The Bond Family – Whittle le Woods
Thomas Bond
Thomas followed in his father’s footsteps when he became the landlord of the Railway Hotel in Heapey in 1901.
Later on, he and his family moved to a house named Briercliffe on Preston Road in Whittle le Woods. During World War I, Thomas enlisted in the British Army and eventually transferred to the Royal Air Force.
After the war, Thomas took a job as a motor mechanic with Whittle Springs Brewery.
In 1936, after the passing of his mother, Elizabeth, Thomas and his family relocated to a house named Springfield, also on Preston Road. The 1939 census records him as a retired gardener. Thomas and his wife, Alice, had two children – Benjamin and May Elizabeth.
Tragically, Benjamin passed away just a month old in January 1901 at their home, the Railway Hotel in Heapey.
May grew up to become a talented milliner and married John Goodfellow in 1925.
Benjamin Bond
Benjamin and his wife, Mary, lived for a time in a house called Springfield on Preston Road in Whittle le Woods before moving to another home, known as Rutland, which was also located on Preston Road.
Benjamin became a Freemason in 1907, prior to marrying Mary. He was a member of the Carnarvon Lodge in Leyland, having been initiated on October 28, 1907, while still living with his parents at the ‘Sea View.’
Professionally, Benjamin worked as the assistant secretary at the Whittle Springs Brewery. He passed away from prostate cancer on May 22, 1934. Just a month later, on July 7, 1934, Mary also died at the age of sixty-two.
Nanny/Nannie Bond
In April of 1912 Nanny married Harry Little, a groom from nearby Shaw Hill. Harry was originally from Applethwaite in Cumbria. Just three years into their marriage, Nanny passed away from tuberculosis at the age of 31. After her death, Harry remarried and settled down on Preston Road, where he worked as a gardener.
