WIMBUSH, Thomas (Grimwade p.706)

[MCB]

A search of websites has not revealed that he served a recognisable apprenticeship in the UK.
Grimwade records that Wimbush entered a maker’s marks at Goldsmiths Hall alone in 1828 from Red Lion Street, Clerkenwell, moving to Regent Street in 1833 and entering another maker’s mark in partnership with Henry Hyde in January 1834, that partnership terminating in May 1834. Wimbush assigned all of his goods to trustees for his creditors. He had been recorded in the 1834 Post Office Directory as Manufacturing Gold & Silversmith to the King.
His marriage certificate in 1840 recorded he was a goldsmith at Newington Crescent. He entered a maker’s mark at Goldsmiths Hall from there in 1840.
The 1841 UK Census recorded him aged 30 years, of independent means, living at this address with his wife Sarah aged 20 years. The Census shows he was not born in the county of Surrey but does not indicate he had been born in another country (see below).
The christening of their daughter Sophia recorded in 1841 at St Mary, Newington shows her father’s occupation as that of a gentleman and their address as before.
The christenings of a son Thomas and a daughter Sarah Ann recorded in 1844 and 1845 respectively at St Mary, Newington show their father as a goldsmith and their address as Penton Place.
He entered a maker’s mark at Goldsmiths Hall from there in 1845.
The whereabouts of Thomas Wimbush senior and goldsmith from 1845 may be explained in a dedicated website http://rootschat.com/forum/index.php/to ... 754.0.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.
A summary of those facts, which may be relevant to the man who registered maker’s marks at Goldsmiths Hall, are that The Times newspaper of 29th September 1845 reported that a Thomas Wimbush aged 39 years was indicted for stealing a casket, a snuff box, a watch and a quantity of doubloons, value 200L, the property of Robert Debenham and William Brumfitt Storr in their dwelling house (Debenham and Storr were auctioneers). One of the witnesses described having bought a watch from the defendant and another witness some gold in 1844. The jury found Wimbush guilty but strongly recommended mercy. The common-sergeant said he had intended to have the prisoner transported but decided instead to sentence him to two years hard labour.
In January 1849 a Thomas Wimbush pleaded guilty to a charge of stealing from Thomas Huxley a handkerchief valued at two shillings and sixpence. He was sentenced to transportation for 10 years. It would seem from the entry in the Middlesex Criminal registry “before convicted of felony” that the men were one and the same hence the harsh sentence for the later crime.
Although the reports do not directly identify the prisoner Thomas Wimbush as being the London goldsmith of that name the website for Tasmanian Convict Archives has an entry 26666 for a Thomas Wimbush who was tried in January 1849 and sentenced to 10 years on a charge of larceny from a person. This Thomas Wimbush is recorded as having arrived in Tasmania in 1852, was then aged 47 years, previously a silversmith and a native of Dublin. He died in Hobart, Tasmania in 1869. The inquest on his death recorded he had drowned himself while in a fit of temporary insanity.
The ages mentioned in the various trial etc documents are consistent with a birth around 1805-6. The 1841 UK Census recorded Thomas Wimbush the goldsmith/silversmith as aged 30 years and therefore born in 1811. Ages recorded on the 1841 Census have been found to be inaccurate. Wimbush was born before mandatory registration of births and the provision of an appropriate birth certificate. In 1840 he had married a much younger woman. Might he have said he was 30 when in truth he was 35 years old?
No record of the family has been found on the 1851 UK Census.
Sarah Wimbush aged 40 years appears on the 1861 UK Census at Kent Terrace, Old Kent Road as a widow living with her daughters Sophia and Sarah Ann. All described their occupation as that of a lady.
No UK death record has been found for her husband.
In 1871 Sarah was recorded as a widow aged 53 years living with her son Thomas Wimbush a druggist/chemist aged 27 and her daughter Sophia at 195 High Street, St Pancras.