (F.) Clothier
Tanner Thomas, Peruke-maker
Tiley William, (F.) Innholder
Tiley Thomas, (F.) Wheelwright
Tiley Samuel, Smith
Tovey Rich. (F.) Skinner and Glover
Tovey Samuel, Breeches-maker
Tyler Sarah, Innkeeper, (Royal Oak)
Vick John, Cooper
Wallis Joseph, (F.) Draper and Grocer
Watkins Sarah, Baker
Wickham James, (F.) Butcher
Wigg Isaac, Baker
Withers William, (F.) Hatter
Wood Jospeh, (F.) Brazier
About six miles from Sodbury is Badminton, the noble seat of his grace the Duke of Beaufort.
Little Sodbury is only a mile east from Chipping-Sodbury. A small part of this parish lies in the hill-country, on the borders of which, on the brow of the hill, is a very strong camp, of an oblong form, still remaining as perfect as when originally made.
It has a double agger, thrown up very high, except on the west side, where it overlooks the vale, and there it is single, because the hill to so steep that the camp was thought inaccessible from the quarter. It is 320 yards long, and 200 broad. The interval or ditch between the aggers, is twenty-two yards wide, and the way into it is towards the east. It is not known whether it is Danish or Roman, as no coins or any other things have been found to determine it. King Edward IV’s army occupied it a little before the battle of Tewkesbury.
Its church is small, and the inhabitants bury at Old Sodbury.
Old Sodbury is one mile north-east from Chipping Sodbury. Its church is the mother-church to Chipping Sodbury, as before mentioned.
Source: Universal British Directory 1791
Administration
- County: Gloucestershire
- Civil Registration District: Chipping Sodbury
- Probate Court: Court of the Bishop of Gloucester (Episcopal Consistory)
- Diocese: Gloucester and Bristol
- Rural Deanery: Hawkesbury
- Poor Law Union: Chipping Sodbury
- Hundred: Grumbald’s Ash
- Province: Canterbury