Person:Thomas Bryant (28)

Thomas Bryant was baptised on 11th October 1812 at Hinxworth in Hertfordshire, son of Ann Bryant, formerly Randall, and her husband William Bryant, a blacksmith. Thomas also followed his father’s trade and became a blacksmith, as did several of his brothers. The Bryant family smithy appears to have been on the High Street in Hinxworth, adjoining the Three Horseshoes public house.

On 19th December 1835, aged 24, Thomas married Patty Street at Hinxworth. They went on to have eleven children between 1836 and 1856, with the youngest two children being twins. Ten of the eleven children were girls. One daughter died as a baby in 1854, as did one of the twins when just a couple of weeks old in 1856.

Thomas’s father died in 1849. His mother then appears to have taken over the family business, being described in the 1851 census as a blacksmith employing six men. Thomas’s mother died in 1854.

Each census from 1841 to 1871 finds Thomas and Patty living in Hinxworth village. They were generally listed as living on the High Street.

Thomas’s eldest daughter, Ann, married in 1857, but she died the following year, aged 22. Thomas’s second daughter, Mary, married in 1859 and later moved to London with her husband; they did not have any children. In 1865 Thomas’s daughter Betsy died aged 20.

Thomas’s other six children who had lived to adulthood all married and had children. Thomas’s first known grandchild was born in 1864. He appears to have had at least 21 grandchildren born in his lifetime, although some of them died young.

Thomas died aged 67, being buried at Hinxworth on 26th November. Patty survived him by just over a year.

1. ↑ Church of England. Parish registers of Hinxworth, 1551-1985. (Hertford: Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies).

   1812 / Baptized Thomas son of William and Ann Bryant Oct[ober] 11

   This baptism has been linked to the Thomas Bryant who married Patty Street in 1835 on the basis that in the censuses after his marriage Thomas consistently claimed to have been born around 1812 in Hinxworth. Also, as an adult Thomas worked as a blacksmith, which was the same occupation as that of William father of the Thomas baptised in 1812. No evidence has been found to suggest that the Thomas baptised in 1812 died young, nor married someone else, nor appears in the censuses anywhere else. One of the witnesses to his marriage in 1835 was an Elizabeth Bryant, who was probably either the wife of Edmund or the wife of John, both of whom (Edmund certainly and John probably) were brothers of this Thomas baptised in 1812.

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 446; Book 7; Folio 7; Page 9, 6 Jun 1841.

   Address: High Street, Hinxworth, Hertfordshire
   Thomas Briant, male, 28 [1812/13], J[ourneyman] Blacksmith, born in county
   Patty Briant, female, 26 [1814/15], born in county
   Ann Briant, female, 6 [1834/5], born in county
   Mary Briant, female, 4 [1836/7], born in county
   Priscilla Briant, female, 1 [1839/40], 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 1707; Folio 533; Page 8, 30 Mar 1851.

   Address: High Street, Hinxworth, Hertfordshire
   Thomas Briant, head, married, male, 38 [1812/3], Blacksmith, b. Hinxworth, Hertfordshire
   Patty Briant, wife, married, female, 36 [1814/5], b. Hinxworth, Hertfordshire
   Mary Briant, daughter, female, 13 [1837/8], Scholar, b. Hinxworth, Hertfordshire
   Priscilla Briant, daughter, female, 11 [1839/40], Scholar, b. Hinxworth, Hertfordshire
   Susan Briant, daughter, female, 9 [1841/2], Scholar, b. Hinxworth, Hertfordshire
   Betsy Briant, daughter, female, 7 [1843/4], Scholar, b. Hinxworth, Hertfordshire
   Arthur Briant, son, male, 5 [1845/6], Scholar, b. Hinxworth, Hertfordshire
   Rosa Briant, daughter, female, 3 [1847/8], b. Hinxworth, Hertfordshire

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 812; Folio 127; Page 9, 7 Apr 1861.

   Address: High Street, Hinxworth, Hertfordshire
   Thomas Briant, head, married, male, 48 [1812/13], Blacksmith, b. Hinxworth, Hertfordshire
   Patty Briant, wife, married, female, 46 [1814/15], Blacksmith wife, b. Hinxworth, Hertfordshire
   Betsy Briant, daughter, unmarried, female, 16 [1844/5], Teacher at school, b. Hinxworth, Hertfordshire
   Arthur Briant, son, unmarried, male, 14 [1846/7], Ag[ricultural] Lab[ourer], b. Hinxworth, Hertfordshire
   Rosa Briant, daughter, female, 12 [1848/9], Scholar, b. Hinxworth, Hertfordshire
   Martha Briant, daughter, female, 9 [1851/2], Scholar, b. Hinxworth, Hertfordshire
   Louisa Briant, daughter, female, 4 [1856/7], b. Hinxworth, Hertfordshire

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 1360; Folio 41; Page 9, 2 Apr 1871.

   Address: Village, Hinxworth, Hertfordshire
   Thomas Bryant, head, married, male, 58 [1812/13], Blacksmith, b. Hinxworth, Hertfordshire
   Patty Bryant, wife, married, female, 56 [1814/15], b. Hinxworth, Hertfordshire
   Martha Bryant, daughter, unmarried, female, 18 [1852/3], Straw Plaiter, b. Hinxworth, Hertfordshire
   Louisa Bryant, daughter, unmarried, female, 14 [1856/7], Straw Plaiter, b. Hinxworth, Hertfordshire

6.   Deaths index, in General Register Office. England and Wales Civil Registration. (London: General Register Office).

   d. Thomas BRYANT, December Quarter 1879, Royston Registration District, Volume 3a, page 211, aged 67 [1811/12]

7. ↑ Burials register, in Church of England. Parish registers of Hinxworth, 1551-1985. (Hertford: Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies).

   BURIALS in the Parish of Hinxworth in the County of Hertford in the Year 1879
   No.	Name	Abode	When buried	Age	By whom the Ceremony was performed
   473	Thomas Bryant	Hinxworth	Nov[ember] 26	67 [1811/12]	W.F. Clark, Curate