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Facts and Events
| Name |
Thomas Bland |
| Gender |
Male |
| Christening[2] |
13 Jun 1852 |
Luton, Bedfordshire, England |
| Census[3] |
7 Apr 1861 |
Luton, Bedfordshire, England11 Langley Place |
| Census[6] |
2 Apr 1871 |
Luton, Bedfordshire, England34 Albert Road |
| Marriage |
5 Jun 1876 |
Luton, Bedfordshire, Englandto Jane Linney |
| Census[11] |
3 Apr 1881 |
Luton, Bedfordshire, England34 Albert Road |
| Census[12] |
5 Apr 1891 |
Luton, Bedfordshire, England43 Chobham Street |
| Death[13] |
1899 |
Luton, Bedfordshire, England |
Thomas Bland was baptised on 13th June 1852 at Luton in Bedfordshire, son of a bonnet sewer called Charlotte Bland, formerly Glenister, and her husband William Bland, an agricultural labourer. The family lived at the hamlet of Leagrave to the north of the town. By the 1861 census they had moved into the town itself, living at 11 Langley Place.
In August 1866, aged 14, Thomas and some other boys were prosecuted for stealing wine. At the Rifle Corps Fete they had been creeping under a tent, taking the bottles of port and sherry, then drinking it and throwing the bottles over a hedge. Thomas was sent to Bedford Gaol for ten days hard labour.
The 1871 census finds Thomas living with his parents at 34 Albert Road in Luton, and working as a straw hat and bonnet blocker. On a couple of occasions in the early 1870s Thomas was prosecuted for drunkenness, being fined in 1871 and sent to Bedford Gaol for another ten days in 1874. In 1875 he and another man were prosecuted for trespass in pursuit of game on Mr Crawley's estate, which was centred on Stockwood Park to the south-west of Luton.
In 1876, aged 24, Thomas married Jane Linney. They went on to have eleven children together between 1876 and 1898. The 1881 census finds them living at 34 Albert Road in Luton with Thomas's widowed mother. Thomas was working as a straw hat blocker. By 1891 they had moved a short distance to 43 Chobham Street.
Thomas died in 1899, just a year after his youngest child's birth. He was 46 years old. Jane survived him by four years.
References
- Births index, in General Register Office. England and Wales Civil Registration. (London: General Register Office).
b. Thomas BLAND, June Quarter 1852, Luton Registration District, Volume 3b, page 409, mother's maiden name Glenister
- ↑ Baptisms register, in Church of England. Parish registers of St Mary, Luton, 1603-1944. (Bedford: Bedfordshire and Luton Archives and Record Service).
| BAPTISMS solemnized in the Parish of Luton in the County of Bedford in the Year 1852 | | No. | When Baptized | Child's Christian Name | Parent's Name | Abode | Quality, Trade, or Profession | By whom the Ceremony was performed | | Christian | Surname | | 1160 | June 13 | Thomas son of | William & Charlotte | Bland | Leagrave Hamlet | Lab[ourer] | Rob[er]t Fisher, Curate |
- ↑ England. 1861 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (
Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
Class RG9; Piece 1013; Folio 4; Page 2, 7 Apr 1861.
Address: 11 Langley Place, Luton, Bedfordshire
William Bland, head, married, male, 42 [1818/9], Ag Lab, b. Offley, Hertfordshire
Charlotte Bland, wife, married, female, 38 [1822/3], Bonnet Sewer, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
William Bland, son, male, 11 [1849/50], Bonnet Sewer, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
Thomas Bland, son, male, 8 [1852/3], Scholar, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
- Bedfordshire Times and Independent
Page 8, 25 Aug 1866.
LUTON.
PETTY SESSIONS - MONDAY, AUGUST 20TH, 1866.
Before Colonel Ames (chairman) and the Rev. H.B. Smyth.
