THOMAS MIDGLEY 1807-?

Thomas Midgley was born at Acklam on the 4th July 1807 and baptised four weeks later.  

He married Ann Pudsey at St John’s Parish Church, Acklam on Sunday 16th. August 1829.  The Reverend John Simpkin officiated at the ceremony and both bride and groom made marks rather than signing their names. Mary and Thomas Gibb, and Mary Hudson acted as witnesses.

His spouse was 19 years old and 5 months pregnant.  She was the daughter of Matthew and Hannah Pudsey of Thorpe Bassett.  Thomas Midgley, his father before him, and his father-in-law were all agricultural labourers.

Thomas and Ann Midgley had at least 10 children: Harriot (baptised 1829), Henry (baptised 1831), Matthew (born c.1833), John (born c. 1836), Samuel (baptised 1838), Harriott (baptised 1840), Hannah (born c.1842), Jonathan (born c.1845), Robert (born c.1848), and Christopher (born c.1851). Their first child died in infancy.

The census returns  give us a snapshot of their lives at ten-yearly intervals. It is noticeable that only the youngest children seem to have had any elementary education. Presumably this was because the National School for Boys and Girls was not set up in Acklam until 1852. The children appear to have left home at a young age to earn a living.  Other sources show Samuel Midgley living at Oxfield House, Leavening, by the age of 13.  He was working for John Hudson as a plough boy.

Thomas and Ann Midgley lived in Acklam for the rest of their days - well into their eighties.