Thoroughgood in Brighton

[trish1120]

Thanks for that RoyG. Excellent work.

MM,
When I said were there 2 Elizabeths I meant 2 WIVES for William named Elizabeth.
The Children born pre 1862 to a possible first Wife Elizabeth then the others post 1862 to Elizabeth Singleton.
Roys 1856 Marriage seems to confirm that.

Trish

[Roy G]

If there were two wives called Elizabeth, it does create an interesting scenario and a few further questions. 
We understand Elizabeth Singleton was born in the UK in 1839, making her only 17 if she married in 1856, or 23 if she married in 1862.  So did she travel out as a fellon (if so for what crime, where and at what age, and did she serve her time?).  Was she a child of a fellon (Parrametta records?) or did she and her family choose to come or were they posted?  Another alternative was that about 1849, British workhouses had a hidden practice of unloading marriageable young girls from the city's poorhouses, before, in the words of Micklethwaite, "they became sullied by the other inmates" and finding a reason to send them to Oz to become brides.  The aim was to reduce the annual cost of supporting waifes, and to stop crims that had done their time from returning. 

Whatever the reason behind Elizabeth's arrival, did she then produce some of William's children before they married or only those born after 1862?  Do any of the m certs of William's early children indicate she may have only been their step mother?
Although finding answers is certainly difficult, the fact that those questions even have to be asked suggests both sides of the family had most interesting pasts.
Roy G

[Miss May]

Hi Trish and Roy

So much to think about... You're all being incredibly helpful and very thought provoking. Thanks 

Sorry, misunderstood about there possibly being 2 wives named Elizabeth. Have searched NSW BDMs however and can't find another marriage listed for William in Stockton (or anywhere else NSW for that matter) for 1856. The only other marriage listed in NSW between 1850 and 1865 is for a William Thurgood to Charlotte Hunt in Sydney in 1852. Don't think this is matches the record found on the IGI. I'm looking for parish registers for Stockton, but microfilms of these seem only to cover 1888-1893. Shall put a call out for a lookup of the actual registers if possible.

If my original working assumption that William is the convict who arrived in Oz in 1840 on the "Eden" - the ships list states that this William Thorogood was married with 3 children (1 male 2 female) when he was transported. The other info from this document is that he was aged 25, could read and write, of Protestant religion, his occupation was a black and white smith, from Essex, and tried at the Kent Assizes on 9 March 1840 for sheep stealing, sentenced to 15 years transportation, with no previous convictions, and he was 5' 8 1/2". This would make this chap's birth year abt 1815.

If this is my man, perhaps those first few children were born out of wedlock to Elizabeth Singleton and that upon the death of his wife in England, he felt free to remarry, hence the 1862 NSW marriage to Elizabeth Singleton... What do you think?

I am ordering a couple of NSW certs to see what else has been documented for a clearer picture. As you know, I already have the 1862 Thoroughgood/Singleton marriage, and the birth, marriage and death certs of their daughter Elizabeth Ann.

Roy, very interesting that you have encountered a familial occupation link between the Thoroughgood name and blacksmithing. This might be very useful in discerning between the different Williams contemporary to mine.

As for Elizabeth Singleton, she arrived in Oz onboard the "Briton" in 1844 aged 5 with her parents Richard (ag labourer) and Hannah (farm servant) and siblings William 15, Martha 12, Richard 9, John 7, Samuel 2. Other researchers have linked Elizabeth to a ?great uncle Benjamin Singleton who founded Singleton NSW and is purported to have paid for her family to come to Oz, and ?great grandfather William Singleton who was convicted at the Old Bailey in 1791 for larceny and transported to Oz arriving on the "Pitt" in Feb 1792. So Roy, not the daughter of a felon, but possibly a great granddaughter. That's my next research endeavour 

Many thanks again

MM

[Roy G]

You say
My original working assumption is that William is the convict who arrived in Oz in 1840 on the "Eden" - the ships list states that this William Thorogood was married with 3 children (1 male 2 female) when he was transported.

Looking at the 1841 census index, there is only one family in Kent (Gravesend & Milton district) with the Thoroughgood surname.  That was a husbandless Sarah born c1813 (wife?) and children Thomas 1835, Sarah and Emma both born c1839.  A good fit for the Kentish family left behind by the transportee.  Sarah even appears on FreeBMD as born near Eham (Hythe district)   The problem however is the IGI, for it lists the baptisms of each of those children but gives their father the first name of Thomas.  Suggest it's worth a look though.
Roy G

[janan]

Thomas Thorogood married Sarah Austin 21 Sep 1833 Milton by Gravesend

Shame he isn't a Thomas William

Jan

[Miss May]

Roy's census find almost fits. Such a shame hubby wasn't a William. Thanks for checking anyway Jan.

Does anyone know of Bridon outside Bradford. There still exists a Bridon Way not far from Cleckheaton, and I wondered if this had once been a hamlet or something similar 

Still thinking up alternatives to the "Brighton" birthplace.

Also, having real trouble finding Elizabeth Singleton's death in the indexes. Some trees have her death in Stockton 1920, but I've searched BDMs to order the cert and can't find her anywhere. Has anyone spotted her?

MM

[Tina Woodhouse]

The reason you can't find her death record in NSW is that she remarried.  She died as Elizabeth Snedden.  Registration number is 10734/1920.
When I work out how to attach documents, I'll add a copy.
Tina
(Elizabeth Singleton & William Thoroughgood are my 3x g.grandparents)

[Miss May]

Hi Tina
I did eventually find that Elizabeth remarried - but would still appreciate a copy of the cert as I don't see that I have it in my records. I've done a lot more research since this thread started nearly 10 years ago when I was just starting out looking into the family.

Elizabeth Singleton and William Thoroughgood were my 3 x g grandparents too, via their daughter Elizabeth Ann 

[rosie99]

The reason you can't find her death record in NSW is that she remarried.  She died as Elizabeth Snedden.  Registration number is 10734/1920.
When I work out how to attach documents, I'll add a copy.
Tina
(Elizabeth Singleton & William Thoroughgood are my 3x g.grandparents)

Welcome to rootschat

You will not be able to attach a copy as it is a look up board.  Generally we are only allowed to put images of documents on this site as snippets for translation purposes, it will probably be best if you transcribe the document