PRICE Alfred Newell

Edna Hannah, born c1865 in Cotham (91C); Celia W., born c1865 in Westbury-on-Trym (71C) or c1867 (91C); John H., born c1869 in Westbury-on-Trym (71C); Alfred Owen, born c1871 in Westbury-on-Trym (71C); Lila M., born c1872 in Westbury-on-Trym (81C); Edward Allen, born c1874 in Westbury-on-Trym (81C); David, born c1876 in Westbury-on-Trym (81C)

‘I was born January 16th, 1837, just before Queen Victoria came to the throne, at number 1 Kingsdown Parade, Bristol.  All I can remember is the interior of the nursery, and the window looking out upon Mother Pugsley’s field and well, which at that time was unoccupied by any dwellings, as far as one could see.  And I remember often watching the sheep and lambs just under the window, which looked out eastward.

When I was about five years old the family moved to the factory dwelling, which fronted on Temple Street. The house was a very old one, containing some portions of an ecclesiastical building of a much earlier date.  This building was totally demolished about the year 1855 by the construction of Victoria Street.

The kitchen of this old house was separate, across a small yard, and still exists in the present Pottery. In this kitchen I remember enjoying hot dripping-toast, from under the Sunday joint, while the elders were at Bridge Street Chapel, sitting under the Reverend H.J. Roper.  In the kitchen also, before a blazing fire, in company with my youngest sister Mary Ann, we took our Saturday evening baths, and whence we were carried in turn, wrapped in a waterproof cloak, across the yard, along a stone passage, turning in at the entrance door, upstairs, along another long passage to the bedroom on the first floor, an inside room, the window looking not into the open air, but into a part of the old nursery, covered in with a glass roof.  In this old part was a stone holy-water stoop.

To the right of the front door was our main living room, looking into the yard, and with a door into it, through which the meals were carried from the kitchen across the yard. Above this room was the drawing room in which was a handsome gas chandelier, then a modern invention.  It had one large window into the yard.

The parents and sisters’ rooms looked into Temple Street, over what was originally a retail shop – now stocked with samples of pottery.

The only drinking water available then was fetched from the Neptune conduit, a spout, close to Temple Church, the water being brought from the neighbourhood of Dundry.

A large rain-water cistern was under the court, with a pump outside the kitchen door.

The Pottery extended right up to Thomas Street, behind the kitchen, reached by a passage commencing alongside the kitchen. The first thing you came to, on going up this passage, was 150 tons of clay, in ‘balls’, as it came from Devonshire and Dorset, in sailing vessels.  These ‘balls’ were about 9 inches square, as cut out of the ground.  They were stacked up underneath the warehouse.  They were dried round the kilns for a week or two before being broken up small, soaked in large pans, and passed through the ‘pugmills’.  There was no garden to this house; the only attempt being two aloes in tubs in the yard.

I remember at this time frequent visits of my sister Mary Ann and myself to Totterdown, in a little four-wheeled carriage which had belonged to my uncle Alfred Newell, and was given to me. It was very good of its kind, and was drawn by one of the Pottery boys.  My sister Mary Ann says that I caused the boy to leave go the handle at the top of one of the hills and give it to me, turning it round, and we careered down the steep place at a great pace!  Fortunately without serious consequences as far as I can recollect.

At this time my eldest brother Charles was at Mr Daniel’s school in Brunswick Square, aged about 15, and (Samuel) Newell aged about 9 went to the same school.

Rebecca, the eldest, was 18, and was at home; the next two, Eliza and Mary, about 13 and 11 at Miss Knott’s School in Kingsdown Parade, Devon House. Mary Ann was in the nursery aged about 3, and I went to Miss Sitree’s school in Portland Street, Kingsdown.

After living at the Pottery for some time – four or five years – my father moved to Kensington Place, Brislington, on the recommendation of Dr Humphries – and my youngest sister and I much enjoyed country walks hereabouts, with our nurse, and on Sundays with my father – who was at that time suffering from insomnia and indigestion – caused, if my early recollections are to be trusted, by too great an application to business – which at this time underwent a great change, inaugurated by Messrs Powell and Son’s, and soon followed by my father, with the aid of his eldest son Charles. This resulted in changing the process from the old fashioned but beautiful salt glaze ware into what has since been called Bristol Glaze Stoneware.  Charles still lived at the Pottery.

Bristol at that time only extended to the Three Lamps, with a turnpike close by. Then came a mile of unlighted country road, with three or four large houses in their own grounds – and then the village of Brislington.

Among our favourite walks was that to St Anne’s fields and well; to the then newly established Cemetery of Arno’s Vale which was a rural walk where primroses and white violets could be gathered – and round the village of Brislington.

