Person:Thomas Moles (3)

Childhood

Thomas Moles was baptised on 1st March 1752 at Stotfold in Bedfordshire, son of Ann Moles, formerly Collop, and her husband William Moles, a labourer. Thomas was the youngest of five surviving children. He appears to have spent his childhood living in Stotfold. Like his father, he became an agricultural labourer, which was the main form of employment for men in this rural area at that time. In 1768, when Thomas was sixteen years old, his father William died.

First marriage

Thomas married in 1778, when he was 26. His wife was a Mary Langham. She was not from Stotfold, but they married and settled there, having five children between 1779 and 1788. Mary died in 1792, leaving Thomas with the five children to look after, who ranged in age from twelve down to just three at the time of their mother's death.

Second marriage

Thomas's signature from his marriage to Mary Horsley. He spelled the name Mole.

Thomas's second marriage was also to be a short one. Mary died in 1800, aged just 44. Thus at the age of 48, Thomas found himself a widower for a second time. He outlived Mary by nearly 38 years, although he does not appear to have remarried this time. Thomas and Mary Horsley's daughter Ann had not been baptised as a baby, and was not baptised until January 1801 - a couple of months after her mother's burial.

Later life

In 1803, Thomas's son Thomas was married at Hatfield in Hertfordshire - some distance from Stotfold, but linked to it by the Great North Road, which was a major stagecoach route. Thomas junior and his wife returned to Stotfold briefly after their marriage, having their first son there in 1804, who is also Thomas's first known grandchild. Thomas junior and his wife then moved to Willian, a couple of miles south of Stotfold.

In 1808, Thomas saw his daughter Sarah marry a William Rowley. They had two children together, but then Sarah died in 1811, aged just 27.

In 1815, Thomas's youngest daughter Ann was married at Norton in Hertfordshire, immediately south of Stotfold, to a Samuel Smith. The following year, Thomas's daughter Susan was married to a George Cox, also at Norton.

Some time before 1835, Thomas went to live at Norton with his daughter Susan. She and her husband George Cox stayed at Norton, having seven children between 1816 and 1830, although three of those died young. George Cox died in 1830, aged 34, leaving Susan looking after her now aged father Thomas as well as four surviving children.

By April 1835, Thomas was no longer living with Susan. Instead, he had moved to live with the Reverend Wollaston Pym at Radwell House in Radwell (which borders both Norton and Stotfold). On 4th April 1835, Thomas wrote his will. He only refers to three of his six children in his will: Thomas, Susan and Ann. His daughter Sarah had died, but the will makes no mention of Sarah's children. Nor does the will make any reference to Thomas's sons Charles and William, neither of whom have been traced. It may therefore be that Charles and William had both died before 1835, although no burial local to the Stotfold area has been found for either of them.

In his will, Thomas refers to the fact that he owned furniture, a clock and other effects that were at the house in Norton which he used to share with his daughter Susan. The furniture and other effects in Susan's house were all bequeathed to her, with the exception of any money, which was to be split between Thomas, Susan and Ann equally. The will explicitly refers to the fact that Thomas had lost some papers relating to money he had invested in Baldock Bank (Baldock being the market town closest to Norton) - if the papers were in Susan's house at Norton, Thomas didn't want her claiming them as part of her legacy, but wanted the money to be split between the three named children. The will also suggests that there was an element of doubt as to how long Thomas would be allowed to stay at Radwell House, making provisions "...if I should have to leave Radwell House and to live again as I have lived heretofore in the said house at Norton with my daughter Susan Cox...".

Thomas was 83 years old when he wrote his will. He lived for another three years after writing it. As he had possibly foreseen, he did leave Radwell House and returned to live at Norton, where he died on 5th June 1838. He was 86 years old. He was buried back at his native Stotfold. He had lived to see at least 22 grandchildren born in his lifetime, and was also a great-grandfather.

