Thomas Matthews (1855 - 1923)

Born 1855 in Saint Just, Cornwall, England

Ancestors

Husband of Mary Hattam (Casley) Matthews — married 1879 in Saint Just, Cornwall, England

Descendants

Died 1923 at about age 68 in Penzance, Cornwall, England

Biography

Thomas Matthews lost a son in the Levant Tin Mine disaster on 20-Oct 1919

Thomas Matthews was born in Cornwall, England.

Thomas was born about 1855 in St. Just, Cornwall, England. He was the son of Henry Matthews, a tin miner, and Mary James. ^[1]

Thomas was just 9 years old when his father died in 1864. By 1871, Thomas was now a tin miner as his father. He was living with his mother, siblings, and stepfather in St. Just. ^[2]

He married Mary Hattam Casley in 1879. ^[3] The couple had seven children by 1891: John Henry, William, Nicholas James, Richard, Lily, Mary Margaret, and Albert. Sadly, Lily died soon after birth. ^[4]

In the following years, four more children were born: Annie Jane, Ada, Ellen, and Alfred. However, heartbreak continued to befall the family. Son Albert died at the age of 2 in 1893, and Annie Jane died a few months later at age of 1. Alfred died soon after birth in 1898. ^[5] And then, in 1905, Thomas' wife died at the age of 48. He did not remarry, and was living with three of his children in 1911. ^[6] In 1919, tragedy struck once again when his son Nicholas died in a horrific accident at the Levant Tin Mine.

Thomas passed away at the age of 68 in 1923. ^[7]

Sources

1. ↑ "England and Wales Census, 1861," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M78Y-QRS : 24 October 2019), Thomas Matthews in household of Henry Matthews, Saint Just, Cornwall, 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.
2. ↑ "England and Wales Census, 1871", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VFJX-YM9 : 28 September 2019), Thomas Matthews in entry for Henery Tregear, 1871.
3. ↑ "England, Cornwall Parish Registers, 1538-2010," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QGLK-32KM : 2 February 2018), Thomas Matthews and Mary Hattam Casley, 05 Oct 1879; citing Marriage, St Just in Penwith, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, Cornwall Records Office, Truro.
4. ↑ "England and Wales Census, 1891," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:WXRK-8PZ : 4 May 2019), Thomas Matthews, Saint Just, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom; from "1891 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO RG 12, Cornwall county, subdistrict, The National Archives of the UK, Kew, Surrey.
5. ↑ "England and Wales Census, 1901," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XSH7-SNP : 20 May 2019), Thomas Matthews, St Just in Penwith, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom; from "1901 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing St Just In Penwith subdistrict, PRO RG 13, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey.
6. ↑ "England and Wales Census, 1911," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X7G9-6JG : 18 July 2019), Thomas Matthews, Saint Just, Cornwall, England, 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.
7. ↑ "England and Wales Death Registration Index 1837-2007," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVH3-22VX : 4 September 2014), Thomas Matthews, 1923; from "England & Wales Deaths, 1837-2006," database, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : 2012); citing Death, Penzance, Cornwall, England, General Register Office, Southport, England.