Thomas William Blomfield (1849 - 1907)
Rodliffe & Blomfield Roots & Branches ©2013 Rosemary & Stan Rodliffe
Tragic childhood
Henry George BLOMFIELD, a brewer, and Martha, née JOHNSON had three children. Their first born was Sarah Ann whose birth and death were both registered at King's Lynn in the July to September quarter of 1846. Their second was Henry Miles born in 1847 and Thomas William came along in 1849. Two years later on 24 September 1851 at Market Square Kings Lynn, Henry George died aged 33 from epilepsy and delirium tremens and was buried at Wellingham leaving Martha to bring up the boys on her own. Henry Miles died in 1860 and in the 1861 census at Marshall street King's Lynn Thomas William was on his own recorded as a scholar (father absent). His mother Martha and her unmarried sister Rachel were visiting George MUNFORD, the 67 year old vicar of East Winch, for whom unmarried sister Ann was housekeeper.
Five years before the mast
Thomas William was recorded as a ship's officer at his marriage in 1872 and one of our heirlooms is a sea chest with his initials and crossed ensigns painted inside. We have discovered that in April 1870 he passed an examination for a certificate of competency as Second Mate in the Merchant Service (click on image to enlarge). He gave his address at the time as Manor House Wootton which suggests that he was living with his grandparentsr Miles and Susan or one of his uncles, Albert or Alfred. The associated documents have enabled us to construct his maritime exploits up to that time.
He was apprenticed at age 16 on 16 August 1864 to Arthur PARDEW of Plymouth to serve for four years on Queen of the Bay. Having completed his apprenticeship, he served from December 1868 until January 1870 as able seaman aboard Cathaya registered at Liverpool. (Click on the links to read more about his voyages to South Africa, India, Australia and China, the ships, their captains and crews.)
So far, we have discovered only one crewlist for a vessel on which he served between passing his examination for Second Mate in April 1870 and his marriage in August 1872. On the 4th September 1872, at Kirkcaldy in Ireland, he was an able seaman on the steamship Calcium for its regular weekly trade to Newcastle-upon-Tyne. He left the ship on arrival at Newcastle on the 6th, with plenty of time to get back to King's Lynn for his wedding to Frances LOWE three weeks later.
The Calcium (ON 58421) had been built in Dublin and was launched in April 1970. It was lost on 3 May 1876 with a cargo of 285 tons of pig iron from Middlesborough bound for Leith. The captain decided to take the Goldstone Channel inside the Farne Islands, failed to drop anchor when visibility deteriorated, was unable to see the Fern Lights, and went aground on rocks. Three lives were lost and the vessel went to the bottom.
At the time of his banruptcy in 1906 he claimed to have been the captain of a steamship, but we have yet to find any evidence to support that.
Princess Royal & merchant ventures
He was married by banns to Frances LOWE at the Chapel of St Nicholas in King's Lynn on 26 September 1872, both recorded as living in Chapel street, possibly at the Black Horse where Frances' father John J. LOWE was the landlord. By 25 November he was installed as the landlord of the Princess Royal (see Norfolk Public Houses for more information). At the time of his banruptcy in 1906 he stated that he had started in business with £300 including his savings and a bequest from his grandmother, most likely Susanna BLOMFIELD née BLOMFIELD who had died in 1871 although there is no mention of him in her will.
Thomas William expanded his business interests from inn keeper and licensed victualler to include "Hay & Corn Merchant and Cattle Canvasser for the Great Eastern Railway, also Proprietor of Blackfriars Street Stores" by 1888, farmer by 1891, and "Proprietor of Blomfield's Weighbridge Blackfriars Street, stores near the railway station; and tobacconist" by 1896. In 1901 Frances was recorded as the inn proprietor and Thomas William was a corn and hay merchant, working from home while his errands were run by fourteen year old Cecil PETCHEY. On 12 January 1903 Edwin Harry GREEN took over as licensee of the Princess Royal. Thomas William continued as a corn, hay and straw merchant at St John's Terrace, claiming in the 1904 and 1905 Kelly's Directories: "... by appointment to His Majesty the King".
Family
(Photo courtesy of Richard Gaunt)
Seen here around 1900, from left to right.
