In the 1881 census many families including my own, Barnett, are living in the White House, Staunton nr Coleford. How could so many people be living in one property. Can anyone help?

If your Barnett family are related to Lydia Margaret Selby who married Harold Edward Barnett, then I too am interested in the White House and Post Office at Staunton as Lydia's brother, William Albert Leason Selby, also seemed to live at these addresses. He had a son, Abednego Selby b March 1913 in Cardiff who was baptised at Staunton Church but nothing more can be found on him. This part of the Selby family descended from Abednego 1827 originated in the Forest and moved to the Portsea area, then back to Cardiff/Cogan/Penarth. Not sure why William came back to the Forest. If you have any more knowledge of this, would be grateful to hear it.

Sheila

It would be a great help if you could supply sufficient detail to enable us to find this entry in the Census as I strongly suspect the property is the White Horse Inn.

Mike

I think the entry to search is,

James CARVER, Head, 57 (1824) Innkeeper and blacksmith b. Staunton

who resides with his family at the White Horse.

The next entry is Enoch BARNATT and his family but, since this is a separate schedule. I don’t think they’re living at the inn.

I think that Harold is indeed a relative of mine. Born in 1895. His father was Henry E, mother Elizabeth Morgan. Henry was the postman and Elizabeth the postmistress. Harold was living at Yew Tree Cottage in 1901 with father, mother and grandfather Edward. I think the Yew Tree Cottage still exists. I come down from the grandfather Edward through his son Enoch.
Harold married Lydia in Glamorgsn in 1920.

The White House is listed in the 1881 and 1891 census forms. Earlier census forms are not of much use with regard to addresses. The White Horse Inn is listed for the first time in 1901. My research has shown that the White Horse Inn opened in 1813. So are they the same, if so there seem to have been many families living there.

Just looked again at the 1891 census. It is the White Horse, I misread as house. Still means that many families including most of mine lived in a pub!

Just looked again at the 1891 census. It is the White Horse, I misread as house. Still means that many families including most of mine lived in a pub!

Enumerators were instructed to include all persons living in a dwelling on the schedule and after all persons in a dwelling had been recorded to draw two diagonal lines to distinguish separate dwellings. Thus on page 2 of the schedule for Staunton in the 1881 census (RG11/5225; Folio: 127; Page:2; GSU roll: 1342259) we see recorded persons in 7 different dwellings. Where two families were in one dwelling the enumerator was instructed to draw one diagonal line between families.

Therefore, Number of Schedule 14, named White House, was occupied only by James Carver and his family. Enoch Barnatt (sic) and his family lived in a separate dwelling which is recorded as Number of Schedule 15.

I hope this clarifies the record.

As already stated the Landlord of The White Horse Inn in 1881 was James Carver. In 1885 Enoch Barnett became landlord and he was superseded in 1891 by John Solomon Hicks. Source: http://www.gloucestershirepubs.co.uk
The Gloucestershire Pubs website does not list all landlords for this Inn but I believe a member of the Barnett family was landlord in the 1950's.
Mike

Thank you for that. Enoch Barnett was killed in a road traffic accident driving his trap to Coleford in 1890. The passenger was Solomon Hicks.. Amazing how all these facts come together.

Thank you. That does make more sense. At least we know the area of the village in which they lived if not the actual property. In such a small village I suppose that there was no need to give their houses a name.

At the inquest of Enoch Barnett dated 21st March 1890 (transcribed on this site) one of the witnesses is Solomon Jno HICKS of the White Horse Inn, Staunton

Mientajb, would love to know more about your Elizabeth Morgan. My 3rd great-grandfather is James Carver who ran the White Horse Inn. He was married to Amelia Morgan, who had a sister named Elizabeth. I don't have any information on Elizabeth, other than that she was born c. January 1827 and was living in Staunton in 1851.

Hi there. My Elizabeth Morgan was born in 1863 so is a later generation. She was married to Henry Edward Barnett whose brother was Enoch who took over from James Carver as the landlord of the White Horse in 1885. There seems to have been a close connection between the Barnetts and the Morgan's. James Morgan b1866 married the daughter of Henry's brother, Edwin. An Emma Morgan married Enoch Dykins whose sister married Edward Barnett.
Barbara

In 1851 there were three Elizabeth Morgan's living at the White horse. The eldest b1800 was the inn keeper and a widow. She was married to William and her maiden name was Roberts. Their daughter Elizabeth was born in 1827. The third was the inn keepers granddaughter, not sure who her parents were. She was born in 1840.
Barbara

Thanks Barbara. There seem to be a fair share of "Elizabeth Morgans" in the area, so I knew it was a long shot.

I find the timing of Enoch taking over the White Horse interesting, as James's wife died in 1884 and I wonder if that had something to do with him giving it up. Or if he was just ready to retire. Would love to get over some day and have a meal in the place where my great-great grand mother grew up.

Alexa

They would be my family. Curious as to where "Roberts" comes from for the elder Elizabeth Morgan's maiden name as several of us have her down as being born a Lewis. However, it's not concrete. She and William had at least 3 children, all daughters (Isabella, Amelia and Elizabeth). Both Isabella and Amelia were married by 1850, so it's possible that the grandchild was Elizabeth's daughter.

If I've read this right and the pub became the White Hart? then there's a photo of the building opposite which was the post office and smithy. it was knocked down in the 60's? for road widening I think, the garage car park area and corner where you turn towards the forestry track towards the Wye Valley now.

Hi there. Not sure if we are in the same place as it is stil called the White Horse. However, I think that you are right about the house being the old Post Office and smithy which were knocked down to allow widening of the road. The area where they were is now the front lawn of a new house. We are going down to Staunton shortly and plan to have our photo taken sitting on the grass where the cottage was, yes slightly mad I know. Thanks for your help.

Hello again. Seems like a long time since we were conversing.

We have continued our research about the Barnett family in Staunton and related families. Our Harold Edward is definitely married to Lydia Selby. Lydia's brother William died in the Post Office in 1915 aged 32, the record can be found in the parish registers. William was stated, I think in a census, as being a marine engineer. The post office moved across the road sometime around 1950 and the old post office took the name "Woodcroft". Harold Edward Barnett died in number 2 Woodcroft in 1980 and Lydia died two years later. William, Harold Edward and Lydia are all buried in the Staunton churchyard.

I wonder if William was injured in the war and so came to live with his sister. If I get a chance I shall look up his record.

Barbara

Me again.

William was in the Royal Naval Reserve Service. His records are available at the National Archives for £3.30.

Discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk

If you send for them I should be most interested to know what they say.

Barbara

Not sure if you can see my latest two postings.

Hi
Was interested to see your post about William being in the Navy. I have the Navy records of other members of Abednego's family so have just obtained this one. I will send it to you on your e-mail hopefully! He appears to have been in ill health on discharge but the writing is very small so will have a further look later. I have posted to you before. William married Mabel Griffiths in 1912 and appears to have had a son Abednego in 1913 in Cardiff, baptised at Staunton church but I have not been able to find anything more about him. If anyone can help with this I would be grateful.
Sheila

Having had a closer look at William's navy record, it appears he had pneumonia, ulceration of the larynx, phthisis of the lung in an early stage (this appears to be TB) and acute laryngitis, probably caused by his lung problem, he was discharged in Dec 1913. Writing very small so difficult to read.

Sheila