In 1841, Henry was living on Frog Lane with his brother John and parents Peter and Hannah. His father was a labourer, but the parish records show how poor the family were. In 1837 and 1838 Peter was unable to pay Highway Relief. The family were recipients of parish relief throughout the 1830s.
Peter and Hannah had married in 1820, and had moved area a great deal before reaching North Nibley. In 1821 their son William was baptised in Berkeley and, in 1823, their sons William and Henry were baptised in Tetbury. I can only assume that this elder Henry died young, though I can find no record of this.
The tollhouse on the A4135 at Tetbury where Peter worked in the 1830s
Another brother, Peter, was baptised in Tetbury in 1825. He was living in Nibley at the time of the ’41 Census, lodging with another family, but died in 1846, aged 20.
Both Henry (the younger) and John were baptised on 3rd June 1832 at Kingscote Church, Gloucestershire. John had previously been baptised in the adjacent parish, Newington Bagpath, two years earlier. At that time, his father was recorded as being a toll keeper at Coldharbour Turnpike, Tetbury.
In 1851, Peter and Hannah were living on Nibley Street, with a lodger. Both were in receipt of parish relief. Peter died in 1853, aged 60. In ’51, Henry was working as a servant at the Plough Inn in Stonehouse. In 1861, he was in Liverpool, working as a victualler. A victualler would sell food, beverages, and other goods to a crew at sea.
At some point in the 1850s he married Esther, from Herefordshire, though no record of the marriage can be found. It seems that she was married to John Jones and had several children. He then died, and she married Henry. One of the children, Eliza, married Thomas Henry Hedens, and Henry and Esther lived with them in Liverpool.
Liverpool Mercury
5th March 1861
CHARGE OF HARBOURING THIEVES AND PERMITTING DRUNKENESS AGAINST A PUBLICAN – Henry Woodward, publican, 14 Thurlow Street, appeared in answer to four summonses – three charging him with harbouring thieves of notoriously bad character, and one for permitting drunkenness in his house.
[The final charge was dismissed, but Henry was charged 40 shillings, 60 shillings and £5 for the charges.]
The next year, the license of his house was transferred to Thomas Parnell.
In 1871, Henry and Esther are living at Crown Street, Liverpool, and Henry is listed as a publican. With them is their grandson, John H Heden. In the following census, the couple are visiting Crown Street, Liverpool. The head of the household is Eliza Heden, Esther’s daughter by a previous marriage. Ten years later, Henry is widowed, living with his stepdaughter and her family.
The below appeared in the Liverpool Mercury, so it may not have been a harmonious home.
THOMAS H. HEDEN, Chief Steward steamship Abana will not be answerable for any debt my wife ELIZA HEDEN may contract after this date, 6th February 1833.
Henry died in 1900, aged 68, and was buried at West Derby Cemetery.
North Nibley One-Place-Study 