Genealogy Chat

Hi im looking for: Joseph Thomas, his wife Mary Ellen and his daughter Mary Elizabeth age 12. Any help greatly appreciated. Thanks Jennifer

Hi, Jennifer Not too much luck here. I looked at Lancashire only. There are only two people called Mary Elizabeth Thomas aged 12. One is a daughter to the wrong parents. The other (born Liverpool) is a servant to Robert Baldwin River (36) of 24 Granville Street, Liverpool, who was a cashier and bookkeeper in a jewellery shop. There are several people called Mary Ellen Thomas. Those who are wives are not married to the right husband. Others are daughters. There are no heads of households. There are 127 people called Joseph Thomas. It would help to have an age for him, or a place, otherwise the search is too daunting. I hope you find the right people eventually. Best wishes Stan Driver

Thanks very much for your help. Sadly i suspected it might be difficult as i could not find them on 1881 census. I know joseph thomas died in 1913 he was 63 then so i guess that would make him born in 1850 and i know he was a collier. I dont know anything about mary ellen. mary elizabeth was born in lancs according to the 1901 census. thanks again, jennifer

Hi again, The age clue was enough to find Joseph. What's more, the wife and daughter are also there, second names just initials, and the daughter 11 rather than 12 as you expected. 11 Stank Lane, Whiston: Jospeh Thomas, head, 41, Coal miner, born Flintshire, Mostyn; Mary E Thomas, wife, 35, born Lancashire, Whiston; John Thomas, son, 16, Coal miner, born Lancashire, Whiston; William H Thomas, son, 14, Coal miner, born Lancashire, Whiston; Mary E Thomas, daur, 11, Scholar, born Lancashire, Whiston; Richard Thomas, son, 7, Scholar, born Lancashire, Whiston; Ellen G Thomas, daur, 5, Scholar, born Lancashire, Whiston; Joseph Thomas, son, 3, Scholar, born Lancashire, Whiston; Martha Thomas, daur, 10 months, born Lancashire, Whiston. Incidentally, nearly all the men in the street are coalminers. Mr Thomas's neighbour at no. 10, Peter Jones (43), a coalmining contractor, also was born in Mostyn (the others came from the Wigan area). It is I suppose possible that they were both recruited together for a coalmine sunk in the 1870's or 1880's. (Cronton would be fairly close, but I don't know the names or sinking dates of all the collieries in the area). Point of Ayr colliery near Mostyn was sunk in 1873, so they could conceivably have learned the trade there. It's just speculation of course, but interesting nevertheless. Anyway, I'm glad that in the end it wasn't as difficult as you feared to find some information. Since writing this, I have loked up Joseph on the 1881 census (Family Search internet Genealogy Service). He is there at Stank Lane, Whiston, as a widower, with his two eldest sons and Mary, his daughter, aged 1. Clearly he must have remarried after 1881. The interesting thing is that his father in law aged 73 was also living there, still a coalminer. He was called Thomas Edwards, so we have the maiden name of Mary Elizabeth's mother. They also had a servant aged 31, Jane Davies, also from Whitford, Mostyn, Flintshire, like them, as well as a boarder, another coalminer. For 1881 see film 1341892, RG11, 3728/103 page 50. Best wishes Stan Driver

Thank you so so much. It is really kind of you. The colliery would be cronton. I live in cronton just down the road from where it was. Mary elizabeth is my great grandma. It has filled in a lot of gaps. So thank you again!