Person:Thomas Neal (15)

Thomas Neal was baptised on 31st March 1833 at Houghton Conquest in Bedfordshire, son of Sarah Neal, formerly Gobby, and her husband William Neal. When Thomas was about four years old his father was convicted of sheep stealing and transported to Australia.

The 1841 census finds Thomas living with his sister Ann and their mother in Toddington, sharing a house with his mother's sister Esther and her children. His mother remarried in 1845. By 1851, Thomas had moved away from the central Bedfordshire area where he had been born and brought up, and was living at Flamstead in Hertfordshire, working as a farm servant. In 1855, aged 22, he married Ann Foster, a straw hat sewer from Flamstead.

Thomas and Ann stayed in Flamstead and appear to have had four children between 1856 and 1872. Thomas was charged with assaulting a man in 1858, for which he had to pay a fine of six shillings plus fifteen shillings and six pence costs.

In both the 1871 and 1881 censuses the family was living at Delmer End in Flamstead.

Thomas died aged 52 and was buried at Flamstead on 22nd July 1885. Ann outlived him by about 27 years, appearing in the 1891 census living in widows' almshouses in Flamstead.

1. ↑ England. Births and Christenings, 1538-1975. (FamilySearch, Ancestry.com, Findmypast).

   ch. 31 Mar 1833, Houghton Conquest, Bedfordshire: Thomas son of William & Sarah Neale

   Needs to be confirmed at Bedfordshire Record Office.

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 5; Book 34 part 1; Folio 12; Page 18, 6 Jun 1841.

   Address: Woburn Street, Toddington, Bedfordshire
   Hester Gobby, female, 25 [1811-16], Straw Platter, b. in county
   John Gobby, male, 8 [1832/3], b. in county
   William Gobby, male, 5 [1835/6], b. in county
   George Gobby, male, 3 weeks [1841], b. in county
   ~
   Sarah Neal, female, 25 [1811-16], Straw Platter, b. in county
   Thomas Neal, male, 9 [1831/2], b. in county
   Ann Neal, female, 6 [1834/5], b. 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 1715; Folio 407; Page 14, 30 Mar 1851.

   Address: Row End Farm, Flamstead, Hertfordshire
   James Cole, head, married, male, 47 [1803/4], Farmer of 393 acres employing 15 men, b. Puloxhill, Bedfordshire
   Clara Cole, wife, married, female, 30 [1820/1], b. Mile End, Middlesex
   William Cole, son, male, 15 [1835/6], b. Sandridge, Hertfordshire
   George Cole, son, male, 11 [1839/40], b. Sandridge, Hertfordshire
   James Cole, son, male, 9 [1841/2], b. Sandridge, Hertfordshire
   Jane Cole, daughter, female, 7 [1843/4], b. Sandridge, Hertfordshire
   Ann Cole, daughter, female, 3 [1847/8], b. Flamstead, Hertfordshire
   Eliza Cole, daughter, female, 1 [1849/50], b. Flamstead, Hertfordshire
   Gorge [sic] Wood, pupil, unmarried, male, 24 [1826/7], b. Minories, Middlesex
   Jane Cave, servant, unmarried, female, 19 [1831/2], House Servant, b. St Albans, Hertfordshire
   Maria Puddephatt, servant, unmarried, female, 17 [1833/4], House Servant, b. Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire
   Thomas Neal, servant, unmarried, male, 18 [1832/3], Farm Serv[an]t, b. Bedford Houghton, Bedfordshire
   William Wright, servant, unmarried, male, 19 [1831/2], Farm Serv[an]t, b. Market Street, Bedfordshire

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 840; Folio 65; Page 19, 7 Apr 1861.

   Address: Flamstead, Hertfordshire
   Thomas Neal, head, married, male, 29 [1831/2], Ag[ricultural] Lab[ourer], b. Dunstable Houghton Beds
   Anne Neal, wife, married, female, 28 [1832/3], Bonnet Sewer, b. Flamstead, Hertfordshire
   John Neal, son, male, 8 [1852/3], Scholar, b. Flamstead, Hertfordshire
   Thomas Neal, son, male, 5 [1855/6], b. Flamstead, Hertfordshire
   Frederick Neal, son, male, 4m [1860], b. Flamstead, 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 1388; Folio 54; Page 4, 2 Apr 1871.

   Address: Delmer End Lane, Flamstead, Hertfordshire
   Thomas Neal, head, married, male, 40 [1830/1], Ag[ricultural] Lab[ourer], b. Bedfordshire
   Ann Neal, wife, married, female, 37 [1833/4], Straw hat sewer, b. Flamstead, Hertfordshire
   Frederick Neal, son, male, 11 [1859/60], Farmers boy, b. Flamstead, Hertfordshire
   Selina Neal, daughter, female, 7 [1863/4], Scholar, b. Flamstead, Hertfordshire

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 RG11; Piece 1455; Folio 59; Page 17, 3 Apr 1881.

   Address: Delmer End Cottage, Flamstead, Hertfordshire
   Thomas Neal, head, married, male, 49 [1831/2], Ag[ricultural] Lab[ourer], b. Toddington, Bedfordshire
   Ann Neal, wife, married, female, 46 [1834/5], Bonnet Sewer, b. Flamstead, Hertfordshire
   Selina Neal, daughter, unmarried, female, 16 [1864/5], Bonnet Sewer, b. Flamstead, Hertfordshire
   Jane Neal, daughter, female, 8 [1872/3], Scholar, b. Flamstead, Hertfordshire
   ~ [next household at Delmer End Cottage] ~
   Thomas Neal, head, married, male, 25 [1855/6], Ag[ricultural] Lab[ourer], b. Flamstead, Hertfordshire
   Mary A. Neal, wife, married, female, 26 [1854/5], Straw Hat Finisher, b. Dinton, Buckinghamshire

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

   d. Thomas NEAL, September Quarter 1885, Hemel Hempstead Registration District, Vol. 3a, page 317, aged 54 [1830/1]

8. ↑ Burial register, in Church of England. Flamstead Parish Registers, 1548-1936. (Hertford: Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies).

   BURIALS in the Parish of Flamstead in the County of Hertford in the year One thousand eight hundred and eighty five
   No. 428
   Name: Thomas Neal
   Abode: Flamstead
   When buried: July 22
   Age: 54
   By whom the Ceremony was performed: W.A. Pope, Vicar

9.   Bucks Herald, in United Kingdom. The British Newspaper Archive
   Page 5, 22 May 1858.

   GREAT BERKHAMPSTEAD.
   PETTY SESSIONS.-MAY 18.
   ASSAULTS.
   Thomas Neal, of Flamstead, was charged by Daniel Parkins, of the same place, with assaulting him. The charge was fully proved, and Neal was fined 6s. and 15s. 6d. costs.