Hi Matt,
Thanks for posting what you had found. I also thought that the most likely baptism for Thomas Throssell was in Broughton, Northants. Thomas was baptised at Broughton, Northants 4 Feb, 1770, the son of Daniel Throssell and Martha. Thomas would have been their first child as his parents married in October of 1769. Here is their marriage entry. Daniel Throssell [Trofele], of the Parish of Sawtree, Hants., and Martha Mawby of Broughton, were married by banns at Broughton 16 Oct, 1769. Both signed their names. Their witnesses were Thomas Mowbey and John Noall. Interesting is the mention of Sawtry. His grand daughter, Charlotte Throssell, who married John Sharp in Titchmarch was the daughter of Thomas and Mary Fryer. Charlotte and her family settled in Barnwell St. Andrews. She said she was born in Sawtry in the 1851 census records.
Regarding our convict forebear, yes I had also found that he was a cordwainer. I had only found his sentence of 7 years, not that he had earlier been condemned to death. The predations of the Napoleonic Wars, the blockades and economic issues were terrible, as were the fact that so many men were physically torn apart in the lengthy conflict and that desperate bands of men created unsafe countrysides. Add to that was the year of endless winter in, I think, 1816, caused by an intense volcanic eruption thousands of miles away resulting in starvation, food riots, etc in UK. Never mind that life was considered so cheap, that harsh justice eradicated some of the resulting social problem by capital punishment and transportation. And this “justice” was meted out at the behest of the rich cats and gentry families who wielded all the power. An unholy mess, the lot of it. Regarding his great age, that is quite remarkable in his day and age when so many people didn’t attain 70. I hadn’t found another record for Thomas after his hospital entry and I had assumed he had died there.
Poor Mary Fryer. I couldn’t find another Throssell household entry in the 1841 census in Titchmarsh. I was surprised to find her still there. So many elderly would have moved in with adult children and she certainly had children living in parishes not far away.
I had thought that Thomas’ father, Daniel, was baptised at Aldwinckle, St. Peters, Northants 27 Jun, 1741, the son of Daniel Throssell and Mary. This same couple had an earlier son, also named Daniel, baptised there 1 Feb, 1740, as well as a daughter, Alice baptised 04 May, 1739. This Daniel, father of Thomas died at the age of 74 [born c 1740], abode of Aldwinkle, and buried there on 24 June, 1814. This family likely had other children as there were Throssells into the 19th century, descended from a Daniel Throssell born c 1804. But obviously, your research took you in a different direction. Mike, you’ve mentioned both Molesworth, Bythorn. What baptism do you have for Daniel? In what parish? And who were the parents you found? It would be interesting to compare.
Matt, please tell me which of the Throssell sons do you descend from?
looking forward to hearing back from you,
Jenny in Canada
