Great x3 Half Uncle Thomas Philip Boobier

My Great x3 Half Uncle Thomas (1851 - 1907) was a shoemaker, and an elder half brother of my Great Great Grandfather Walter Boobier (1871 - 1924).

Thomas was born in Jul/Aug/Sep 1851, in Tiverton, to William Boobier (about 25), a stone mason, and Emma Boobier (nee Kimmings) (about 24), a laundress.

Thomas was baptised on New Year's Day 1853, in Tiverton

Thomas was the second of eight children (six sons and two daughters):

• William Edwin Kimmings  1850 - 1851 (14 months)
• Thomas Philip  1851 -
• William Donald  1854 - 1855 (13 months)
• Emma 'Grace' Grace  1855 -
• Edwin John  1858 -
• William Edwin  1861 -
• Lucy Janet/Jeanette  1863 - 1863 (0 - 3 months)
• George Albert  1864 - 
  

In Oct/Nov/Dec, when Thomas was only a few months old at most, his older brother William, himself only fourteen months old, sadly passed away.

In May 1855, when Thomas was three years old, his younger brother - also called William - passed away, aged about thirteen months. He was buried on 17th May 1855, in St Peter in Tiverton.

Thomas's family were a close one. As shown on the 1861 Census, his next door neighbours were his aunt and grandmother, both widowed and both called Mary, with cousin Sarah (daughter of Uncle Edward Boobier). Also staying with Thomas and his family is another cousin Mary Ann (another daughter of Uncle Edward Boobier).

1861 Census: 

In Jan/Feb/Mar 1863, when Thomas was eleven, his baby sister, Lucy, passed away, aged zero to three months, in Tiverton.

In January 1867, when Thomas was fourteen, his mother Emma passed away, aged about forty. She was buried on 24th January 1867 in Exeter. Thomas's father remarried the next year. William (about 41) married Jane Mutter (about 30) in May/June 1868.

Thomas had four younger half brothers:

• Robert  1869 -
• Walter  1871 -
• Alfred  1873 -
• Frederick  1874 -

Whilst his father and younger siblings moved to Exeter in the 1860's, Thomas and his sister Grace stayed behind in Tiverton. They lived with their Aunt Mary Ann Jess, a grocer and shopkeeper. 

1871 Census:

At some point in the 1870's, Thomas, a young shoemaker, moved to the big city of Bristol.

The 1881 Census shows him living with and working for the Beake/Ackland family, headed by widow Mary, shoe-shop owner.

1881 Census:

In 1884, Thomas's employer Mary Beake and her son Albert were accused of stealing boots, to then sell in her shop. 

Albert pleaded guilty due to hard times.

Mary, on the other hand, pleaded not guilty. The soles in a cupboard and boots in her bed, she claimed she purchased off a man called Lewis; she was not aware they had been stolen from Messrs Derham Brothers. The jury found her not guilty.

From the Western Daily Press of 18th April 1884:

The 1891 Census, shows Thomas still living with the Ackland family on St George's Road, Bristol.

1891 Census:

Sometime in the 1890's, Thomas moved with the Ackland family to their new home of 15 Chatterton Square, Bristol.

1901:

On 20th July 1907, Thomas passed away, aged fifty-five, in Bristol. He was buried in Ridgeway Park Cemetery.

Great x4 Grandfather Thomas Boobier

My Great x4 Grandfather Thomas (1781 - 1840) was a labourer, navigator, and father of six.

Thomas was born on 26th October 1781 in Tiverton, Devon to Edward Boobier (about 27) and Grace Boobier (nee King) (about 24).

Thomas was baptised on Christmas Day 1781 in Tiverton.

Thomas was the second of six children (four sons and two children):

• Edward  1780 -
• Thomas  1781 -
• William  1784 -
• George  1786 -
• Grace  1791 -
• Ann  1793 - 1794 (about 12 months old)

In the summer of 1794, when Thomas was twelve, his mother Grace (about 37) and youngest sister Ann (about 1) passed away. Mother and daughter were both buried on 6th June 1794 in Tiverton.

On the 24th April 1805, Thomas (23), a labourer, married Mary Wood (about 24) in Tiverton. On their record of marriage, both left only their mark, implying neither could write.

In January 1807, when Thomas was twenty-five, his father Edward passed away, aged about fifty-three. He was buried on 4th January 1807 in his native Washfield, a village two miles north-west of Tiverton.

Thomas and Mary had six children (four sons and two children):

• John  1806 - 1840  (34 years old)
• Mary  1809 -
• Edward  1817 -
• William  1820 - 1824  (4 years old)
• Grace  1823 - 1836  (13 years old)
• William  1826 - 1886 (59 years old)

Alas two of their children passed away in childhood. Their fourth child, William, passed away, aged only four, in 1824. William was buried on 1st September 1824 in Tiverton. The couple would name their youngest son for their lost child. And their fifth child, Grace, likely named for her William's mother and sister, passed away, aged about thirteen, in 1836. Grace was buried on 12th June 1836 in Tiverton.

On 4th November 1840, Thomas passed away suddenly, aged fifty-nine. That day, he, with one of his sons and some other men, had been making a pond on the estate of a Mr Gunn. After suddenly complaining of not feeling well, his son recommended he return to the farmhouse, but he would never reach it - on his way, he fell to the ground and died. He had not been ill, but appeared in his usual health, until his last moments.

His death was reported in the North Devon Journal of 12th November 1840:

Thomas was buried on 8th November 1840, in Tiverton. Thomas' oldest son, John, passed away soon after, aged about thirty-four. John was buried on 22nd November 1840 in Tiverton. Thomas' widow Mary was supported by the income of her surviving adult children.