Tom Townsend

Tom was born in Arnold in 1892, the son of John and Lucy Townsend. Tom was one of five children who were all still alive at the time of the 1911 Census: John (b. 1885), Emma (b. 1887), Maud (b. 1889), Tom (b. 1892) and Nellie (b. 1896). All the children were born in Arnold, Nottinghamshire John senior was born in Normanton, Derbyshire, and Lucy in Tibshelf, Derbyshire but they were living on (-) Row, Arnold, by the time of the 1891 Census. John was a coal miner (banksman). In 1891 they had three children; John (6), Emma (4) and Maud (2). By 1901 the family was living on Surgeys Lane, Arnold. There were only four children still at home; Emma (14) who worked in a laundry, Maud (12), Tom (8) and Nellie (5). The eldest child, John, has not yet been traced on the 1901 Census but in 1906 he married Beatrice Purdy and it is likely that they lived initially in Arnold as their eldest child was born there in about 1907. By 1911, though, John, a coal miners' loader, and his wife were living at Greenhill Lane, Alfreton, Derbyshire, with their three children, John Henry (4), Catherine Lucy (2) and Alice Maud (1); both girls were born at Greehill Lane. In 1911 John and Lucy were living on Cross Street, Arnold, and only Tom (18) and Nellie (15) were at home the night of the census. Tom was working as a baker and Nellie as a machinist (blouse).