Harriet was baptised at St Martins Church, in North Nibley, at the same time as her sister, Elizabeth. Both were in their mid-teens by then, so it seems that the vicar had a problem catching up with her parents. As they lived in the Ridings (number 1088 on the Tithe Map) in the woodland in the far-eastern corner of the parish, perhaps this was understandable.
In the ’51 Census, Harriet was a housemaid at Owlpen House. Nearby lived Joseph Pride, Harriet’s future husband, with his wife Maria and their son. Over the next few years, Joseph kept himself busy, as he had two more children with his wife, and two children with Harriet. Long-suffering Maria died in 1857 and Joseph and Harriet regularised their relationship by marrying two months later, in St Martins, on June 14th , 1857.
They went on to have nine more children, living at Westerleigh, Ozleworth, Wotton under Edge, and Siston. A notice inserted in the Bristol Times and Mirror, dated 16th January, 1869, indicates some friction between the couple. It reads ‘I hereby give notice, that I will not answerable for any debt or debts my wife, Harriet Pride, may contract after this notice. Joseph Pride, Ozleworth, Wotton under Edge.’
Sadly, one of their sons, Thomas, was accused of animal cruelty, at only 9 years of age, followed by fruit stealing, and was sent to a reformatory school for five years. Joseph himself was convicted of selling beer without a license in 1852. Because he couldn’t pay the five shilling fine, he was sent to Horsely House of Correction for a month.
Harriet died in 1900, aged 67, and Joseph died four years later.
North Nibley One-Place-Study 