THE CULLIMORES

notes by Liz & John Partington

THE EARLY CULLIMORES

From at least the fourteenth century there have been Cullimores living in Thornbury, Gloucestershire – a “John Colimor of Morton Hamelett in Thornbury Hundred” paid 12½d tax in 1327.  In the late sixteenth or early seventeenth century one of them married a Margaret (surname unknown), with whom he had a son, John.  In turn this John married a Miss Hobbes and had children – Joseph, born in 1647, Hannah, Elizabeth, John and Sarah.  It seems that John’s first wife predeceased him, whereupon he married a Sarah.  John died in about 1663 and Sarah the following year.

THE CHILDREN OF JOHN  (bef. 1630 - 1663)

John’s son Joseph was born in 1647.  He married Mary, probably Mary Collins, with whom he had eight children:  William born in about 1680, Joseph in 1681, John in 1682, Elizabeth and Ashfield, James baptized in 1686, Joan in 1687 and Sarah in 1693.  By 1707 Joseph was residing at Tortworth, and his wife had recently died, when he wrote his will on 20 May of that year.  He died soon afterwards, being buried at Tortworth, and the will was proved on 12 May 1708:  its provisions included “fourscore pounds” each to James, Elizabeth, Ashfield and Joane;  “a shilling apiece” to Joseph and John, “I having already provided for them”;  all the rest of his “goods, chattles and ready money” etc to William (the sole executor and residuary legatee).

John had four other children known to be alive in 1660:  Hannah, Elizabeth, John and Sarah.

THE CHILDREN OF JOSEPH  (1647 - 1708)

Joseph’s first child, William, was born in about 1682.  In 1707 he inherited the bulk of his father’s estate, and eight years later he married Sarah Gazard “of Charfield”.  We know of eight children, some born to Sarah, and some perhaps to subsequent wife Hester:  Joseph born in about 1710, Hannah in about 1712, Sarah in 1713, Elizabeth in 1715, James in 1718, William in 1720, Joanna in 1721 and Ann in 1725 (details below).  William died in 1732, a “yeoman of Tortworth”, and was buried there on 2 December.  His will had been made on 5 June 1731, with a codicil dated 9 November 1732;  it was proved on 16 October 1733.  In it we learn of seven of the children, and of considerable land and property at Tortworth.  Sarah was buried there on 13 December 1759, “aged seventy-eight”.

Joseph’s second child, Joseph, was born in about 1681, probably at Thornbury.  He married Mary (probably née Halliday), with whom he had seven children, all baptized in Charfield:  Joan in 1703, Hannah in 1706, Joseph in 1707, Elizabeth in 1708, Mary in 1710, Peter in 1711 and James in 1714 (details below).  Joseph’s father “provided for him” in his lifetime, and therefore he received a nominal one shilling in his will.  He was dead by 1744 when Mary died a widow, being buried in the Halliday grave at Charfield.

Joseph’s third child, John, was born in about 1682.  In 1708 he inherited 1/- from his father Joseph as the latter “had already provided” for him.  He married his cousin Sarah Collins at Thornbury on 14 June 1715.  Nine years later Sarah inherited £120 from her father William Collins “for the use of the said Sarah Cullimore and her heirs, and for the want of such issue to my grandson John Collins and his heirs at the discretion of my executors ...”.  It seems however that the couple did have at least one child, a son also called John, since after John senior’s death on 8 August 1737 he was buried at Thornbury under the name “John Cullimore (the Elder)”.  Sarah “of Falfield” was buried at Thornbury on 9 July 1758 “aged seventy-three”.

Joseph’s fifth child, Ashfield, was also born sometime before 1686.  Like her elder sister Elizabeth, in 1708 she inherited “fourscore pounds” from her father:  and also like her sister she married three years later –  John Bennett of Charfield at Tortworth on 23 April 1711.  They had at least five children:  Joseph, William, Daniel, Ashfield and Sarah.  Ashfield died in 1737, being buried at Tortworth on 8 January.