In walking to and from Exley’s School later the Great Western Railway trains were objects of great interest.

I was a weekly boarder at Exley’s School, close to Highbury Chapel, for two years, and at that time I remember the 7.50 express train to London, called the Breakfast train, which has been running ever since. It got in then at 11 o’clock – now it gets in at 10.15.

We then moved to 2 South Parade, Whiteladies Road, then recently built by Mr Lee, builder – and about 1845 my brother Newell and I were sent to the newly opened Bristol Garmmar School as two of the 159 boys. This replaced an old foundation of 12 boys (boarders) and one master.  The same premises were used, and on this site many years after the present Merchant Venturers was erected.

In June 1851 I finished my schooldays and went with my father, mother and sisters to London for a week to see the wonders of London and the Great Exhibition at the Crystal Palace. We lodged with friends in Islington.  These friends, the Blisses, were relations of my mother’s, and the eldest daughter some years later married my brother Newell.

On my return to Bristol I went to work at the Pottery. Close to South Parade we became acquainted with the family of the Salts, who came from Birmingham – father, mother, three daughters and one son.  The second daughter became engaged to my brother Charles, and was married soon after.

We resided at South Parade for about two years, when my father bought Linton Villa, Richmond Park Road, of Mr James Godwin, who was moving to Westbury and who remained our valued friend during the best part of my life.

My father at this time suffered greatly from rheumatism, and a brougham was kept for his use, for which there was accommodation at Linton Villa.

Our family was musical, and I, to my great joy, became a member of the Orpheus and Madrigal Societies – at the age of 15, singing in the alto department. Mr Crook was the conductor of the Orpheus, and Corfe, Cathedral organist, of the Madrigal.  Both eventually practised at a large room at the Montague Tavern, Kingsdown Parade.  These practices were very enjoyable, and an annual concert was publicly given by each society.  These societies are still existing in the same form at the time of writing.

After removal from Brislington the whole family attended Highbury Chapel, then newly built, under the ministry of the Reverend David Thomas.

At this time there were, attending the chapel, my grandfather Newell and his family; the Salts, previously mentioned; the family of H.O. Wills of Somerset Street, Kingsdown; Henry Brittan, lawyer; the Somervilles, who had recently come from Scotland and were living at Bitton; the Evanses, who had recently come from Ashburton, Devon; Mark Whitwill; and the family of John Payne Budgett and the Sitrees. Into this family subsequently I had the good fortune to be admitted by marrying the third daughter Edna.  We were married July 30th 1863 – she being 20 – and I 26 – and we started life at Bassein Villa, Cotham Road, having been for our honeymoon to Scotland, and crossing thence to Ireland, where I had business to transact.

At Bassein Villa we remained five years, and my daughters Edna and Winifred and my son Harold were born. Near us lived Mr and Mrs Priestly Sitree and their daughter Lila Payne, who were our most intimate neighbours; also my brother Newell and his family.  Lila Payne became the closest friend of my dear wife.  She eventually married William Croggan of Grampound, and the intimacy between the two families has been continued until the present time (1928).

The Budgetts were living at Henleaze Park, where we spent many happy holidays, driving over with Rodney and staying there a few days, usually at Christmas, with other members of the family party.

Annie, having married Wallis Nash, and Lillie, Harry Wedd, there remained six daughters, Celia (who married afterwards E.J. Turner), Ellie, Katie (who married Ernest Sitree), Marion, Ada (who married later J.O. Cash) and Edie (afterwards married to Fred Walpole) and two sons, Arthur (who afterwards married Georgie Morland) and Sidney. Mr Budgett had also married a second time, Edith Miriam Burder, about 1859.

Mr Budgett, after a serious illness, died in 1867, and not long after his family moved to Ivywell House, Sneyd Park, near which was Earle Villa, where I had moved shortly before, attracted by the beautiful large garden made in an old quarry. There we resided for 18 years, and four more children were born: Owen, Lila, Allan and David.  This house was subsequently enlarged, and re-named Fern Hollow, and was a great joy to all the family.  In spite of the long walk to my office and for the children to school, the crossing the Downs tended greatly to keep us in health.  During this time we kept a horse, Rodney, who had been Arthur’s riding horse at Henleaze, and a light carriage – also an Alderney Cow (Septima), some poultry, rabbits and guinea pigs, and white fantail pigeons.

During this time the children were without serious illness, and grew up strong and healthy.

In 1887 we moved to a smaller house in Cambridge Park – and in 1891 Owen went to Natal and remained there two years, but disliked the necessary harshness of black labour and returned home. Next year he went to Nova Scotia and settled at Bridgetown.