Thomas Jones born Herefordshire 1827

[geneius]

I re visited a news article I had found and now consider this to be your man!

In the 1861 census Thomas Jones states he is a labourer at the Ironworks, he declares himself as 37 not 40. I cannot find another Thomas Jones on the 1861 census to match this info in the news article

Lancaster Gazette 13 April 1861

Dreadful Accident at Oldham
On Wednesday , a dreadful accident occurred at Hartford Ironworks, Oldham. A new engine – house is in the course of erection, and nine labourers were engaged in getting up a large bea, to support the top most storey, when the scaffold on which they stgood gave way, and they were precipitated to the ground, a distance of about eight or nine yards.
Cornelius Taylor aged 44 of Hollinwood and Thomas Jones aged 40 Side O Moor Oldham were killed on the spot………….

[geneius]

gro.gov.uk has a .pdf offer for £6 instead of the usual £9.25 now maybe the time to use this offer

Name: Thomas Jones
Registration Year: 1861
Registration Quarter: Apr-May-Jun
Registration district: Oldham Lancashire
Volume: 8d Page: 325

[BJ Smith]

This fits him and also explains why he just seemed to disappear, very close to the petition date Janet found as well. Thank you so much for this. Will now check deaths etc and see if I can access the article. Brian

Sorry missed your note re costs while typing the above, cheers Brian

[janbooth]

Great spot, Jean, and it seems to fit with the fact that the Oldham Thomas JONES seems to disappear from records after April 1861. Having spent some time maligning the poor bloke, suggesting he may have been leading a double life, I shall now hang my head in shame!!

Janet

[geneius]

Janet

Yes but it was your post that made me re visit the article. Should never speak ill of the dead springs to mind!

Maybe we may learn more form the death certificate!

Jx

[janbooth]

Hopefully, fingers crossed. Mind you, I think one would have to be of a very forgiving nature not to speak ill of some dead and I am pretty sure I do not quite fit into that category!

Janet

[BJ Smith]

Janet and Jean wow thank you for all this and please malign away, I have and no doubt will in the future when I start on his parents etc.

I have ordered the death cert and will let you know the result. Meanwhile I am still trying to chase down the petition in Janet mentioned on Ancestry. I also get the feeling there is more to the report posted by Jean and having checked access to the Lancaster Gazette see I can access this via the local library so need to find time to visit.

Thanks again Brian

[janbooth]

Good luck with the death certificate, Brian, and do let us know the result. Quite a few newspaper articles on FMP re the accident at Hartford Iron Works from various newspapers - it looks as if it was widely reported across the country. The 2 fatalities were caused by "concussion of the brain".

Janet

[BJ Smith]

Hi sorry for delay details on birth cert confirm death as a result of the accident but do not provide any additional new information.

when and where died; 10 April 1861 Hartford Iron Works Oldham
Name; Thomas Jones
Sex; male
Age; 34
Occupation, Outdoor\Labourer
Cause of death;accidentally killed by the falling of a scaffolding to which he and other men were at work, 2 killed immediately
Description and residence, information received from one of the coroners for the County of Lancaster inquest held 12 April 1861
Registered; 13 April 1861
Registrar, William Ascroft

Thank you for getting me here and I will now look at his earlier years.

Brian

[janbooth]

That's a bit of a let down isn't it Brian. Shame it didn't say husband of ...... However, I do think you may be on the right track but how to prove it is a different question.

Looking at the 1851 census record of Ashperton I found (HO107/1975, folio 367, page 18) where a Thomas JONES is shown as the grandson of widowed Hannah JONES, she has a son Robert living with her. Robert looks to have been baptised at Ashperton in 1823 son of William & Hannah JONES. I think William JONES is in the 1841 census of Ashperton (HO107/424/1, folio 6, page 6) with son? William aged 30 and Robert aged 15 but no sign of wife Hannah. There is a possible marriage on my Hereford Marriage Index on 1 July 1813 at Ashperton between a William JONES & an Anne DAVIS, with consent of parents.

My latest theory is, again somewhat speculative, that Thomas may have been the illegitimate son of one of William & Hannah's daughters and that the daughter went somewhere else to have the child which might explain why there is no baptism in Ashperton but of course this may be yet another complete flight of fancy!! Looking for baptisms of children to William & Hannah at Ashperton there is a Mary Anne baptised on 3 December 1813 (mother Anne), Rebecca baptised on 17 November 1816 (mother Anne) and Eliza on 24 October 1819 (mother Hannah). The only son I can find is the Robert who is still living unmarried in the 1851 census record with mother Hannah. It might be worthwhile trying to follow through the 3 daughters to see if you can find out anything about them.

There is a death registration in the June qtr 1851 at Ledbury reg district of a Hannah JONES aged 69 which fits in with the Hannah JONES in the 1851 census record.

Janet