Person:Thomas Turvey (21)

Thomas Turvey was baptised on 5th May 1776 at Battlesden in Bedfordshire, son of Ann Turvey.

By 1796, when he was 20 years old, he was living at Houghton Regis, a few miles south-east of Battlesden. He was married on 1st August 1796 to Elizabeth Turnham, who was from the neighbouring village of Totternhoe, which is where they married. No evidence has been found of Thomas and Elizabeth having any children.

By 1834 Thomas and Elizabeth were living at Whipsnade, just south-east of Totternhoe. Elizabeth died in 1834, aged 58, and although she had been living at Whipsnade immediately before her death she was buried back at Totternhoe.

Nine months later, Thomas married again. His second wife was Hannah Turvey, and they married at Whipsnade on 1st September 1835, when Thomas was 59 years old. She was about thirty years his junior, and they went on to have six children together between 1837 and 1848, although two of them died young. The first two children were baptised at Whipsnade, but between 1839 and 1840 they returned to Totternhoe, where the younger four children were born.

In Totternhoe, Thomas was described as a farmer. Thomas, Hannah and two children appear in the 1841 census at Church End in Totternhoe, in a household which also included two agricultural labourers and a servant.

Hannah died in 1849. She was said to be 41 years old. Thomas was therefore left a widower for a second time at the age of 72 with four surviving children to look after, who were aged between ten and less than one when their mother died.

The 1851 census finds Thomas and the four children living in Totternhoe, along with a housekeeper, domestic servant and shepherd. Thomas was described as a farmer of 30 acres employing two labourers.

Thomas died in 1853, aged 76.

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

   ch. 5 May 1776, Battlesden, Bedfordshire: Thomas son of Anne Turvey

   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 36; Folio 6; Page 6, 6 Jun 1841.

   Address: Church End, Totternhoe, Bedfordshire
   Thomas Turvey, male, 65 [1771-6], Farmer, born in county
   Hannah Turvey, female, 35 [1801-6], born in county
   Thomas Turvey, male, 9 months [1840], born in county
   Ann Turvey, female, 3 [1837/8], [birth column blank]
   James Alkway[?], male, 35 [1801-6], Ag[ricultural] Lab[ourer], born in county
   William Turvey, male, 15 [1821-6], Ag[ricultural] Lab[ourer], born in county
   Sarah Mossman, female, 15 [1821-6], F[emale] S[ervant], not 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 1757; Folio 9; Page 11, 30 Mar 1851.

   Address: Totternhoe, Bedfordshire
   Thomas Turvey, head, widower, male, 75 [1775/6], Farmer of 30 Acres employing 2 Lab[ourers], b. Battlesden, Bedfordshire
   Ann Turvey, daughter, female, 12 [1838/9], Scholar, b. Whipsnade, Bedfordshire
   Thomas Turvey, son, male, 10 [1840/1], Scholar, b. Totternhoe, Bedfordshire
   John Turvey, son, male, 9 [1841/2], Scholar, b. Totternhoe, Bedfordshire
   William Turvey, son, male, 3 [1847/8], b. Totternhoe, Bedfordshire
   Sarah Janes, servant, widow, female, 54 [1796/7], Housekeeper, b. Bierton, Buckinghamshire
   James Bull, servant, unmarried, male, 42 [1808/9], Shephard, b. Eaton Bray, Bedfordshire
   Sarah Grave, servant, unmarried, female, 15 [1835/6], Domestic Servant, b. Shenly Brook End, Buckinghamshire

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

   d. Thomas TURVEY, March Quarter 1853, Luton Registration District, Volume 3b, page 300, aged 76 [1776/7]