Thomas Blake (abt. 1844 - abt. 1917)

Born about 5 Aug 1844 in Chowley, Cheshire, England, United Kingdom

Ancestors

Descendants

Died about 1917 at about age 72 in Bucklow District, Cheshire, England, United Kingdom

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Pat Reynolds [send private message]

Biography

Thomas, the illigitimate son of Mary Blake was born on the 5th August 1844 at Chowley, in the Tattenhall subdistrict, Great Boughton Registration District ^[1]. Thomas was baptised at Chowley, where his mother's residence is given as Malpas ^[2].

In 1851 Thomas aged was in the household of William Alman (62, a tailor), and his children Thomas Alman (abt.1823-abt.1871) (28), James (18), Edward (15), and Frederick (13) and William's daughter-in-law Hannah Alman (23). His relationship to William was a 'nurse' (nursechild = foster-child), and he may have been Thomas Alman's child

In 1861 Thomas was a 16-year-old carter, born Chowley, Cheshire, living in the household of the Price family as a servant (there were two other male servants and two female servants at Edge, Whitchurch, Chshire shire. Edge is a small hamlet about five miles south of Chowley, on the way towards Malpas). Charles Price, head of household, was "Farmer 95 Acres Employing 1 Labourer"

Thomas married Sarah or Martha Barnett

Their son, Thomas William's birth was registered in the Oct-Nov-Dec quarter of 1870 in the Birkenhead district.^[5].

In 1871 Thomas (a labourer, aged 26) and his wife Sarah (sic) (22) and son Thomas (7 months) were living at 63 Corporation Road, Birkenhead, Cheshire. All the family were born in Cheshire (no more detail given in the census) ^[6].

Thomas's daughter Sarah was born on 30th October in the December quarter of 1872, at Factory Lane, Over, in the Northwich Registration District of Cheshire ^[7].

In 1891 Thomas Blake (46, a salt boiler, born ?Chorley), Martha Blake (44, born Over) and children together with their grandson, James Blake (1889-1960) (2, born Over) were living at Bradford Wood Cottages, Winsford, Cheshire

In 1901 the family was still living at Bradford Wood Cottages, and now comprised Thomas (a saltmaker, 57, born ?Chuley) and Martha (53), and Joseph (12), Martha (10) and James Blake (1889-1960) (11) ^[9].

Thomas's death was registered in the March quarter of 1917 in the Bucklow Registration District ^[10].

Research notes

Thomas Blake married Martha Barnett December quarter 1867 in the Northwich District ^[11].

No trace of a marriage between Thomas Blake and Sarah

The family (including Sarah Blake (1872-abt.1930, daughter of Thomas Blake)) seem to be entirely missing from the 1881 census. In 1879/80 the family seems to have been in ?Nestion, Cheshire, and from 1881/2 the family seems to be in Over (from the birthplaces of children).

Not this Thomas: Thomas, son of Mary Blake, was baptised at Malpas, Cheshire on 15th August 1844 ^[12]

Chorley is in the Macclesfield registration district. Chorley renamed Alderley Edge with the coming of the railways in 1842 to avoid confusion with Chorley, Lancs ^[13].

The relocation from Chorley to Edge seems improbable ... but there are good rail links. With time and world enough I'd see how easy it was and at what cost.

Sources

1. ↑ GRO Birth certificate viewed 8 Jan 2021
2. ↑ England Births & Baptisms 1538-1975 viewed on Find My Past 17 Oct 2022
3. ↑ Original data: Census Returns of England and Wales, 1851. Kew, Surrey, England: The National Archives of the UK (TNA): Public Record Office (PRO), 1851. Data imaged from the National Archives, London, England. Viewed on Ancestry 17 Oct 2022
4. ↑ "England and Wales Census, 1861," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M7B6-1KK : 24 August 2020), Thomas Blake in household of Charles Price, Edge, Shropshire, England, United Kingdom; from "1861 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO RG 9, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey.
5. ↑ Birth Registration: "England & Wales General Register Office"
   GRO Online Indexes - Birth (accessed 30 May 2023)
   Blake, Thomas William (Mother's maiden name: Barnett).
   GRO Reference: 1870 Oct-Nov-Dec in Birkenhead Volume 08A Page 408.
6. ↑ "England and Wales Census, 1871", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VBNC-YT2 : 29 April 2019), Thomas Blake, 1871.
7. ↑ GRO Birth Registration Index, Dec quarter 1872, Northwich vol 8a page 249 https://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/information.pl?cite=GmxHH6sTOz8yoFc9XK%2F9Bg&scan=1, certificate viewed
8. ↑ "England and Wales Census, 1891," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:49N9-2T2 : 5 May 2019), Martha Blake in household of Thomas Blake, Over, Cheshire, England, United Kingdom; from "1891 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO RG 12, Cheshire county, subdistrict, The National Archives of the UK, Kew, Surrey. also viewed on Ancestry 17 Oct 2020
9. ↑ Class: RG13; Piece: 3343; Folio: 91; Page: 9 Source Information Ancestry.com. 1901 England Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005. Viewed 17/10/2020
10. ↑ GRO Death Registration Index transcription viewed on FreeBMD 18 Nov 2022 https://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/information.pl?cite=tHnE9n7XJujBgYaNHqjQ4Q&scan=1
11. ↑ GRO Marriage Registration Index Northwich volume 8a page 326 https://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/information.pl?cite=Kb3QffDurRDDjsHa4jH04A&scan=1
12. ↑ "England, Cheshire Parish Registers, 1538-2000," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F31N-HB4 : 7 December 2017), Thomas Blake, 15 Aug 1844, Christening; citing item 4 p 332, , Malpas, Cheshire, England, Record Office, Chester; FHL microfilm 2,068,452.
13. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chorley,_Alderley