Relationship to me: Gt.Gt.Grandfather
(Chart)
Parents:
Joseph Harrison, a Coal Miner and Sarah (nee Barkby). Thomas was born in
Exhall on 17 April 1824, and christened in the Parish church on 9th June that
year.
Early Years: Thomas had a tragic early life.
He was
one of 4 children, having one sister and 2 brothers. When he was 9 their mother
died and only 4 years later their father died also. The 3 young boys went to
live at Lentons Lane with their aunt Ann Wakelin, while their sister went to
her grandmother at Crows Nest, Bedworth.
Occupation: By the age
of 14 and throughout his life he was a Blacksmith.
Marriage: He
married Ellen West, an Exhall girl, on 10th Jan 1847 at
St. Laurence's Church, Foleshill, Coventry. The witnesses were Thomas's brother
Joseph and Ellen's sister Eliza.
Children: The couple had 8 children:
| Sarah Ann | 27 Apr 1847 | Sarah married Alfred Haywood in 1866 at Foleshill, Coventry. They lived at Longford in later years. | |
| Eliza | 20 May 1849 | Chr. 5 Dec 1865 | She married James Chronicle in 1879 at Foleshill. |
| Thomas | 1852 | He married Emma Marriott on 5 Jul 1875 at St.Laurence's Church, Foleshill. They lived at Church Rd, Bell Green, Foleshill. | |
| Ellen | 7 Dec 1853 | Ellen married William Garner on 3 Apr 1877 at St.Laurence's Church, Foleshill. | |
| William | 24th July 1856 | My Gt.Grandfather. | |
| Mary | 23 April 1859 | Married Joseph Hammersley 30 October 1876 at St.Laurence's Church, Foleshill. | |
| Elizabeth | 1861 | She must have died young. | |
| Martha | 28 Aug 1863 | Chr. 15 July 1877 | Married Henry Butler in 1889. (reg. at Coventry). Sadly she died 4 years later in 1893. |
| Elizabeth | 24 Sep 1868 | Chr. 15 July 1877 | Married Walter Treddle in 1902 at Foleshill. She died 14 Jun 1930 at Foleshill. |
Known Places of Residence:
After their marriage the
couple lived at Foxford, in the district of Longford about 3 miles north of
Coventry centre, and were there from at least 1851 to 1871.
By 1877 they lived near The Wheatsheaf Inn on the main road, now known
as Foleshill Road.
In the 1881 census their address was New Zealand,
Foleshill, which is believed to have been a local name for the same or a nearby
district.
In 1891 the now elderly couple lived at Turnpike Road,
Foleshill.
It is possible that these last 3 addresses were in fact the same
place.
Death: Thomas died aged 73 from "Decay of Nature" (old age) on 22nd February 1898 and was buried on the 25th February at St. Laurence's Church, Old Church Road, Foleshill, Coventry.
