East Sussex Record office Lookup please - Thomas Zeally Richards

[Trunkybun1]

I wonder if anyone is going to the East Sussex Record office anytime soon and could have a look at this pamphlet?

Gilbert, Howard D, Education yesterday: the Saunders' Foundation and the Uckfield National Schools - a brief history of two Uckfield schools from about 1700 to 1880 Date:1963Repository:East Sussex Record Office ESRO reference:LIB/503019Level:FileDescription:Publisher: Notes:Access Conditions:This book or pamphlet is on open access in the Reference Room on shelf 18-12-04 - please help yourself

My ancestor Thomas Zeally Richards born 1817 in Poole Dorset was the school master of a national school in Uckfield. Last known sighting of him was in the electoral register for 1880 living in Framfield Road, Uckfield with his wife Frances. On the census in 1881 Frances is still married but now the head of the household. In 1891 she is still married but living off her own means. Where has Thomas gone? In 1901 there is a death notice of a Thomas Zealy Richards aged 84 in Oxford. In the census of 1901 (a couple of months earlier) there is a Thomas Richards listed living in Oxford aged 93(?) born in Poole living with his much younger wife Lucy aged 67. Is this him? Did he run off with a young school teacher?

Clutching at straws here, but just wondered if there was mention of a change of school master in  1880

[cath151]

Newspaper report of death Oxford Chronicle 24th May 1901
"Richards- May 15th at 62, Walton Street, Oxford, Thomas Zealy Richards aged 84."
Same address as Thomas in Oxford born Poole?
Cathy

[rosie17]

I don't know if you have checked this out which could be a possibility seeing he is not with his wife on the 1881 census
Thomas Zeally ( transcribed as Zealby on Ancestry) age 63 b Poole Dorset School Master
Lucy Zeally age 47 Wife born Bramley Surrey
Address Milton Road Millbrook Hampshire

1891 Census address Cranham Terrace St Giles Oxford
Thomas Richards age 68 born Poole Dorset change of occupation Agent Seed Trade
Lucy Richards age 56 Bramley Surrey

And I would say that is him on the 1901 census in Oxford you found

Rosie

[rosie17]

They are both buried St Frideswade Churchyard Oxford
Thomas Seally Richards birth 1817 death May 1901
Lucy Richards birth 1834 death Nov 1912
Findagrave .com

Rosie

[Trunkybun1]

Thank you everyone. It is always good to get other peoples' perspectives on matters! Yes it really sounds like he ran off with Lucy, first of all to Millbrook under the name of Zeally and then onto Oxford under the surname of Richards.
Lucy ends up in 1911 in one room as a boarder, before dying a year later. I tried looking for a Lucy born in Bramley Surrey in 1834 and came up with Lucy Mitchell. She married Charles Frederick Chittle in 1853 and had a son, John Frederick Chittle in 1854. It seems the marriage didn't last as Charles Fred. Chittle then pops up with his new 'wife' Mary Ann (no marriage record)

 Lucy and Charles' son seems to have died aged 1 in Reading. Did Lucy leave with the baby and flee to Reading? Lucy Chittle then appears in the 1871 census as a dressmaker lodging in Eastbourne.
Can't prove any of it but seems plausable.

[rosie17]

I also came up with Lucy Mitchell but didn't search any further yes it does look like Thomas has set up home with Lucy
Maybe worth while searching newspapers to see if there is any mention of them

Rosie

[Trunkybun1]

I have asked a friend to look in the papers but didn't find anything.