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Thomas BOORMAN (1810-1894), Terry's Great-Great-Grandfather
Terry’s BOORMAN line certainly had a lot of large families. One of Terry's cousins six generation back may have had sixteen children, although with parental names of William and Mary I can’t yet be positive of that number. But we are fairly certain that in Terry’s direct line, the prize goes to his Great-Great-Grandfather Thomas BOORMAN and his first wife Mary Ann GREEN who had 14 children between 1837 and 1858 (21 years). Their fifth born, William Scoons BOORMAN, was Terry’s great grandfather. You will notice that the names “Thomas” and “William” are repeated quite often in this line.
When considering such large families, it’s interesting to look for patterns and trends. In this case, I count five male children compared to nine females, which doesn't exactly adhere to the law of averages! Five of their children died* by the age of 2 (two boys and three girls), while nine lived to adulthood. That’s a 36% mortality rate. The repeated loss of so many children must have been devastating for Thomas and Mary Ann and their family.
When considering such large families, it’s interesting to look for patterns and trends. In this case, I count five male children compared to nine females, which doesn't exactly adhere to the law of averages! Five of their children died* by the age of 2 (two boys and three girls), while nine lived to adulthood. That’s a 36% mortality rate. The repeated loss of so many children must have been devastating for Thomas and Mary Ann and their family.
Their children's births were not evenly distributed throughout the year:
I have to wonder if this marathon production of children contributed to Mary Ann’s early death in 1862 at the relatively young age of 45. Her youngest daughter would have been only three and a half years old. And because of her age, I wouldn’t be surprised if Mary Ann’s death was the result of complications with yet another pregnancy, but this is pure conjecture. Living in London in this era had plenty of other health risks to consider as well.
- 2 in January (Mary Ann & Louisa)
- 1 in March (Elizabeth #1*)
- 1 in April (John Dalby*)
- 3 in May (Frederick*, Jane Hannah, and Harriet*)
- 1 in July (Thomas)
- 2 in August (William Scoons, Sarah Ellen)
- 1 in October (Elizabeth #2*)
- 2 in November (Eliza Amelia, Caroline)
- 1 in December (Alfred)
I have to wonder if this marathon production of children contributed to Mary Ann’s early death in 1862 at the relatively young age of 45. Her youngest daughter would have been only three and a half years old. And because of her age, I wouldn’t be surprised if Mary Ann’s death was the result of complications with yet another pregnancy, but this is pure conjecture. Living in London in this era had plenty of other health risks to consider as well.
Thomas himself was born 23 Aug 1810 in either Boughton under Blean or Headcorn in Kent, England. He was the youngest of only five known children of Thomas BOORMAN (c1776-1845) and Ann CARPENTER (1780-1953). Perhaps because he was the only son he felt the need to perpetuate the Boorman name for his line. His nine surviving children managed to produced 58 grandchildren including 16 with the last name BOORMAN. I'd say he succeeded.
Thomas's parents were non-conformist, so his birth rather than his baptism was recorded in the Herne Bay Union Bay, Mortimer Street registers, perhaps some time after the fact. His three oldest siblings were certainly born in Headcorn up to 1806. When the birth of his sister Louisa was registered, they were then "of the Parish of Boughton, formerly of Headcorn", and "of Boughton" on the next line for Thomas's birth, so it is likely that Thomas was born in Boughton. However, census and other sources claim he was born and baptised in Headcorn. The family lived in both locations before they “moved to Camberwell in about 1820 where [Thomas's father Thomas] also opened a Wheelwright Shop.”
Anecdotal information on this Boorman branch comes from a family history written in the early 1950s by a relative Caroline Dyer titled "Notes on the Life and the Descendants of Thomas Boorman”. Caroline Winifred DYER was Thomas’s spinster granddaughter through his daughter Mary Ann BOORMAN. She writes the following about her grandfather:
Thomas's parents were non-conformist, so his birth rather than his baptism was recorded in the Herne Bay Union Bay, Mortimer Street registers, perhaps some time after the fact. His three oldest siblings were certainly born in Headcorn up to 1806. When the birth of his sister Louisa was registered, they were then "of the Parish of Boughton, formerly of Headcorn", and "of Boughton" on the next line for Thomas's birth, so it is likely that Thomas was born in Boughton. However, census and other sources claim he was born and baptised in Headcorn. The family lived in both locations before they “moved to Camberwell in about 1820 where [Thomas's father Thomas] also opened a Wheelwright Shop.”
Anecdotal information on this Boorman branch comes from a family history written in the early 1950s by a relative Caroline Dyer titled "Notes on the Life and the Descendants of Thomas Boorman”. Caroline Winifred DYER was Thomas’s spinster granddaughter through his daughter Mary Ann BOORMAN. She writes the following about her grandfather:
When [Thomas] Boorman became of an age to start work, he was apprenticed to a coach-builder and served his seven years apprentice-ship in the Camberwell neighbourhood. When that period ended he had next to find himself a post as an improver or journeyman. So he set out one morning from his home in Camberwell and walked on stopping at any likely looking Coachbuilders' premises to enquire if a workman were required.
