Thomas Brewer, your opinions please

[Margaret in Burton]

Update to this thread

http://genealogistsforum.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=5181

I'm still not sure if the death cert I have is him or not. My first thought was that it's not, now I'm not sure.

Death cert says Thomas Brewer age 79 a smallware hawker of no fixed abode. The address is apparently the workhouse. The date is 21/02/1927.

Right age, wrong occupation. Previous occuaptions were Ag Lab and Brewers Lab.

I have looked at the birth registrations for the right time scale, there are no Thomas Brewer's born in Nottinghamshire or anywhere near.

1901 and 1911 census give no Thomas Brewer's living in Nottinghamshire.

My Thomas was born in Wiltshire but lived in Burton on Trent area. His son moved to Nottinghamshire so that's why I sent for this cert.

Thomas was definitley alive in 1913 as he registered his wifes death.

There is a Thomas Brewer in Nottingham in 1911 who is 5 years older but he is a lace maker.

My Thomas was born in 1849.

What do you think? I suppose I'll never know for sure

[Janet in Yorkshire]

I don't think I'd worry too much about the occupation change when we're talking about a man in his 70's, especially if he lived in an urban area.
He was probably past the hard physical labour involved in working the land or brewing - but capable of doing a bit of door to door selling.

I think smallware was used to describe ribbons, lace and braids, as well as small items of tableware and baking tins.

Jay

[Nell]

It's difficult because although you may suspect its your man you won't find conclusive proof.

I have a very frustrating gt gt grandfather, William Williams. I've got two death certs that definitely aren't him and the one that might be is problematic because its not in the area he was born in and was living in up to 1901, but it is in the area where his son lived - though not the same town, and its a few years before his son moved there. The informant is a neighbour so no help there.

And William's wife Susan doesn't appear to have died at all.

[kiterunner]

If he was a hawker of no fixed abode, he may well have been born far away from where he died, don't you think?

[Margaret in Burton]

Thank you for all of your replies. I think I'm just clutching at straws. I guess I'll never know if it's him or not, another one who "didn't die!

[Merry]

Have you found a (likely) death for the man who was five years older?

[Margaret in Burton]

No, not yet Merry. I'll look later.

[Margaret in Burton]

The older Thomas Brewer, the lace maker in Nottingham:

1901 census

http://search.ancestry.co.uk/iexec/?htx=view&r=5538&dbid=7814&iid=NTTRG13_3168_3170-0899&fn=Thomas&ln=Brewer&st=d&ssrc=&pid=18600484

I reckon that this is his death:

Thomas S Brewer
June qtr 1925 aged 81
Nottingham 7b 302

There is a birth for a Thomas Smith Brewer 1843 in Radford, Notts Sept qtr 15 - 592

I can't find a marriage for Thomas S Brewer to an Elizabeth. In 1901 she says she was born in Nottingham but the 1911 has her born Chard (Somerset). It's the same woman as they have been married 48 years.

Still doesn't tell me if the cert I have is the right one though.