Frank Carman – Thomas Hailmark, Descendant

Thomas Hailmark. 1774-1851

August 16, 1819: Thomas, my 4th Great-Grandfather, lived with his young family, close by, at 23 Gregson Street, off Deansgate (Great Northern Railway Company’s Warehouse, below the archway ‘Yorkshire, North of England and Scotland’).

Thomas, age 44, Dyer, at the Tannery, Back Alport (street) and his friend and neighbour Samuel Ackerley, Tailor, No3 Gregson Street, attended the peaceful meeting. A few hours later, Thomas was “Detained. Remanded till Friday”, and Samuel, age 61, a Tailor suffered a “Sabre-cut on his left leg, right leg bruised”.

Thomas had left his wife Sarah, daughter Elizabeth, age 4, John, age 2, and sons Joseph, Thomas and Robert at home. They would have heard the screams, then not knowing the whereabouts of Thomas, who had been detained for three days.

Thomas was baptised 28 August 1774, at Chester, St. Oswald’s, the son of Joseph and Mary. The family moved to Manchester. Thomas married Sarah Gibson, 11 February, 1793, Manchester Collegiate and Parish Church.

The family has been traced back to Joseph Halmark, 1660, Marbury, Cheshire. Tuesday, 16 February, 1816, nearly a family Sliding Doors moment, and I would not be here with my family to witness the 200th Anniversary, and writing this story.