Joseph’s sixth child, James, was baptized at Thornbury on 21 March 1686.  In 1708 he too inherited “fourscore pounds” from his father.  He married Hannah Organ and had eight children:  Elizabeth in 1714/5, Hannah in 1715, Mary in 1719, James in 1725, Sarah in 1726, Unity in 1729, John in 1732 and William in 1734/5 (further details below).  Four years later he was named as a trustee for his brother William’s will.  Hannah died on 5 October 1752 “aged sixty-two”, and James, a “yeoman, of The Parks, Thornbury” died on 10 March 1759 aged seventy-two.  The couple were buried in Thornbury churchyard.

Joseph’s seventh child, Joan, was baptized at Thornbury on 27 December 1689.  In 1708, like her siblings, she inherited “fourscore pounds” from her father.  On 2 January 1714 she married Thomas Till at Wickwar  The couple had at least seven children baptized at Tortworth:  Elizabeth in 1714, Joan in 1715/16, Thomas in 1716/17, another Elizabeth, Anne in about 1720 (who married a William Cullimore, probably her cousin, the son of William and Hester – see below), Thomas (who married his cousin Sarah Cullimore), and William in about 1732.  On 1 May 1741 Thomas wrote his will;  it was proved on 19 May 1742.  On 11 May 1759 Joan was named as “Aunt Joan Till” in her nephew Joseph Cullimore’s will;  her own will was dated 2 October that same year.

THE CHILDREN OF WILLIAM  (1682 - 1733)

William’s first child, Joseph, was baptized at Tortworth on 11 May 1710.  He married his cousin Elizabeth on 18 May 1731:  the couple had at least seven children – Sarah in 1731/2, Mary in 1735, Hannah in 1736, William in 1738, Betty in 1740, James in 1742, and John in about 1743.  In 1733 Joseph inherited £5.00 from his father.  Elizabeth died on 2 November 1743, and it is possible that after her death Joseph went on to have further children with a subsequent wife – up to eight, though this is not yet certain:  Ann in about 1746, Elizabeth in 1749, Joseph in 1751, John in 1752, Joanna in 1756, Unity in 1758, Thomas in 1760, and Hannah in 1762.  (Details of all fifteen possible children are below).  Joseph was still alive when his mother made her will in 1760:  he probably died in 1778/9.

William’s third child, Sarah, was baptized at Tortworth on 23 December 1713.  In 1733 she inherited £40 and  a half-share with her sister Elizabeth  of a ‘leasehold messuage’ in Cromhall Abbots from her father.  By 1740 she was married to her cousin Thomas Till.  The couple had at least eight children:  Elizabeth baptized in 1740, Sarah in 1742, Thomas in 1743, William in 1747, John in 1748, Anne in 1750, James in 1752 and Mary in 1754. The family moved from Rangeworthy to Tortworth sometime after October 1743.  Sarah was mentioned in her mother’s will of 1760.

William’s fourth child, Elizabeth, was baptized at Tortworth on 15 March 1715.  In 1733 she inherited £40 and  a half-share with her sister Sarah of the ‘messuage’ in Cromhall Abbots from her father.  She was mentioned, unmarried, in her mother’s will of 1760, but at some point in the next couple of years she married her cousin James (“of the Park Mill”, son of James & Hannah née Organ).  Elizabeth died on 11 July 1775, ‘aged fifty-eight’ and was buried at Thornbury;  James died eleven years later.

William’s fifth child, James, was born in about 1717.  In his father’s will of  1733 it was specified that he would “inherit a messuage in the parish of Charfield late of Thomas Pool  ... after the death or marriage of my said wife which shall first happen…”.  On 16 June 1758 he married Sarah Pick at Berkeley.  Two years later he was sole executor for his mother’s will.  He had at least two children – sons William and James.  He made his will on Christmas Day 1763 and died three days later, being buried at Thornbury.

William’s sixth child, William, was born in 1720.  He is mentioned in his father’s will of 1731, which left to him and any future heirs a house “at Charfield wherein  Anthony Horwood now dwells, together with the water grist mill with the ponds ...”  It seems that on 5 January 1738/39 he married his cousin Anne Till at Yate.  He died on 18 April that same year, and was buried in his mother (Hester Cullimore)’s grave at Tortworth.

