John Thomas (abt. 1860 - 1944)

Born about 1860 in Landore, Glamorgan, Wales [uncertain]

Husband of Elizabeth (Whitcombe) Thomas — married 17 Sep 1883 in Newport, Monmouthshire, Wales

Descendants

Died 2 Jan 1944 at about age 84 in Pontypridd, Glamorgan, Wales

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Cherryl Schmidt [send private message]

Biography

John Thomas was born in Glamorgan, Wales.

John Thomas was born about 1860 in Llandore, Morriston or Tre-boeth, Glamorgan, Wales. All of these places fall under the registration district of Swansea. According to his grandaughter Mavra Pavloff, John Thomas may have been the child of a second marriage with older step-brothers. Someone in the family went to Manchester and, possibly, to Canada for a time; it might have been Gransha (John Thomas). Apparently when he left home (maybe to go to Canada) he was given a pile of gold sovereigns. Later he inherited some houses in Morriston but turned them down as he felt he'd had his share but many years later he showed Uncle Dave the houses in Morriston. (I think he considered himself a bit of a Black Sheep, maybe because he didn't go into farming or because he was a "step-brother".) Mam told me this and I don't think she was making it up (why would she?).

According to the 1921 Census, John was born in Treboeth, Glamorgan, Wales and aged 60 years 8 months at the time of the census (taken on 19 June 1921). This implies that John Thomas born in the fourth quarter 1860.

It appears that John may have joined the Military however at the age of 19, according to the UK, Military Deserters, 1812-1927 Gazette published on 27 August 1880, 30 August 1880, 1 September 1880 and 8 September 1880, he deserted from the 36th Foot Military Corps (Regimental Number: 1959) on 14 August 1880 in Cork, Ireland. ^[1] DESERTER: Service #280228 / Reg.No. 1959 / Corps: 36th Foot / Trade: labourer / Age: 19 1/2 / Height: 5 foot 5 inches / brown hair / grey eyes / fresh complexion / Coat & Trousers: Regimental / went off pass in Cork.

Perhaps it was after this event that he went to Canada to lay low for a while, and anecdotally may have found work as a navvy constructing the Canadian Pacific Railway, ^[2] although he was back in Wales by 1883.

On 17 September 1883 John Thomas (aged 22 and employed as a Colliery Engine Driver) married Lizzie Watkins (aged 19) in Newport, Monmouthshire, Wales ^[3][4] and at the time of their marriage, they were both living in Risca, Glamorgan, Wales. Together between 1885 and 1907 John and Lizzie brought eleven children into the world.

At the time of the 1891 Census, John (a Haulier in the Coal Mine aged 30) and his wife Lizzie were living at 22 Shephard Street, Gelliwion near Llantrisant, Glamorgan, Wales ^[5] with their three children:

• Anne Thomas;
• Richard Thomas; and
• Sarah Thomas.

Ten years later in the 1901 Census, John (a Coal Miner / Hewer aged 40) and his wife Lizzie were living at 28 Graig-Yr-Helfa Road, Pontypridd, Glamorgan, Wales ^[6] with their children:

• Anne Thomas;
• Richard Thomas - although aged only 13 years (despite the census showing 15 years), Richard was already working as a coal miner / hewer;
• Sarah Thomas;
• Margaret Thomas;
• John Thomas;
• Mary Thomas; and
• baby Fred Thomas.

On 2 Apr 1911 in the census, John (a Coal Miner / Hewer aged 50) was living at 8 Llewellyn Street, Bleancwm, Treherbert, Rhondda Valley, Glamorgan, South Wales with Lizzie ^[7] and their children:

• Margaret Thomas;
• John Thomas - employed as an Assistant Collier Hewer;
• Mary Thomas;
• Fred Thomas;
• Jessie Thomas;
• Elizabeth Thomas;
• David Thomas; and
• Alfred Thomas.

In the 1921 Census (see attached image) taken on 19 June, John (aged 60 years and 8 months) and Lizzie were living at 8 Llewellyn Street, Rhondda, Glamorgan, Wales along with four of their children:

• Fred Thomas aged 20;
• Lizzie Thomas aged 17;
• David James Thomas aged 15; and
• Edward (Ned) Alfred Thomas aged 13.

John's wife Lizzie Thomas passed away in 1929.

In the 1939 Register, John was described as a Widower aged 83 years old (no birth date) and his occupation was Colliery Hewer Retired. He was living with his youngest son Ned Thomas and his wife Lottie at 7 School Street, Blaen-y-cwm, Rhondda, Glamorganshire, Wales. ^[8]

John Thomas died on 2 January 1944 aged 83 while living at 8 Llewellyn Street, Blaencwm in Wales and his death was registered in Pontypridd in the March quarter. ^[9] He was buried in Treorchy Cemetery on 5 January 1944.

