Sophie was born in Shoreditch, the daughter of George and Sophia. The year before her birth, George had taken over the licence of The Bull Inn, Barking from his mother Elizabeth. The family moved in during 1851. The inn was known for holding inquests on bodies removed from the local river.
On 26th September 1872, Sophie married Thomas Timothy Pyecroft, a publican like his father Job. Thomas and Sophie took over the running of the Ship Hotel in Greenwich. Their son Nelson was born here in 1873, followed by Jane Ethel in 1875 and Arthur in 1876.
In 1878, the family moved to Petworth, Sussex and took over the licence of the Half Moon Hotel.
The Swan Hotel, Petworth
They also held the licence of The Swan Hotel and the Railway Inn. A son Vincent was born in 1879. Thomas died after a short illness on 31st May 1883. He left an estate of approx. £4500.
Sophie was granted a licence to run these establishments but by 1894, she had moved to nearby Tillington, running the Horse Guards pub.
By 1901, she had retired and the family moved to Worthing. They lived firstly in Winchester Road and then moved to Cowper Road. Arthur moved to Kenya and Vincent married a Canadian girl and settled in Canada. Sophie, Ethel (Jane) and Nelson continued to live in Cowper Road until her death aged 95 on 10th June 1939. Probate was granted on 17th October to Nelson Ernest Pyecroft, no occupation and Ethel Jane Pyecroft spinster. Effects £14243 13s 1d. Re-sworn £14919 8s 10d.
Nelson died in 1950. Ethel died in 1952 requesting that her pets be humanely destroyed.