William’s seventh child, Joanna, was born in 1721.  In 1733 she was mentioned in her father’s will, leaving her £150 to be inherited on her twenty-first birthday – but she died the following year, aged just twelve, and was buried on 16 July in her mother (Hester Cullimore)’s grave at Tortworth.

William’s eighth child, Ann, was baptized in Tortworth on 25 September 1725 (with parents named as William Cullimore & Sarah).  She was buried in her mother (Hester)’s grave at Tortworth on 18 August 1729 “in the fourth year of her age”.

THE CHILDREN OF JOSEPH  (1710 - 1778)

With his first wife (and cousin) Elizabeth, Joseph had seven children, the first of whom was Sarah, baptized on 25 January 1732;  she was named in her uncle Joseph’s will of 1759, but otherwise nothing further is yet known of her.

Joseph’s second child, Mary, was baptized in 1735;  and his third, Hannah, in 1736.  Nothing further is yet known of them.

Joseph’s fourth child, William, was baptized on 22 May 1738;  and his fifth, Betty, on 24 May 1740.  They were both named in their uncle Joseph’s will of 1759, but otherwise nothing further is yet known of them.

Joseph’s sixth child, James, was baptized on 5 February 1742.  On 22 April 1778 he married Elizabeth (surname unknown).  They had at least two children – Elizabeth born in 1780 and William  in 1782 (details below).  Elizabeth (senior) died on 14 November 1794 and James on 11 July the following year;  both were buried at Thornbury.

Joseph’s seventh child, John, was baptized in 1744, presumably having been born shortly before Elizabeth’s death in late 1743;  nothing further is yet known of him.

It seems likely that after Elizabeth’s death Joseph remarried and had up to eight further children.  The first five were Ann, baptized on 14 May 1746, Elizabeth in 1749, Joseph in 1751, John in 1752, and Joanna in 1756,

Joseph’s next child, Unity, was baptized in 1758.  She married her relation James Neale, who farmed at The Park Mill Farm, and by whom she apparently had nine children.  James died, of smallpox, on 30 November 1794, and on 28 April 1801 Unity married James Day.

Joseph had two further children:  Thomas, baptized in 1760 and Hannah in 1762.  Nothing further is yet known of them.

THE CHILDREN OF JAMES  (1742 - 1795)

James’ first child was Elizabeth, born in 1780.   On 12 July 1810, at Thornbury, she married Henry Young of Almondsbury.  She was buried on 7 August 1816 at Thornbury, “of Southmead, Westbury-on-Trym”.

 James’ second child was William “of Middle Mill”, born in 1782 and died in 1809.

Joseph’s first child, Joan, was baptizedon 27 December 1703 at Charfield.  On 29 September 1728, still at Charfield, she married Isaac Limbrick, by whom she had six children:  Mary, baptized at Yate in 1734, William, born in 1739, a daughter (name unknown), Sarah, Joseph and Hannah.

Joseph’s second child, Hannah, was baptized at Charfield on 19 May 1706.  Nothing further is yet known of her.

Joseph’s third child, Joseph, was baptized at Charfield on 2 June 1707.  It seems likely that on 14 January 1744/45 he married Elizabeth Burgess at Tortworth, and (perhaps) had two or three childen who died before he made his will – some of those listed above as children of his brother-in-law Joseph’s second marriage, may in fact have been born to this Joseph.  Elizabeth must have died during this time, since on 9 October 1758 Joseph married  Mary Lovet  at Tortworth.  He died on 4 December the following year, and was buried with his grandparents, his sister Elizabeth and his brother James at Tortworth.  He left a will dated 11 May 1759, which gave his occupation as ‘dairyman’.

Joseph’s fourth child, Elizabeth, was baptized at Charfield in 1708.  On 18 May 1731 she married her cousin Joseph, and had seven children – Sarah in 1731/2, Mary in 1735, Hannah in 1736, William in 1738, Betty in 1740, James in 1742, and John in about 1743 (details above).  Elizabeth died on 2November 1743, and  and was buried in the family grave – “the wife of Joseph Cullimore ... aged thirty-five”.

