Person:Thomas Tucker (7)

According to family stories, Thomas was the result of his mother being "dishonoured" by the son of a titled family, for whom she probably worked as a maid. She was consequently "thrown out into the snow" to fend for herself. However, this has yet to be confirmed. In 1836 there is a burial of a Mary Tucker of Kenwyn Street, 10 January 1836, aged 65. It is possible that this was Thomas's mother who could have been living with them when she died. Thomas and his wife Elizabeth were living in Kenwyn Street when the first Olympia died in 1834 and in 1838 when their eldest son, Thomas, died. If his mother was single when he was born, then Anthony may have been his father's surname.

A relative has a family bible which has Thomas Anthony Tucker born 1790 listed in it. There is also an heraldic painting which indicates that it was done by Thomas Tucker in 1862 in his 72nd year. Someone else has also written the dates 1790 - 1871(c) on it. This seems to be pretty conclusive evidence that Thomas' birth and death dates are close to this. However, no definite dates have been found for either and the details of his parents remain a mystery.

Thomas was a coachmaker and painter.

1823/4 - Pigot's Directory for Cornwall gives the Venning & Tucker coachmaking business address as Lemon Quay, Truro.

1828 - The following item appeared on Tuesday July 15th 1828 in the London Gazette: "Whereas a Commission of Bankrupt is awarded and issued forth against Thomas Venning and Thomas Tucker, both of the Town of Truro, in the County of Cornwall, Coach-Makers, Dealers & Chapman, and they being declared Bankrupts are hereby required to surrender themselves to the Commissioners in the said Commission named, or the major part of them, on the 30th and 31st of July instant, and on the 26th of August next, at One in the Afternoon on each day, at the Commercial-Rooms, Corn-Street, in the said City of Bristol, and make a full discovery and disclosure of their estate and effects; when and where the Creditors are to come preparedto prove their debts and at the second sitting to choose Assignees, and at the last sitting the said Bankrupts are required to finish their examination, and the creditors are to assent or dissent from the allowance of their certificate. All persons indebted to the said Bankrupts, or that have any of their effects, are not to pay or deliver the same but to whom the Commissioners shall appoint, but give notice to Messrs. Poole, Greenfield, and Gamlen, Solicitors, Gray's Inn-Square, London, or to Messsrs. Cornish & Sons, Solicitors, Baldwin Street, Bristol" (Ref. no.: ZJ1/179, page 1384)

1841 - With wife and 11 children at Edward Street, Truro, Cornwall. Coach painter, aged 50, not born in Cornwall.

1851 - With wife, 2 children and a visitor (Samuel TERRIL, aged 3, born at Redruth, Cornwall) at Edwards Street, Truro St Mary's, Cornwall. Coach painter, aged 51, born at Exeter, Devon.

1861 - With wife, recorded as a boarder, in the household of Samuel BARLOW (Painter, Glazier, employing 1 man, aged 58, born at Truro) at East Turnpike, St Austell, Cornwall. Coach painter, aged 70, born at Exeter, Devon.

1. ↑ 1851 Census.
2. ↑ Family Bible.