Ray Tomlinson – William Tomlinson

William Tomlinson, from Bullock Smithy, was my GGG Grandfather. He was born in Bosden (a constituent part of the then Bullock Smithy) circa.1797 to [as far as I can determine] Thomas and Mary [Platt]. He was possibly one of 5 children.

William married Ellen Adams on 27/11/1815 at St Mary Stockport and their first child, Adam, my GG Grandfather, was born on 25/8/1816 in Torkington (another constituent part of Bullock Smithy). A second son, James, came along on 23/9/1819 so I doubt whether Ellen would have accompanied William to Perterloo! After this, it appears that they had 5 further children, all daughters, born between c.1820 and 1837. William and Ellen’s marriage entry indicates that William was  “Printer”. The Peterloo casualty records, however, show him as a “Cotton Printer”.  

By 1841, Bullock Smithy had changed it’s name to Hazel Grove and William and his family were living on London Road. His was no longer a printer but a “Sawyer”. His son Adam was also a Sawyer.

By 1851, Adam had started his own family and William and Ellen were now living at “Fidler Moor” [I believe that this was the area close to the old Red Lion Coaching Inn – did I read somewhere that Henry Hunt once stayed there?] He was still working as a “Sawyer”. Ellen died in March 1852 and was buried at St Thomas, Norbury on 24/3/1852.

In 1861, William was working as a “Labourer at a Colliery” and lodging with the Arrowsmith family at “Tomlinson’s Terrace” on the Buxton Manchester Road, Hazel Grove. I’ve not, so far, managed to work out exactly where this was or whether it still exists but it is noteworthy that the wider family included several brickmakers, brisksetters and, of course, sawyers which adds up to them probably building a fair proportion of Victorian Hazel Grove!

William died, aged 68, on 30/4/1865 at London Road, Norbury. His occupation was said to be “Sawyer (Journeyman)” and the cause of death given as “Bronchitis 1 year” together with “Mortification of Leg”. His participation at Peterloo, therefore, seemed to play no part in his ultimate demise. He was also buried somewhere in St Thomas, Norbury churchyard on 2/5/1865.

Until my move into Derbyshire, my particular branch of the family has hardly moved from the area in over 200 years. I have yet to find anyone with a particular claim to fame although William Tomlinson’s G Grandson, Frank Tomlinson 1883-1974, started off as a bricklayer in Hazel Grove, emigrated to the US and worked in Washington DC as an architect where he is reputed to have designed several historic apartment buildings. After his retirement, he became an artist producing paintings with a marine theme – there is even one in the Smithsonian – work that one out!