Research Notes

Profiles for possible birth parents and siblings have been created under John Thomas (1824-1871) and Margaret (Davies) Thomas (1820-1891). There is however a discrepancy between the occupation of the father as stated on the marriage certificate of his son (Coal Miner) and the 1861/1871 Census (Silver or Steel Smelter). Requires further research. If proven to be correct, then John Thomas (1860-) will need to be merged with John Thomas (abt.1861-1944).

_________________________________________________________

If born in Landore, Morriston or Treboeth, the registration district would be Swansea:

All possible birth records in 1860:

Mother's maiden name EVANS ^[10]

Mother's maiden name GEORGE ^[11]

Mother's maiden name EVANS ^[12]

Mother's maiden name Unknown / probably THOMAS ^[13]

Mother's maiden name JONES ^[14]

There were no births registered for John Thomas in 1860 or 1861 in Pontypridd.

Sources

1. ↑ Possible Military Record: Source Information: Ancestry.com. UK, Military Deserters, 1812-1927 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2016. Original data: UK Police Gazettes, Luminary Trading.
2. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_Pacific_Railway
3. ↑ Marriage findmypast https://www.findmypast.co.uk/transcript?id=BMD%2FM%2F1883%2F3%2FAZ%2F000310%2F268
4. ↑ Marriage: "Marriage Index" (https://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/information.pl?cite=l6VNDXJgSJQWCi92c4ORRA&scan=1 : accessed 4 April 2021) FreeBMD, database online for THOMAS John and WATKINS Elizabeth, 1883 Sep Quarter District: Newport, M. Vol: 11a Page 342.
5. ↑ 1891 Census: "England and Wales Census, 1891," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:4126-G3Z : 8 May 2019), John Thomas, Llantrisant, Glamorgan, Wales, United Kingdom; from "1891 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO RG 12, Glamorganshire county, subdistrict, The National Archives of the UK, Kew, Surrey.
6. ↑ 1901 Census: "England and Wales Census, 1901," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X91Y-TZD : 21 May 2019), John Thomas, Eglwysilan, Glamorgan, Wales, United Kingdom; from "1901 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing Eglwysilan subdistrict, PRO RG 13, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey.
7. ↑ 1911 Census: "England and Wales Census, 1911," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XW6B-5TG : 27 June 2019), John Thomas, Rhondda, Glamorgan, Wales, United Kingdom; from "1911 England and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO RG 14, The National Archives of the UK, Kew, Surrey.
8. ↑ 1939 Census: Source Citation: The National Archives; Kew, London, England; 1939 Register; Reference: RG 101/7369B. Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1939 England and Wales Register [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2018. (https://www.ancestry.co.uk/sharing/23680897?h=c71603&utm_campaign=bandido-webparts&utm_source=post-share-modal&utm_medium=copy-url)
9. ↑ Death: England & Wales General Register Office, GRO Online Index - Death (https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content : accessed 3 April 2021), database entry for THOMAS, JOHN. (Age at death: 83). GRO Reference: 1944 M Quarter in PONTYPRIDD Volume 11A Page 566.
10. ↑ England & Wales General Register Office, GRO Online Index - Birth (https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content : accessed 29 April 2021), database entry for THOMAS, JOHN (Mother's maiden surname: EVANS). GRO Reference: 1860 M Quarter in SWANSEA Volume 11A Page 525.
11. ↑ England & Wales General Register Office, GRO Online Index - Birth (https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content : accessed 29 April 2021), database entry for THOMAS, JOHN (Mother's maiden surname: GEORGE). GRO Reference: 1860 M Quarter in SWANSEA Volume 11A Page 527.
12. ↑ England & Wales General Register Office, GRO Online Index - Birth (https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content : accessed 29 April 2021), database entry for THOMAS, JOHN (Mother's maiden surname: EVANS). GRO Reference: 1860 J Quarter in SWANSEA Volume 11A Page 520.
13. ↑ England & Wales General Register Office, GRO Online Index - Birth (https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content : accessed 29 April 2021), database entry for THOMAS, JOHN (Mother's maiden surname: ). GRO Reference: 1860 S Quarter in SWANSEA Volume 11A Page 485.
14. ↑ England & Wales General Register Office, GRO Online Index - Birth (https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content : accessed 29 April 2021), database entry for THOMAS, JOHN (Mother's maiden surname: JONES). GRO Reference: 1860 S Quarter in SWANSEA Volume 11A Page 487.