Joseph’s fifth child, Mary, was baptized at Charfield on 21 October 1710.  She married John Croome at Tortworth on 25 March 1736.  She died on 7 September 1763 “aged fifty-two”, and was buried with her mother at Charfield in the Halliday family grave.

Joseph’s sixth child, Peter, was baptized at Charfield on 2 April 1711.  By 1735 he had married Elizabeth and had children:  James in 1735 (who died on 24 May 1775 aged forty) and Elizabeth in 1741 (who died on 6 April 1771 aged thirty-one).  The children’s graves at Charfield name them as “children of Peter Cullimore and Elizabeth”.

Joseph’s seventh child, James, was baptized in Charfield on 14 January 1714.  There is a suggestion that he fathered two illegitimate children on his niece, Mary Limbrick, but this is not certain.  He died on 23 September 1757 aged forty-three, and is recorded on the family grave at Tortworth.

THE CHILDREN OF JAMES  (1686 - 1759)

James’ first child, Elizabeth, was baptized on 22 August 1715.  She died, unmarried, on 13 July 1780 and was buried at Thornbury.

James’s second child, Hannah, was born in 1715.  She married Richard Gazard on 9 June 1740 at Stone, and had six children.  Richard died in 1776, and Hannah two years later.

James’ third child, Mary, was baptized on 8 June 1719.  On 5 March 1746 she married Joseph Neale, and had four children:  Joseph, John in 1749, Hannah in 1750, and James in 1752.  Mary died on 1 March 1780.

James’ fourth child, James, was born in 1725.  He apparently had an illegitimate son, Richard Purtley, before marrying his cousin Elizabeth.  Elizabeth died on 11 July 1775, and James in 1786.

James’ fifth child, Sarah, was baptized on 27 July 1726.  Nothing further is yet known of her.

James’ sixth child, Unity, was baptized on 27 December 1729.  She apparently married John Taylor and had eleven children.  She was buried on 22 March 1780;  John died ten years later.

James’s seventh child, John, was baptized on 29 May 1732.  He probably married a Mary Traherne and had three children – James, William baptized in 1766 and John in 1773 (see below).  Mary died in 1775, and John on 26 December 1792, being buried with his parents in Thornbury churchyard.  A note in the family records:  “When John died he left his estate to his two younger sons, John & William, because his eldest son had all his brother’s property”.

James eighth child, William, was baptized at Thornbury on 12 February 1735.  He married Martha Osborne at Tortworth on 3 April 1766 and had children William, born in 1766, and Martha in 1770 (details below).  He apparently died of smallpox and was buried, at Thornbury, on 18 December 1773.  Martha lived on until 10 September 1807.



THE CHILDREN OF JOHN  (1732 -1792)

James’ first son was James.  He apparently inherited an uncle’s property (as a result of which his own father left his estate to his two younger brothers), and died childless.

John’s second son, William, was born on 3 December 1765 and baptized at Thornbury on 24 January the following year.  He married Elizabeth and had children – Mary in about 1799, John in about 1800, Elizabeth in about 1801, Charles (date unknown),  James in about 1803, and Susannah in about 1804 (details below).  Elizabeth died on 6 April 1821 and William in May 1830:  they were buried at St Mary’s Thornbury.

John's third son, John, was born in about 1773.  This younger John probably had a daughter Frances, who died aged three on 9 November 1811.  Both were buried at Thornbury.



THE CHILDREN OF WILLIAM  (1765 - 1830)

William’s first child, Mary, was born in about 1799.  She died on 1 February 1836 “aged thirty-seven” and was buried at Thornbury.

William’s second child, John, was born in about 1800;  he died on 7 January 1872 “aged seventy-two” and was buried at Thornbury.

William’s third child, Elizabeth, was born in about 1801;  she died on 7 February 1869 “aged sixty-eight” and was buried at Thornbury.

William’s fourth child, William, was born in about 1802.  He married Eliza (surname unknown).  It seems that he had at least two brothers who lived, unmarried, at Manor Farm Morton, and at least three children, William born in about 1841. John in about 1845 and Elizabeth in about 1847 (details below).  William died on 25 February 1852 “aged fifty-three”.  The 1881 census records seventy-year old widowed Eliza Cullimore, a “retired farmer” living in Thornbury;  she died on 9 January 1891 “in the eighty-first year of her age”.