WINE STEALING BY BOYS.-Levi Hucklesby (16), Charles Hawkes (16), Frederick Cumberland (16), George Leper (15), Charles Caton (14), and Thomas Bland (14), were charged with stealing ten bottles of wine on the 13th inst., value £2 10s.-John Brown deposed as follows: I had charge of a tent for Mr. Critchley at the Rifle Corps Fete on Monday last, and in the tent was a quantity of wine, consisting of port and sherry. Between ten and eleven at night I missed ten bottles of wine - six port and four sherries; they were under the counter in the tent. I gave information to the police. Soon after police constable Daniels showed me two bottles, which corresponded with those I had lost. The wine was worth £2 10s -. George Daniels deposed: Whilst Mr. Brown was giving me information on the night of the 13th I heard some bottles rattling, and on looking round I saw the prisoners, Hawkes and Hucklesby, and I found the two bottles produced in Hucklesby's pocket. I charged him with stealing them, and he said, "I took one and Hawkes took the other." On charging Hawkes he said, "I did not take any, but drank some of the wine." On the way to the station Hucklesby said, "There was me, Hawkes, Squires, Cumberland, Bland, Leper, and Caton; we all took some and drank it behind the tent, and then threw the bottles over the hedge. We crept under the tent to get at the bottles." Only Hawkes was present when Hucklesby said this. On the following morning I found the pieces of bottles produced. When I took Bland into custody he said, "I did not take any." He afterwards said, "I took one bottle." I went, in company with police-constable Marriner, to Caton's house, and found a bottle half filled with port and an empty bottle. I took Caton into custody, and charged him with stealing the wine. He said, "I helped to drink it, and it made me drunk." At the station I charged all the prisoners with stealing the wine, when Hawkes said, "I took none, but I drank some." The others said, "We all had some, and are as bad as each other." - Police-constable Marriner corroborated. - The boys were the severally chaged with the offence, and they all pleaded guilty except Caton, who said, "I drank some of the wine, but did not know it was stolen." - The Chairman told him he was equally guilty with the others. Superintendent Pope said Leper, Caton, and Hucklesby had been before the Bench on a previous occation. - The Chairman said the magistrates felt the greatest possible reluctance in sending boys of their age to gaol, but there was no alternative, and therefore Caton, Hucklesby and Leper would be imprisoned for 21 days' each, and the others to 10 days' each.
- Bedfordshire Record Office. Bedfordshire Gaol Register. (Bedford).
Name: Thomas Bland
Committed: 21 Aug 1866
Reference Doc: BLARS QGV12/1
ID in Reference Doc: 8793
Age: 14 [1851/2]
Offence: Stealing Port Wine
Sentence: 10 Days Hard Labour
Previous Conviction Details: No
Discharge Date: 29 Aug 1866
- ↑ England. England and Wales. 1871 Census Schedules. (
Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
Class RG10; Piece 1573; Folio 22; Page 36, 2 Apr 1871.
Address: 34 Albert Road, Luton, Bedfordshire
William Bland, head, married, male, 52 [1818/9], Straw Hat & Bonnet Blocker, b. Offley, Hertfordshire
Charlotte Bland, wife, married, female, 49 [1821/2], Straw Hat & Bonnet Sewer, b. Biscott, Luton, Bedfordshire
Thomas Bland, son, male, 18 [1852/3], Straw Hat & Bonnet Blocker, b. Leagrave, Luton, Bedfordshire
Ellen Seabrook, lodger unmarried, female, 26 [1844/5], Straw Hat & Bonnet Finisher, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
- Bedfordshire Mercury
Page 6, 15 Apr 1871.
LUTON.
PETTY SESSIONS, MONDAY, APRIL 10.
Present: Col. Ames, the Rev. H.B. Smyth, and the Rev. F.W. Adey.
DRUNKENNESS.-Thomas Bland, 19, blocker, Luton, charged by Police-constable Neville with being drunk, on Sunday, the 26th March, at Luton. Fined 5s., and costs 6s. 6d. Paid.
- Bedfordshire Mercury
Page 8, 5 Sep 1874.
LUTON.
PETTY SESSIONS, MONDAY, AUG. 31.
Before the Rev. H.B. Smyth and Mr. G. Oakley.
DRINK.-Thomas Bland, 22, Albert-road, Luton, blocker, was charged by Police-constable Tuckey with being drunk and riotous on the 25th instant. Committed for 10 days.
