Noel E Thomas (previousy thought to be called Nigel)

[maryjolam]

Hello. We are seeking information about Nigel/Noel E Thomas. (NOTE: see posts below - we now feel Noel is the correct name )
We know very little about him and have been unable to find records relating to his early life. We do have a photo, although it is not a very good one, when he was about 20 yrs old. so taken around 1900 in South Wales.

In the photo from left to right-
sitting on left Thomas Henry Lambert, in the middle Nigel/Noel E Thomas, on the right a cousin and standing a cousin.

This is what we do know:
Nigel/Noel was born around 1875 +/- a few, in South Wales or Herefordshire. He lived in or near to Beaufort Wells in Dukestown.
He was the Railway  Agent at Chesterfield Market Station in Derbyshire, England around 1910.
He emigrated to Canada.
We know he worked for the Canadian Pacific Railway and the family think he was a traffic controller but that could be a wrong job description as they also thought he was a station master at Chesterfield when in reality he was the Agent in the town there.

The family know him as the "step-brother" of Thomas Henry Lambert. The parents of Thomas Henry are Decimus James Lambert and Mary Pryce. They lived at Beaufort Wells, Dukestown, now part of Tredegar, and near Ebbw Vale.

Thomas Henry was born 1876 Crickhowell in South Wales.
We also know that Thomas Henry was in touch and corresponded with Nigel during his lifetime.

Thomas Henry Lambert married Louisa ( nee Thomas) who died quite young in 1924. He remarried to Elizabeth Jeremiah known as Miah.

It is reasonable to assume that Nigel/Noel was somehow related to Louisa Thomas, but he is definitely not her brother.
Thomas and Louisa had two children - a son, also named Thomas Henry born 1902 and Mary Louise about 1904. They lived in South Wales around the Merthyr/ Tredegar areas.

Mary married Ifor Morgan. They had two children Enid 1922 and later Dan Eric.
Mary, Ivor and Enid emigrated to USA during the 1920's and Nigel/Noel went down to meet with them in Pennsylvania. Ivor and Mary soon returned to South Wales and lived at Pengam.

Later Enid emigrated to Canada and lived in Quebec, where I believe she worked for Parker Pens around 1960. She married and had a child Michael. Enid and Michael visited her mother around 1960 at Pengam. I do not know if Enid was in touch with Nigel/Noel in Canada.

If anyone can add anything to the information we have or knows of Nigel's family History.  we will be grateful to hear about it.

Many thanks to all.

[rutht22000]

I can't see him on any census with the parents - Decimus tends to change between Decimus and James on census returns but Nigel is nowhere to be seen.

Interestingly there is a N E Thomas in the Railway Employment records, born 25 December 1876 * at Broad Street Station (Canvassers and Collectors office) joining on 2 May 1887 , leaving on November 1 1887 from becoming a canvasser to a collector. Might be worth considering

do you know what the E stands for in case he goes under that?

* (edited - actually looks like 1870 not 1876 so he wasn't 10 years old)

[rutht22000]

further record from employment records

N E Thomas, born 25 December 1870 (that's a bit better) entered into service 2 May 1887 moved from Broad Street Collector on 1 November 1898 to Nottingham Goods 9 October 1899 and then onto Chesterfield Goods in 1902

then to Swansea Goods on 1 March 1908

[maryjolam]

Well, I'm surprised - I've spent hours searching on a couple of well known websites. And here you have uncovered quite a bit already. Thank you.

No, Off hand, I don't know what the E stands for but armed with your information and a birth date, I will go and search again in a minute and let you know.

Many Thanks.

[rutht22000]

There is a Noel Ernest Thomas with an identical birth date  (25 December 1870) in the employment records all through to 1927 (when did he go to Canada?), but born in Warwickshire

Was he Nigel or Noel or are we talking two different people with extremely similar histories?

I can't see a Nigel E Thomas on any of the birth records, census or passenger lists.  Noel however appears right up to 1911 (married, children etc) .  Noel's records have him as a Dist. Trf Agent (district traffic agent? - might fit with your family thinking he was a traffic controller) in 1914.  Noel however dies in the UK in 1934 (do you know if your Nigel died in Canada or if he could have come back  here?)

for him to be a step brother he would be no blood relation to either Decimus or Mary in the true sense of the word 'step brother' to Thomas- he would be a half brother if either Decimus or Mary was his mother or father

[maryjolam]

I don't know. The Nigel came from a railway society who kindly looked for him and told me that Nigel E Thomas was at Chesterfield around 1910.
However, I've been looking since my last post and cannot find anything, so I'll try Noel. Thanks

[maryjolam]

Ok, so Noel E Thomas is a railway clerk at Hampstead London in 1891.
His father is John Thomas and Mother Mary Ann Stonguard. both born Oswestry, Salop in England.
At this stage I cannot discount Nigel being Noel.
There is no 1901 or 1911 census for Noel  but he could be on a Railway Census record.

I will have to research John Thomas to see if he is related to Louisa's Father who is also called John Thomas. Perhaps it is a previous marriage. It may take me a little while to check this.

However, we know Nigel/ or Noel emigrated and lived in Canada and was there during the 1920's.
Thanking you.

[*Sandra*]

There is no 1901 or 1911 census for Noel  but he could be on a Railway Census record.

Family Search free indexes for Wembley, Middlesex, England. 1911

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XW4Z-J1P

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XW4Z-J1R

Family Search  for West Bridgford St Giles Nottinghamshire 1901

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XSNC-45Y

Noel Thomas  30 Railway Canvasser. Born Attleborough Warwickshire.
Annie Thomas  28 Born Hampstead London.
Dorothy Thomas  2 Born Hampstead London.


Sandra

[maryjolam]

Thankyou Sandra.
I searched at a well known site but not this one. I couldn't find it. so thank you.

On reflection, I think Noel is probably the correct name. He is in all the right places .

If I can leave my request for Canada please and in the meantime I will research Noel's family.