Thomas Richardson Gregson (1862)

Born 1862 in Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland, England, United Kingdom

Ancestors

Husband of Annie Baptist — married about 1888 in Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland, England, United Kingdom

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Richard Varey [send private message]

Biography

Thomas was born in 1862. We think he is the illegitimate son of Thomas Gregson, and the mother dead or gone, although it's conceivable he was the child of Eleanor Gregson. As it appears the grandparents registered the boy as theirs, we may never know for whom they were covering up.

He was a watchmaker like his father and grandfather, and sister's husband.

The sources below and have been researched and argued by Tony Varey and Richard Varey.

Sources

BIRTH The Gregson Family tree on Ancestry.com has him as Thomas Richardson Gregson, son of Thomas and the mother as Elizabeth Richardson. However, they quote her as born 1838 in Bury and the Thomas Gregson she married (according to the Preston 1871 census they cite) was a plasterer and beer seller born in Walton le Dale (close to Preston, and not to be confused with Dalton le Dale with which other Gregsons seem to have a connection) and the son in Preston... a long way from a Northumbrian watchmaker. Yes, she has Thomas husband and son of the right ages... but ... And in fact there's a 1860 marriage for these people in Walton le Dale, but she was Elizabeth Crossland. So who was Elizabeth Richardson? There are plenty of Newcastle ones... no need to go as far as Bury...So far we have no record of a mother, married or unmarried, living or dead.

• Record Transcription:

England & Wales Births 1837-2006 First name(s) THOMAS Last name GREGSON Birth year 1862 Birth quarter 4 Registration month - Mother's maiden name Thompson District Newcastle upon Tyne County Northumberland Country England Volume 10B Page 82 Record set England & Wales Births 1837-2006 Category Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Records Subcategory Civil Births Collections from Great Britain, England

Here's a (the only?) plausible birth, but with his grandmother's maiden name Thompson. If so it looks like a cover up, with the grandparents pretending it was theirs. If no father is mentioned, must be illegitimate. Or was the mother another Thompson? No mention of middle name Richardson until his marriage.

CENSUS 1871

Thomas Gregson aged 7 in the 1871 census is staying with his Auntie Eleanor (Gregson) Lyon whose husband is a... watchmaker.

• Ellenor Lyon

in the 1871 England Census Name: Ellenor Lyon Age: 26 Estimated birth year: 1845 Relation: Wife Gender: Female Where born: Newcastle Northumberland England Civil Parish: Westgate St John Ecclesiastical parish: St John Town: Newcastle upon Tyne County/Island: Northumberland Country: England Registration district: Newcastle Upon Tyne Sub-registration district: Westgate ED, institution, or vessel: 13 Household schedule number: 19b Piece: 5074 Folio: 69 Page Number: 3 Household Members: Name Age Thomas S Lyon 26 Ellenor Lyon 26 John Lyon 4 Louis Gregson Lyon 3 Thomas Gregson 7

CENSUS 1881

• in the 1881 England Census Name: Thomas Gregson Age: 42 Estimated birth year: abt 1839 Relationship to Head: Son Father: Thomas Gregson Gender: Male Where born: Newcastle Civil Parish: Westgate County/Island: Northumberland Country: England Street address: 26 Longley St Education: Employment status: View image Occupation: Watch & Clock Maker Registration district: Newcastle Upon Tyne ED, institution, or vessel: 3 Neighbors: View others on page Piece: 5047 Folio: 120 Page Number: 39 Household Members: Name Age Thomas Gregson 68 Thomas Gregson 42 Richard Gregson 27 Thomas Gregson 17

Thomas aged 17 is the grandson of Thomas aged 68. But whose son is he really? We have assigned him to Thomas aged 42. As he is now of age, an Apprentice Clock/Watchmaker like his father and grandfather, and living with them.

But could this Thomas R Gregson could be the son of one of the daughters? Margaret That could make far more sense. In 1862 Margaret was already married (since 1857). Jane gave birth in 1863/4 to her firstborn Thomas Hopper, whose father she married in 1865, and this eliminates her. Eleanor is a possibility, marrying in 1866, and having her nephew Thomas G in the Hopper household in 1871. But at age 7 it would be very normal for a motherless child to be brought up by an aunt, not by a single father.

MARRIAGE

Here's Thomas Richardson Gregson's marriage to Annie Baptiste...

Thomas Richardson Gregson in the England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1837-1915 Name: Thomas Richardson Gregson Registration Year: 1888 Registration Quarter: Jul-Aug-Sep Registration district: Newcastle upon Tyne Parishes for this Registration District: View Ecclesiastical Parishes associated with this Registration District Inferred County: Northumberland Volume: 10b Page: 186 Records on Page: Name Annie Baptist Thomas William Davidson Thomas Richardson Gregson Jane Reynolds

Thomas Wm Davidson, if a witness, may be the same Thos. Davidson living with the Gregsons in 1851.

CENSUS 1891

This census with him as Thomas R married to an Annie, from Newcastle, watchmaker... ... CLINCHES IT. Note also his cousin Catherine, daughter of his uncle John Gregson, is living with them.

Record Transcription: 1891 England, Wales & Scotland Census Stanton Street, Elswick, Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland, England Household Members Members that resided in the household at the time of the census. First name(s) Last name Relationship Marital status Sex Age Birth year Occupation Birth place Thomas R Gregson Head Married Male 26 1865 Clock & Watch Maker Newcastle on Tyne Annie Gregson Wife Married Female 25 1866 - Newcastle on Tyne Leslie Gregson Son - Male 2 1889 - Newcastle on Tyne Ethel T Gregson Daughter - Female 0 1891 - Newcastle on Tyne Catherine Gregson Cousin - Female 13 1878 - Newcastle on Tyne John Stevenson Visitor Married Male 40 1851 Traveller Hackney, Middlesex, England Isabella Stevenson Visitor Married Female 28 1863 - Stretford, Lancashire, England Thomas R Gregson's Census Details Details taken from the original census record. First name(s) Thomas R Last name Gregson Relationship Head Marital status Married Sex Male Age 26 Birth year 1865 Birth town Newcastle on Tyne Birth county - Birth place - Occupation Clock & Watch Maker Street Stanton Street Town - Parish Elswick City Newcastle upon Tyne County Northumberland Country England Registration district Newcastle upon Tyne Archive reference RG12 Piece number 4200 Folio 96 Page 78 Record set 1891 England, Wales & Scotland Census Category Census, land & surveys Subcategory Census Collections from Great Britain, England