- Bedfordshire Record Office. Bedfordshire Gaol Register. (Bedford).
Name: Thomas Bland
Committed: 1 Sep 1874
Reference Doc: BLARS QGV12/2
ID in Reference Doc: 13158
Age: 22 [1851/2]
Offence: Drunk & Riotous
Sentence: 10 Days Hard Labour
Previous Conviction Details: 2; Hertford twice
Discharge Date: 10 Sep 1874
- Luton Times and Advertiser
Page 3, 27 Mar 1875.
Sunday Pastimes.
Thomas Bland, Albert Road, Luton, and John Mariner, Park Street, Luton, were summoned for trespassing in pursuit of game, on Mr Crawley's estate, on Sunday, the 14th of March. The defendants pleaded not guilty.
Daniel Dubbleton, keeper to Mr Crawley, deposed to the main facts, that on the afternoon in question he saw a party of them with five dogs, beating several hedges about Mr Crawley's property and Mr Oakley's. The witness identified the two defendants; Mariner he was doubly sure of, because he had Mr Newland's dog, and he had seen him with the dog in Mr Newland's cart.
Some questions were put to the witness by the defendants, but he repeated that he was quite sure it was them.
Mr Smyth said that he had no doubt of it. It was a sad way to spend their Sundays. Mariner bore a bad character, and had been convicted several times of various offences, but as he had managed to keep out of trouble for two years, he should take that into consideration. It seemed that they were in employment, and the best way was to get rid of those dogs, and give up this sort of thing. There were four convictions against Bland also, but there was one thing in their favour; they made no resistance. They would have to pay a fine of 20s (although they were liable to a 40s fine), or, in default, ten days' imprisonment.
The defendants asked for time to pay the fine, but Mr Smyth said they must know that it was not the rule of the bench, only in cases of first offences.
- ↑ England. 1881 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands: . (
Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
Class RG11; Piece 1651; Folio 75; Page 14, 3 Apr 1881.
Address: 34 Albert Road, Luton, Bedfordshire
Charlotte Bland, head, widow, 59 [1821/2], Straw Hat Sewer, b. Biscott, Bedfordshire
Thomas Bland, son, married, male, 27 [1853/4], Straw Hat Blocker, b. Leagrave, Bedfordshire
Jane Bland, son's wife, married, female, 26 [1854/5], Straw Hat Sewer, b. Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire
Nellie Bland, niece, female, 5 [1875/6], Scholar, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
Charlotte Eliza Bland, niece, female, 3 [1877/8], b. Luton, Bedfordshire
Herbert Bland, nephew, male, 1 [1879/80], b. Luton, Bedfordshire
Martha Brown, boarder, unmarried, female, 19 [1861/2], Straw Hat Sewer, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
- ↑ England. 1891 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (
Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
RG12; Piece 1273; Folio 72; Page 19, 5 Apr 1891.
Address: 43 Chobham Street, Luton, Bedfordshire
Five or more rooms occupied
Thomas Bland, head, married, male, 38 [1852/3], Straw Hat Blocker, employed, b. Leagrave, Bedfordshire
Jane Bland, wife, married, female, 36 [1854/5], b. Linslade, Buckinghamshire
Ellen Bland, daughter, female, 14 [1876/7], Straw Hat Finisher (Learner?), employed, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
Charlotte E. Bland, daughter, female, 12 [1878/9], Straw Hat Finisher (Learner?), employed, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
Herbert Bland, son, male, 11 [1879/80], Scholar, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
Jane Bland, daughter, female, 8 [1882/3], Scholar, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
Ada Bland, daughter, female, 6 [1884/5], Scholar, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
Thomas Bland, son, male, 4 [1886/7], Scholar, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
Lydia Bland, daughter, female, 2 [1888/9], b. Luton, Bedfordshire
Ada Linney, niece, single, female, 20 [1870/1], Straw Hat Machinist, employed, b. Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire
- ↑ Deaths index, in General Register Office. England and Wales Civil Registration. (London: General Register Office).
d. Thomas BLAND, March Quarter 1899, Luton Registration District, Volume 3b, page 289, aged 46 [1852/3]
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