Butcher, Baker, Candle Maker

Welcome to Butcher, Baker, Candle Maker. Discover the rich tapestry of Chipping Sodbury’s past through our comprehensive collection of historical records. Whether you're a current resident curious about the generations who shaped our community, or someone tracing your family's roots back to our town, you've come to the right place.

Our work is based on the ground breaking 1795 Map Project, which traces the town's development over more than two centuries. In 2004 a small band of volunteers from the Sodbury Vale Family History Group began work on the project, based on a survey map compiled by Richard Hall of Cirencester and Jacob Sturge of Westbury upon Trym to ascertain a new poor law rate for the town.

Our archive offers a unique glimpse into the lives of those who called Chipping Sodbury home since 1795. From census data and property records to personal accounts and local lore, we've gathered a wealth of information to help you connect with your ancestors and our shared history.

The survey lists the proprietors, describes the premises, names the occupiers, often giving their occupation and/or property usage and states the poor law rates. Using this as our starting point, we aimed to trace the history of the buildings from 1795 to 2008.

We relied on the current owners of the properties to provide as much information as possible. Some property owners did not provide us with information and we then relied on secondary sources to gain as full a picture as possible. Consequently, some properties have much less information than others.

Explore our easy-to-navigate database to:

• Trace your family lineage
• Discover the history of local properties
• Learn about the trades and traditions that built our community
• Uncover fascinating stories from Chipping Sodbury’s past.

Please contact Jennifer Smith for more information using email: jismith2000@gmail.com

Chipping Sodbury Surnames Index. Many readers here will be searching for references to family names. The document linked in the title here (compiled by John and Valerie Gearing) is a useful starting point as it provides an index to names mentioned in 'Butcher Baker Candle Maker'.

This is the cover of the book - a physical copy is now difficult to obtain.

Town map from 1795 This shows the area covered by the analysis and the various plots of land as they were then arranged.

Example entry: 56 Horse Street BS37 6DB The book covers not just the main central streets of Chipping Sodbury but also those houses on the streets leading into the town. No 56 (and 54 - two cottages now knocked together) is listed here from 1795.

56 Horse Street in 2024 Not much has changed externally in the past 16 years, or the previous 200 plus!