Is it true that there used to be a wool factory in Frenchay?

The house on the corner of Bristol Road and Filton Road used to be called "Wool Factory House". There was a long building behind it which has now been converted to the houses in Filton Road.  In 1827 it was owned the company Messrs Tuckett and the business was conducted by Philip Debell Tuckett. The 1851 census shows William Perry, his wife and 8 children living there and he is described as a wool sorter.

There is a long history of wool hat manufacturing in nearby Winterbourne and the wool factory may have had links to this.

A booklet titled "Hatters' Trails - walks through Frampton Cotterell and Watley's End" has just been published and copies can be obtained from Frenchay Village Museum.

THIS IS THE LAST FRENCHAY MYSTERY UNLESS YOU CAN THINK OF OTHER MYSTERIES YOU WANT ME TO SOLVE.

Please let me know.  
Carol Thorne

There is no Post Office in Frenchay. Why are there 2 houses in Frenchay Hill called   Frenchay Post Office and The Old Post Office?

The 1851 census records that Frenchay Post Office and grocery shop was run by a single woman called Hannah Vowles. She lived in the building at the top of Frenchay Hill (now called the Old Post Office) with her 80 year old mother. She continued the run the Post Office until her death in 1897, helped by her niece Kate.

2 people were required to run the Post Office, which played an important role in the community. There were 2 daily deliveries and 2 collections. In the early days Hannah had to meet the coach to collect the letters.  Most houses had no address but Hannah knew all the residents of Frenchay and delivered the letters personally.

After the death of Hannah, Kate continued to run the Post Office, now located in the building opposite the original one. She died in 1922 aged 82.  Her niece Mabel took over on her death and then Mabel’s daughter Barbara Higgins ran the Post Office until it finally closed.

In 1985 a nasty incident took place. Barbara had finished work for the day and went opposite to see her friend, Lionel Jenkins, taking the day’s takings with her. Thieves learned of her habit of doing this and broke in. They tied them up and stole the money. Lionel was so affected that he died shortly afterwards and Barbara never opened the Post Office again.

In 130 years there were only 4 Post Mistresses – all related to one another.

How did the National Trust come to own Frenchay Moor?

In 1941 the Randall family, who owned a timber yard in Fishponds, gave an 8 acre field to the National Trust. They donated it in memory of their daughter who had died in Canada. She had emigrated with her husband and lived on a remote farm. Medical help was unable to reach her in time and she died in childbirth. Her body was brought back to Bristol and she was buried in her tennis dress.

Why is there a dove cote on the green at the entrance of Grange Park?

Grange Park is built on land which was originally part of  Fromeshaw House. Over the years Fromeshaw House was known by various names including  Ketchcold, Costy Lovey and Woodfield House.

 In the 17th century it belonged to the Lords of the Manor of Sturden and when they sold it in 1713 it was described as having “fishponds, a coppice for firewood and 2 rabbit warrens”. Originally the grounds extended down to the river. The pond remains and has given the name to the other half of the now divided house – Lake House.

In the nineteenth century Robert Johnson, a Wesleyan circuit steward, lived in the house and by 1843 Methodist meetings were held in a room over his stables.

The dovecote and an out building at the rear of 1 Grange Park are all that remain of the outbuildings which were part of the Fromeshaw Estate. The dovecote is now an electricity sub-station.

Whatever happened to Belfields Alley?

This cut through between Beckspool Road and Malmains Drive is named after Captain Belfield who lived at Malmains until 1900. He named the house after his first wife’s home.

A few years ago some new houses were built on land which was formerly the garden of Malmains with their entrance in Belfields Alley. The new residents objected to the name and asked South Gloucestershire Council to change it. They wanted to change the name completely but Winterbourne Parish Council managed to have the name Belfield retained and it is now called Belfields Lane.