Back: Thomas F, Violet, Mabel
Middle: Alice, Florence, Frances, Thomas W, Matilda
Front: Grace, Daisy, Nellie
Thomas William and Frances had eleven children. Before they were blessed with a son they had six girls: Matilda Johnson in 1873, Alice Theresa in 1874, Florence Burcham in 1876, Deborah Lowe in 1878, Mabel Wainer in1880 and Violet Springall in 1882. Son Thomas Fiddaman was born in 1883 and was followed by another three daughters: Jemima Grace in 1885, Fanny Daisy in 1887 and Eleanor Gertrude in 1891. The last to be born was son John Joseph in 1892. Deborah Lowe, Eleanor Gertrude and John Joseph all died in childhood.
In 1891 Thomas Fiddaman was at school with Mabel and Violet at 7 Church Lane, where the Headmistress was Mary POWLEY, whilst Matilda and Eleanor were living with their parents at the Princess Royal, No. 42 Blackfriars Street.
Reduced to living in a van
In January 1903 Thomas William was sued for slander, libel and recovery of £500 damages by Arthus James RAMM, a butcher and dealer of Wells. He counterclaimed a similar amount on the same grounds. Their dispute had originated more than 20 years earlier when RAMM had allegedly failed to make £6 payment for goods and services provided at the Princess Royal and fabricated a receipt. Their animosity had faded away until a recent incident involving an injured bullock which resulted in alleged slander and libel on both sides. The jury found for RAMM for 1s because Thomas William had paid £2 into Court. The judge noted: "The people who profited most by the action were those sitting at the table", presumably referring to the lawyers! [The hearing at Norfolk & Norwich Assizes was reported fully in the Norwich Mercury, January 31, 1903]
By 1906 his business was failing and he appeared in Lynn Bankruptcy Court.
HAY DEALER AND HIS VAN
Thomas William Blomfield, of King's Lynn, hay dealer. Gross liabilities £2,395 18s 5d, expected to rank £2,025 0s 5d, assets £439 18s 3d, deficiency £1,585 2s 2d. Debtor, examined by the Official Receiver (Mr. H.P. Gould) said he first commenced business some 35 years ago, when he took the Princess Royal public-house, previous to which he had been captain of a steam vessel. His capital at starting was £300, including his savings and a legacy from his grandmother. Besides dealing in hay, which he bought in the stack and sold by the ton, he hired land on which he grazed cattle, both at agist and on his own account. He had kept a ledger, but it contained only a partial account of his dealings. He attributed his failure to losses on a hay contract to the G.E.R. Company, losses on cattle dealing and grazing, and interest on loans. His only furniture was £1 worth in a van, in which he had lived of late. His wife lived by herself in a house in Blackfriars road, and none of the furniture in that house belonged to him. - The examination was adjourned to the March Court."
[Lincolnshire Echo, Saturday January 17, 1906]
[Stamford Mercury, Friday 23 March, 1906]
The London Gazette published 29 May 1906 recorded that a first and final payment of 3s 2½d per £ was due on 1st of June 1906 at the Official Receiver's Office, 8 Kings Street, Norwich. Did that leave Thomas William able to continue living in his van?
{Caravans, often referred to simply as vans, were used by itinerants, such as gypsies, fairground and circus folk, navvies and preachers. But in the early 1900s, they were becoming so popular for holidays that the Caravan Club was founded in 1907 - "to bring together those interested in 'van life as a pastime". So in what sort of van was he living? Where did he site it? Did he have a horse to move it around? Was the van considered an asset to be realised?}
Eighteen months later, on 23 November 1907, Thomas William died at 2 High Street Heacham. His death was registered on 26th by son-in-law Harold LAMBERT, who lived nearby at Castor House, Austin Street, New Hunstanton. He died, perhaps not surprisingly for a publican, from cirrhosis of the liver and anasarca (a widespread swelling of the skin due to effusion of fluid into the extracellular space, usually caused by cirrhosis.) He was buried at Lynn on 27th. As yet we do not know with whom he was staying at Heacham
Frances moved to 19 London Road where she lived with grand-daughter (Catherine) Nellie CODRINGTON, who was a pupil teacher working for King's Lynn Borough Council, domestic servant Emma WEBSDALE who had been the cook at the Princess Royal, and unmarried 35 year old boarder Thomas BURTON, who was in business manufacturing baskets for the fruit growing trade. In 1908 Frances had some income from letting apartments in Blackfriars Road. She died in 1934.