Great x3 Half Aunt Minnie Thomas (nee Clapperton) 1884 - 1956

My Great x3 Half Aunt Minnie (1884 - 1956) was a housewife, mother of nine and a young half sister of my Great Great Grandmother Emma Wright (nee Bennett) (1871 - 1944).

Minnie was born in Jul/Aug/Sep 1884, in Exeter, Devon, to James Clapperton (about 48), a Scottish veteran of the Crimean War and a draper's porter, and Sarah Ann Clapperton (formerly Bennett, nee Andrews) (about 40), a housewife.

I cannot find a record of marriage between Sarah Ann and James Clapperton, though they would live for years as husband and wife. 

Minnie was baptised on the 29th September 1884, at St Matthew's, Exeter. At the time, the family were living at 69 Clifton Street.

Minnie had two old half siblings from her mother's first marriage to railway labourer James Bennett, who died after an accident at work:

• William  1868 - 1942  (73)
• Emma  1871 - 1944  (73)

Minnie was the sixth of eight full siblings (four boys, four girls):

• James 1874 - 1936  (61)
• George Henry  1876 - 1952  (75)
• Albert 1878 - 1878 (2 months)
• Walter John  1880 - 1913  (32)
• Lily/Lilian Maude  1882 - 1958 (75)
• Minnie  1884 - 1956 (71)
• Ada  1886 - 1888  (1 year and 9 months)
• Florence 'Florrie' Mabel  1889 - 1975 (85)

On the evening of 11th April 1888, when Minnie was three, her younger sister Ada was tragically killed - knocked down by a tram.

Ada was only a toddler, out of her mother's sight for barely a minute, while she fetched water from the house next door, and watched over by older brother George, aged only eleven. In a passing moment Walter, aged eight, left the front door open, going out to play with friends. Little Ada ran out, just when a tram came pass. The tram-driver braked suddenly, but too late. 

From the Western Times on 17th April 1888:

1891 Census:

When Minnie was a teenager, her parents' relationship fell apart. They had been living apart for fifteen months, when James was charged with assaulting Sarah in 1899. By then, Sarah was living with her future husband, stone mason William Luscombe.

I cannot presently find Minnie or her sisters Lily or Florrie on the 1901 Census, when they would have been about nineteen, seventeen, and twelve years old. They are with neither parent.

On Christmas Day 1902, Minnie (18) married Albert 'Bert' Thomas (23), a bombardier (and later a corporal and then a sergeant) from Lancashire, in her native Exeter. Minnie's older sister Lily acted as witness.

Minnie and Bert had nine children (four sons and five daughters):

• Walter  1904  
• Minnie Elizabeth  1905  
• Amy Letitia  1906  
• Joseph 'Harry' Henry  1907  
• Lillian Florence  1909 
• Phyllis B  1911 
• Ena Caroline  1914  
• Frederick Arthur  1917 - 1917 (1 month)
• Claude Oliver  1918  

Bert (Service number 34796) was in the 68th Battery of the Royal Horse and Field Artillery. 

His service record gives a brief physical description of him, when he enlisted aged nineteen, in 1899: he was 5'4'', with a fresh complexion, light brown hair and grey eyes. His character is repeatedly given as "exemplary". He is described as "sober, honest and trustworthy".

Unfortunately, it is difficult to read a lot of Bert's service record due to writing fading and paper being damaged. But we know he served until 1920 - for over twenty-one years! Including the First World War.

The family moved around a lot, likely due to Bert's work as a soldier. This can be observed in the varied locations in their children's births...

Around 1905, they moved from Exeter, Devon, to Trowbirdge, Wiltshire, where Minnie and Amy were born (in 1905 and 1906). Then around 1907, they moved to Templemore, Tupperary, Ireland, where Joseph and Lillian were born (in 1907 and 1909). Then by 1911, they were living in Chertsey, Surrey, where Phyllis was born. Then by 1914, in Barkham, Berkshire, where Ena was born. Then by 1917, they were living in Dublin, Ireland, where Frederick and Claude were born (1917 and 1918). And by 1925, where living in Bridgewater, Somerset, where Joyce was born.

On 18th January 1907, when Lily was twenty-three, her father James passed away, aged seventy-one, in Exeter. His death was reported in the Western Times on 23rd January 1907:

His funeral took place on 24th January 1907 at Exeter's Higher Cemetery. Owing to his military service, his funeral was highly attended and reported in the Western Times on 25th January 1907:

Minnie (left) and her younger sister Florence (right)

At the time of the 1911, Minnie and her young family were living at Minden Barracks in Deepcut, Surrey.

1911 Census:

Some of Minnie's children

Minnie and some of her children

In 1913, Minnie's older brother Walter passed away. In the Royal Marines for thirteen years, Walter had served on many ships, before being invalided out on 16th November 1911. Eighteen months later, he passed away, aged thirty-two, in April 1913. At the time of his death, Walter was living with their older brother George in Barnstaple.

His death was reported in the North Devon Herald of 10th April 1913:

Minnie and her family, c 1915.

On 15th February 1917, Minnie's baby son Frederick passed away, at only one month old, in Dublin, Ireland.

At the time of the 1921 Census, Minnie, with her baby toddler Claude, was visiting her older sister Lily, in Guildford.

1921 Census:

Meanwhile, her family were living back in her native Exeter.

After his long military service, Minnie's husband Bert became a grocer.

1921 Census:

By 1939, Minnie and Bert had moved to Manchester (near Bert's native Salford). Living with them is fourteen-year-old Joyce Thomas (possibly a granddaughter). Bert had changed careers and was working as a court warrant officer. 

1939 Census:

Minnie's sister Florence (left) and Minnie (right), later in life

Minnie (left) with Bert (right), later in life, with an unknown girl between them

In Jan/Feb/Mar 1956, Minnie passed away, aged seventy-one, in Manchester.

In Oct/Nov/Dec 1972, her widower Bert passed away, aged ninety-three, in Manchester.

Minnie's children later in life

Standing Left to Right: Lillian, Claude, Phyllis, Walter, Harry
Sat Left to Right: Ena, Amy, Minnie

I must thank closer relatives of Minnie, who have shared photos of her and her close family. It has been a rare delight to see faces of my relatives in the past, as often working class families, such as mine, do not have many.