William’s fifth child, James, was born in about 1803;  he died on 15 July 1862 “aged fifty-nine” and was buried at Thornbury.

William’s sixth child, Susannah, was born in about 1804.  She died on 15 November 1815 “aged eleven” and was buried at Thornbury.

William’s seventh child, Charles, died on 7 September 1878 and was buried at Thornbury.



THE CHILDREN OF WILLIAM  (1802 - 1852)

William’s first child, William, was born in Rockhampton, Glos, in about 1841.  In 1881 he was farming 120 acres in Thornbury.  He never married, and died on 6 July 1907, “in the sixty-sixth year of his age”, at which point the estate passed to his brother John.

William’s second child, John, was born in about 1845 and brought up in Shepperdine;  he was educated at Thornbury Grammar School.  In 1881 he was living in Saighton, Cheshire, practising as a solicitor.  In 1885 he married Mary Elizabeth Dale, and moved to Chester  The couple had at least two children – William, born in about 1888, and Charles in about 1891 (details below).  After his brother William died in 1907, “John continued to live in Chester, putting in a farm manager but spending a month every summer at Morton with his family and keeping a very tight rein on the estate”.  However, “his heart still remained in Gloucestershire to the extent that at his death he owned no freehold property in Chester and always drank with his dinner cider specially sent up from the farm at Morton.”

William’s third child, Elizabeth, was born in about 1847.  She married Robert Comely, and in 1881 was living in Thornbury with children Mary (7), Ann (6), William C (3), Elizabeth (1) and baby Susan.



THE CHILDREN OF JOHN  (1845 - )

John’s first child, William, was born at Christleton, Cheshire, in about 1888.  In 1911 he was living at Faulkner’s Lodge with his parents, working as a “solicitor’s articled clerk”.  He married Ivy Kember in 1916/7, and had a son, William Rae, in 1918.

John’s second child, Charles, was born at Christleton, Cheshire, in about 1891.  In 1911 he was living at Faulkner’s Lodge there with his parents, recorded as a student at Cambridge University.



THE CHILDREN OF WILLIAM  (1735 -1773)

William’s first child, William, was born on 3 December 1766 and baptized at Thornbury on 25 March the following year.  On 16 October 1787 he married Ann Croome at Berkeley.  They had three children:  William born in 1788, Ann in 1790 and John in 1791 (details below).  In 1793 Ann died in Littledean, and “was brought to Thornbury for burial” on 13 December.  William died at Alveston on 18 December 1845.

William’s second child, Martha, was born on 9 January 1770 and baptized on the last day of that same month.  She married Thomas Johnson (“gentleman, of Elburton”) on 9 August 1804.



THE CHILDREN OF WILLIAM  (1766 - 1845)

William’s first child, another William, was born in 1788.  On 9 November 1819 he married Abigail Williams, with whom he had six children:  Catherine Sarah born in 1821, William in 1822, Daniel in 1826, James in 1827, Eliza in 1832 and Sarah in 1833 (details below).  It seems that at some point William had financial difficulties, and as a result spent some time in debtors’ prison in Monmouth.  Abigail died in 1838 and William in 1855, in Magor, Monmouthshire.

William’s second child, Ann, was born in 1790, and his third, John, in 1791.  Both “died as infants and were brought to Thornbury for burial”.



THE CHILDREN OF WILLIAM  (1788 - 1855)

William’s first child, Catherine Sarah, was born in 1821.  Nothing further is yet known of her.

William’s second child, William, was born in Redwick, Monmouthshire, in 1822.  He married Ann Hulbert and had three children, all born in Alveston – Amelia Ann in 1849, William Johnson in about 1851 and John Croome in 1855.  Ann died in 1906.  (John Croome married Edith Sarah Tyler.

William’s third child, Daniel, was born in Redwick in 1826.  He married Jane Millard and had several children, including Daniel Osborne, born in 1860 and died in 1885.  Daniel died in 1894 and was buried at new Church Alveston;  Jane died in 1914.

