Person:Thomas Rickard (2)

Thomas Rickard (or Ricketts) was born on 9th June 1834 at Wing in Buckinghamshire, son of a straw dealer named Richard Rickard and his wife Lucy. His baptism records that the family lived in the hamlet of Ascott, to the east of the parish. The 1841 census finds Thomas with his parents and younger siblings in the nearby hamlet of Ledburn in the parish of Mentmore. Some time between 1841 and 1848 the family moved into the town of Leighton Buzzard, where they appear in the 1851 census living on Hockliffe Road, with Thomas working as an agricultural labourer.

On 23rd January 1859 Thomas married a widow named Caroline Samuel, formerly Linney. She was about thirteen years older than him; when they married she was 37 and he was 24. She does not appear to have had any children from her first marriage, nor do Thomas and Caroline appear to have had any children together.

The 1861 census finds Thomas and Caroline living at Lake Street in Leighton Buzzard, with Thomas working at a gas works.

By 1871 Thomas was working for the railways, which he would do for the rest of his life, but in various different roles. In 1871 they were living at Wolvercote, just north of Oxford and Thomas was a railway policeman. By 1881 they had moved into the city of Oxford itself and Thomas was working as a railway signalman, whilst Caroline was a laundress. In 1890 Thomas was summoned by the authorities back in Leighton Buzzard to contribute one shilling a week towards the maintenance of his elderly mother.

By 1891 Thomas and Caroline had moved out to a remote level crossing in the parish of Oddington in Oxfordshire, on the London and North Western Railway's Oxford to Cambridge railway, where Thomas was the railway gate keeper. Between 1891 and 1901 Thomas retired and he and Caroline returned to Leighton Buzzard, where the 1901 census finds them living at Vandyke, on the eastern edge of the town. Caroline died just after the 1901 census, aged 79. Thomas outlived her by just under ten years and died on 5th February 1911, aged 76. He left a will which was administered by Mary Jane Pocock, whose maiden name was Rickard suggesting that she was a relative. His estate was valued at just under £20.

1. ↑ ^1.0 1.1 Buckinghamshire Family History Society. Buckinghamshire Baptisms Database.

   ch. 10 Aug 1834, Wing, Buckinghamshire: Thomas / Richard & Lucy / Rickard / Ascot [Ascott - B.T.] / Labourer / born 9 Jun 1834

2. ↑ England. 1841 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 HO107; Piece 50; Book 14; Folio 4; Page 12, 6 Jun 1841.

   Address: High Street, Ledburn, Mentmore, Buckinghamshire
   Richard Rickard, male, 30 [1806-11], Ag Lab, born in county
   Lucy Rickard, female, 25 [1811-16], born in county
   Thomas Rickard, male, 5 [1835/6], born in county
   Elizabeth Rickard, female, 5 [1835/6], born in county
   Maria Rickard, female, 2 [1838/9], born in county

3. ↑ England. 1851 Census Returns for England and Wales. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class HO107; Piece 1756; Folio 170; Page 3, 30 Mar 1851.

   Address: Hockliffe Road, Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire
   Richard Rickard, head, married, male, 43 [1807/8], Dealer in Straw, b. Grove, Buckinghamshire
   Lucy Rickard, wife, married, female, 40 [1810/11], b. Mentmore, Buckinghamshire
   Thomas Rickard, son, unmarried, male, 16 [1834/5], Ag. Labourer, b. Wing, Buckinghamshire
   Elizabeth Rickard, daughter, unmarried, female, 15 [1835/6], Servant, b. Wing, Buckinghamshire
   Maria Rickard, daughter, unmarried, female, 12 [1838/9], Straw Plaiter, b. Mentmore, Buckinghamshire
   Alfred Rickard, son, unmarried, male, 3 [1847/8], b. Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire
   George Rickard, son, unmarried, male, 1 [1849/50], b. Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire
   Jemmima Willis, niece, unmarried, female, 10 [1840/1], Straw Plaiter, b. Mentmore, Buckinghamshire

4. ↑ 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 1006; Folio 54; Page 19, 7 Apr 1861.

   Address: Lake Street, Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire
   Thomas Rickard, head, married, male, 27 [1833/4], Laborer at Gas Works, b. Wing, Buckinghamshire
   Caroline Rickard, wife, married, female, 39 [1821/2], b. Leighton, Bedfordshire

5. ↑ 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 1449; Folio 26; Page 25, 2 Apr 1871.

   Address: Railway House in Woodstock Road, Woolvercott, Oxfordshire
   Thomas Rickett, head, married, male, 36 [1834/5], Railway Policeman, b. Wing, Buckinghamshire
   Caroline Rickett, wife, married, female, 50 [1820/1], b. Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire

6. ↑ 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 RG10; Piece 1449; Folio 26; Page 25, 3 Apr 1881.

   Address: 104 Walton Street, Oxford (St Giles), Oxfordshire
   Thomas Pricket, head, married, male, 47 [1833/4], Railway Signalman, b. Varney, Buckinghamshire
   Caroline Pricket, wife, married, female, 60 [1820/1], Laundress, b. Leighton Buzzard

7. ↑ 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.)
   Class RG12; Piece 1170; Folio 59; Page 1, 5 Apr 1891.

   Address: Railway Crossing, Oddington, Oxfordshire
   Five or more rooms occupied
   Thomas Rickett, head, married, male, 56 [1834/5], Railway Gate Keeper, employed, b. Wing, Buckinghamshire
   Caroline Rickett, wife, married, female, 68 [1822/3], b. Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire

8. ↑ England. England. 1901 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 RG13; Piece 1508; Piece 65; Page 45, 31 Mar 1901.

   Address: Vandyke, Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire
   4 rooms occupied
   Thomas Rickett, head, married, male, 67 [1833/4], Railway Pensioner, b. Wing, Buckinghamshire
   Caroline Rickett, wife, married, female, 78 [1822/3], b. Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire

9. ↑ ^9.0 9.1 Deaths index, in General Register Office. England and Wales Civil Registration. (London: General Register Office).

   d. Thomas RICKETTS, March Quarter 1911, Leighton Buzzard Registration District, Volume 3b, page 242, aged 76 [1834/5]

10. ↑ England. National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations),1858 onwards. (Ancestry.com).

    1911
    RICKETTS Thomas of George-street Leighton Buzzard Bedfordshire railway pensioner died 5 February 1911 Probate Northampton 20 February to Mary Jane Pocock (wife of Charles Pocock). Effects £19 17s. 3d.

11.   Bucks Herald
    Page 3, 15 Mar 1890.

    NON-MAINTENANCE OF PARENT.-Thomas Rickard, railway signalman, of Islip, was summoned by Mr. W.G. Collis, relieving officer, on behalf the Leighton Buzzard Board of Guardians, to show cause why he should not be ordered to contribute towards the maintenance of his mother, who is a pauper, chargeable to the fund of the Leighton Buzzard Union. Defendant, it was stated, earned 15s. per week; he is married, but has no children. He complained that he had heard nothing from the union authorities previous to proceedings being instituted against him; bur Mr. Collis said he had written two letters to defendant, neither of which had been returned. An order was made for defendant to pay one shilling per week.