1. ↑ Bedfordshire and Luton Archives and Records Service. Transcript of Stotfold Parish Registers.

   ch. 1 Mar 1752: Tho s Wm & Ann Moule

   Needs to be confirmed at Bedfordshire Archives. This baptism has been linked to the Thomas Moles who married Mary Langham on the basis that it is at about the time implied by the age on his death and burial records and in the parish that he lived most of his adult life in. Moreover, one of the witnesses to Thomas's marriage to Mary Langham was a Thomas Collip - and the maiden name of Ann Moles mother of the Thomas baptised in 1752 was Collip / Collop. No alternative explanation for what happened to the Thomas baptised in 1752 has been found.

2. ↑ Death certificate, in General Register Office. England and Wales Civil Registration. (London: General Register Office).

   REGISTRATION DISTRICT Hitchin
   1838 DEATH in the Sub-district of Baldock in the County of Hertford
   No. One hundred and sixty one
   When and where died: Fifth Day of June 1838 at Norton
   Name and surname: Thomas Moles
   Sex: Male
   Age: 87 years
   Occupation: Labourer
   Cause of death: Old age
   Signature, description and residence of informant: Ann Webb her X mark Nurse Norton Present at Death
   When Registered: 9 June 1838
   Signature of Registrar: John Smith Registrar

   
3. ↑ England. National Burial Index.
4.   Transcript of the will of Thomas Mole of Radwell, Hertfordshire, made on 4 April 1835. Proved on 18 July 1838 by the Prerogative Court of Canterbury. Registered copy held by The National Archives in PROB 11/1898.
   
   In the Name of God Amen I Thomas Mole belonging to the parish of Stotfold in the County of Bedford but now living in the parish of Radwell in the County of Hertford in the house of the Reverend Wollaston Pym commonly called Radwell House do make and publish this my last will and testament in manner and form following that is to say and first I will and bequeath to my daughter Susan Cox widow of the late George Cox all the household furniture clock and other Chattels and effects of what kind soever to me belonging which shall at the time of my death be in the house or premises in the parish of Norton in which she now lives money bank notes and all papers relating to money or bank notes not being included in this bequest but which shall be disposed of as hereinafter directed and this limitation to the said bequest I make and appoint because I have already mislaid a paper relating to some money which I have in Baldock Bank and because also I do not know where I may die and if I should have to leave Radwell House and to live again as I have lived heretofore in the said house at Norton with my said daughter Susan Cox I may possibly leave money bank notes or papers relating to thereto in the said house at Norton and if I have already mislaid the paper above referred to or should at any time hereafter leave any money bank notes or papers relating to money or bank notes in the same said house it is not my will that it or they shall be claimed by my said daughter Susan Cox as part or parts of the aforementioned chattels and effects to her bequeathed. But with reference to all such money bank notes or papers and with reference also to all other Property of what kind sort or description soever (the said chattels and effects as above bequeathed and limited being excepted) which I shall at the time of my death be possessed of or which shall to me belong wherever it shall be left or deposited my will is and I hereby direct that (after my just debts funeral expenses and the expenses legally and necessarily incurred in executing this my last will and testament shall have been paid) the same shall be divided into three equal parts of which three equal parts I give and bequeath to my Son Thomas Mole one part to my aforesaid daughter Susan Cox one part and to my daughter Ann Smith wife of Samuel Smith one part and I do hereby nominate and appoint my son in law the said Samuel Smith husband to my daughter the said Ann Smith sole Executor to this my last will and testament in witness whereof I hereunto set my hand and seal this fourth day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty five. Thomas Mole. Signed sealed published and declared by the said testator as and for his last will and testament in the presence of us who in his presence and at his request and in the presence of each other do hereunto subscribe our names as witness to the execution hereof. Charles John Spencer Clerk Rector of Radwell Joseph Lofts Schoolmaster Radwell
   
   Proved at London 18th July 1838 before the Judge by the oath of Samuel Smith the sole Executor to whom Adm[inistrati]on was granted having been first sworn by Com[missi]on duly to administer.