William’s fourth child, James, was born in St Brides Netherwent, Monmouthshire, in 1827, and baptized there on 8 March.  On 8 June 1848, in Penhow, Monmouthshire, he married Mary Rosser.  The couple had ten children – Abigail born in 1848, Margaret in 1850, James William in 1852, Tom in 1854, George in 1856, Elizabeth Sarah Jane in 1858, Amelia Kate in 1860, Albert Ernest in 1863, Henry John in 1867 and Rosa Annie in 1869  (details below).  James died on 8 March 1870 in Magor, Monmouthshire;  Mary died there in 1894.

James’ fifth child, Eliza, was born in St Brides in 1832, and his sixth, Sarah, in Magor in 1833.  Nothing further is yet known of them.

THE CHILDREN OF JAMES  (1788 - 1855)

James’ first child, Abigail, was born in Magor, Monmouthshire, in 1848.  Nothing else is yet known of her.

James’ second child, Margaret, was born in Magor in 1850, and baptized there on 15 November.  On 11 July 1871, still in Magor, she married William Baker, with whom she had five children – Thomas Llewellyn born in 1872, Elizabeth Flora in 1873, William Cullimore in 1876, Henry Ethelbert in 1878 and James Rosser in 1880.  The first four children were born in Wilcrick, William’s birthplace, and the fifth back in Magor – where in 1883 Margaret died.

James’ third child, James William, was born in Magor in 1852, being baptized there on 18 October.  In 1876 he married Sarah Cox Knapp, with whom he had eight children – Verona Ursula born in about 1877, Mary Florence in about 1879, Laura Kate in about 1880, Beatrice Alice in about 1882, Constance Lavinia Rosa in about 1884, Ethel Lily in about 1886, Ada Eleanor S in 1888 and James William Wyndham in 1890 (details below).  James (senior) died on Christmas Day 1891 in Goldcliff, Monmouthshire.

James’ fourth child, Tom, was born in Magor in 1854, being baptized there on 2 September;  and his fifth, George, was born in Magor in 1856, being baptized there on 2 May.  Nothing further is yet known of them.

James’ sixth child, Elizabeth Sarah Jane, was born in Magor in 1858 and baptized there on 12 April.  She was married twice:  first, in Bromyard, Herefordshire, in 1879, to Ralph Critchlow Hall;  and secondly, in Bristol in 1882, to John Huggett.

James’ seventh child, Amelia Kate, was born in Magor in 1860, being baptized there on 7 October;  and his eighth, Albert Ernest, was born in Magor in 1863, being baptized there on 15 February.  Nothing further is yet known of them.

James’ ninth child, Henry John, was born in Magor in about 1867.  He married Elizabeth Lillie Corner, with whom he had two children, both born in Tidenham – James O in about 1896 and Mary E in about 1898.

James’ tenth child, Rosa Annie, was born in Magor in 1869, bring baptized there on 1 April.  Nothing further is yet known of her.



THE CHILDREN OF JAMES WILLIAM  (1852 - 1891)

James William’s first child, Verona Ursula, was born in Magor, Monmouthshire, in about 1877 and baptized there on 10 May.  Nothing further is yet known of her.

James William’s second child, Mary Florence, was born in Goldcliff, Monmouthshire in about 1879 and baptized in Magor on 4 April.  Nothing further is yet known of her.

James William’s third child, Laura Kate, was born in Goldcliff in about 1880 and baptized in Whitson, Monmouthshire on 16 March.  She died, still in Goldcliff, in 1898.

James William’s next five children were all born in Goldcliff and baptized in Whitson, (the following dates being those of their baptisms:  his fourth, Beatrice Alice, on 16 April 1882;  his fifth, Constance Lavinia Rosa, on 15 June 1884;  his sixth, Ethel Lily, on 29 August 1886;  and his seventh, Ada Eleanor S (‘Nellie’), on 15 July 1888.  Nothing further is yet known of them.

James William’s eighth child – a son at last, whom they named James William Wyndham – was born in 1890 in Goldcliff and baptized in Magor on 30 July.  Nothing further is yet known of him.

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