Pitt brothers William and Thomas

[Neale1961]

Excellent work Maddy. Very interesting findings. So he is definitely in London, but perhaps not as early as the 1841 census. In his early 20s at that time, he perhaps was working as an assistant.
I wonder if he had a name change from Pitt to Meadows around 1850 for some reason.

[maddys52]

Well ... there is a James MEADOWS (50) artist in painting, and his son James E MEADOWS (23), artist and their family in the 1851 at Clapham, Surrey
HO107/1576 pg21. 

Modified to add:
James Edward MEADOWS is still around in the 1881 census at Hammersmith.

[maddys52]

Looks like James's brother Alfred John MEADOWS was the scene painter.
http://www.callanfineart.com/artists/james-e-meadows-1828-1888

[Casey]

I have found another topic on this forum named Help- Scenic Theatre Artists 1840's. They too were searching for Thomas Pitt, Artist.
There is a Thomas Pitt at the Adelphi from 1824-1858 however he is Thomas H Pitt. His death is recorded 18th Aug, 1873 Thomas H Pitt aged 70 yrs of 58 Westbourne Road North, Bamsbury. He worked at the Royal, Alelphi and Drury Lane. In 1871 Census he is at Westbourne Road, place of birth Croydon (confirmed by the 1861 census). Perhaps my Thomas Pitt changed his name to stop confusion. Or perhaps Pitt was not his name from the beginning. The theatre circuit included Birmingham and Sunderland so perhaps he met Jane Dixon during one of these circuits.

[Neale1961]

I have come across this census record
1841 census
St George Hanover square (5 Matkins Terrace), Belgravia, Westminster, Middlesex.
Mary Pitts 45  - Ind - not born in county
Thomas Pitts 25 – Artist – Born in county
William Pitts 20 – Sculptor - not born in county
Mary Pitts 20 – Born in county
Joseph Pitts 20 – Sculptor  – Born in county
Frederick Pitts 9 – Born in county
Alexander Hathorn? 20 - Private Secretary
Eliza Hettershanks? 15 - Female Servant.

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MQVG-WP3
This record from familysearch does not show occupations

ADDED - No that doesn't look like them either. Thomas the artist is still there in 1861 with Frederick.

[Casey]

Many thanks, will follow that Census lead and also the family connections of Thomas H Pitt to see what pops up. Cheers
Regarding the family of artists and sculptors - William Pitts, "the sculptor" of 5 Watkin's Terrace is recorded as having committed suicide in April 1840 (if you have access to the Gale database, you can find these records).  He took laudanum, and from the reports it sounds as if he was suffering from depression (verdict was "temporary insanity"). William was said to be around 60 years of age, and Thomas Pitts is mentioned as his eldest son.

[Casey]

‘William Pitt Senior’, in Companion to Theatre in Australia, Currency Press, 1995, one of the sources of the article.  One of the online references says the following "William Pitt  Painter and scene-painter, the son of a successful English scene painter, arrived at Port Melbourne on 27 January 1853 with his wife Jane as unassisted migrants. An experienced scene-painter from the London Lyceum Theatre, he was soon employed by the theatrical entrepreneur George Seth Coppin.Biographer: Maslen, Joan Source of info: The Dictionary of Australian Artists: painters, sketchers, photographers and engravers to 1870 Date written: Date: 1992"

[maddys52]

Oh, I didn't realise there was another thread on this topic. Could have saved a lot of time in not doubling up research.
https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=555388

[Casey]

I did not know there was another thread regarding William and Thomas Pitt when I posted. The results are the same on both threads though with no sign of either brothers in Births or Census results in England. Cheers