1911 Census: In 1911 Thomas Brown 59, was the Licennsed Victualler at the Blue Bell. He lived there with his wife Sarah 58, and daughter Jessie 15, a school teacher. Although Thomas and his wife were born locally, Polebrooke and Nassington respectively, their daughter was born in Barnsley, Yorkshire. The 1911 Census had The Blue Bell listed as The Bern Bull. The census also tells us that the couple had been married thirty seven years and had seven children, all of whom were still living.
Phillip Brown, Thomas's great grandson has been in touch and sent me a picture of Thomas and Sarah and their seven children in about 1900 in Barnsley before they returned to the Peterborough area.
Thomas was a Signalman on the Railway prior to coming to Dogsthorpe. In the 1891 census the birth places of his first 6 children show he started married life in Nassington, from there a short move to Postland, Crowland, Lincolnshire; followed by a move to Chaddesden, Derbyshire, before living in Barnsley, Yorkshire from about 1881. Phillip tells me Thomas had been injured, see cuttings below, whilst employed as signalman.
The picture is believed to have been taken on their eldest son's wedding day at 10 Grove St, Barnsley. Phillips' father b1905, and his elder brother used to go to the pub for holidays and played cricket with their grandfather.
It is believed Thomas died in Dogsthorpe but this has so far not been verified, it is unknown what happened to Sarah.