He must have walked some distance. Presumably through Kennington, Clapham and part of Battersea before he found himself approach[ing] Wandsworth by way of East Hill. Going down the hill he came to a Coach builder's works with the name of Stamper. He enquired there and was taken on, found himself lodgings in Wandsworth and settled dawn to his new job.”
So according to family legend, this is how Thomas ended up in Wandsworth, on the south banks of the Thames just across from London and now part of that great city. It was in Wandsworth where he met Mary Ann GREEN whose father was a prosperous tailor on High Street. Although they were married on 13 Sep 1836 at St Giles, Camberwell, they continued to live in Wandsworth where their multitude of children were born. His coach building business was located at 9 High Street. As we follow the growth of his large family through the England census starting in 1841, Thomas is listed as a coach maker, and by 1881 he was employing three men and two boys. Thomas has also been referred to as a wheelwright (like his father) in the birth record of his son Thomas, as no doubt that skill was required in the coach building process.
With the early death of his wife Mary Ann in 1862, Thomas still had a young family to raise, but he waited until 1882 to marry again. His second wife Emma Stanton was reportedly the "niece of Mrs. Cavell, Thomas’s housekeeper", and considerably younger than Thomas (Emma was born about 1841 in Plaistow Essex according to the 1891 census). So the question remains: who took care of his large young family in the interim? By 1862 Thomas's oldest children where already grown, with his oldest son and daughter already married. Thomas Jr already had a son of his own (of course they named him Thomas!), and Mary Ann was expecting her own first child. In the 1871 census, Sarah Cavill was living with the family, an unmarried housekeeper from Essex and 68 years of age. Presumably her duties included minding the younger children.
With the early death of his wife Mary Ann in 1862, Thomas still had a young family to raise, but he waited until 1882 to marry again. His second wife Emma Stanton was reportedly the "niece of Mrs. Cavell, Thomas’s housekeeper", and considerably younger than Thomas (Emma was born about 1841 in Plaistow Essex according to the 1891 census). So the question remains: who took care of his large young family in the interim? By 1862 Thomas's oldest children where already grown, with his oldest son and daughter already married. Thomas Jr already had a son of his own (of course they named him Thomas!), and Mary Ann was expecting her own first child. In the 1871 census, Sarah Cavill was living with the family, an unmarried housekeeper from Essex and 68 years of age. Presumably her duties included minding the younger children.
Perhaps the signature of this Thomas BOORMAN? A portrait exists of Thomas Boorman in his later years, dressed in a suit and sporting a long white beard (shown above). He had the characteristic high Boorman forehead and familiar “look” about his eyes. I get the sense that he was quite a short man.
We also have a rather fuzzy image of handwriting which says “T Boorman 1885”; the family assumes that this was his signature. It was written on the back of a photo, perhaps one of the above portrait? I'm trying to gather more information on this.
We also have a rather fuzzy image of handwriting which says “T Boorman 1885”; the family assumes that this was his signature. It was written on the back of a photo, perhaps one of the above portrait? I'm trying to gather more information on this.
Gravestone of Mary Ann and Thomas BOORMAN, Garratt Lane Old Burying Ground, Wandsworth, London, England
Photo courtesy of J Boorman
According to the Dyer family history mentioned above, Thomas and Mary Ann attended the Congregational Church in Wandsworth where Thomas was a deacon for about 50 years up to the time of his death. "They were both exceedingly upright, conscientious people - somewhat narrow minded in their religious views and most uncompromisingly honest and straight forward in their dealings.” The word "puritanical" was also mentioned. Perhaps that was their way of making sense of, and dealing with all the hardships that came their way.
Thomas died 20 Sep 1894 in Wandsworth at the age of 84 and 3 weeks according to the family bible. His probate summary says that he was living at 41 Melody Road in Wandsworth and probate was granted to his widow Emma Boorman, with effects amounting to £552 8s 5d. Thomas was buried in the Garratt Lane Old Burying Ground in Wandsworth along with his wife Mary Ann and young daughter Harriet. And probably four young infants. Their gravestone is still there, a little sad for wear and not in its original location. The cemetery is now maintained as a park, a beautiful green space in the middle of a bustling city where people can stroll along the paths and rest on a bench under a shady tree, perhaps contemplating those that had walked there so many years before.
Thomas died 20 Sep 1894 in Wandsworth at the age of 84 and 3 weeks according to the family bible. His probate summary says that he was living at 41 Melody Road in Wandsworth and probate was granted to his widow Emma Boorman, with effects amounting to £552 8s 5d. Thomas was buried in the Garratt Lane Old Burying Ground in Wandsworth along with his wife Mary Ann and young daughter Harriet. And probably four young infants. Their gravestone is still there, a little sad for wear and not in its original location. The cemetery is now maintained as a park, a beautiful green space in the middle of a bustling city where people can stroll along the paths and rest on a bench under a shady tree, perhaps contemplating those that had walked there so many years before.
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