The Story of Thomas Henry Biggs, Jamaican-born sailor (c.1868-1930)
|
Can you help to fill in the gaps and add to the story of Thomas Henry Biggs (c.1868-1930), a Jamaican-born sailor resident in Hull?
We were first alerted to the story of Thomas Henry Biggs when we noticed a report in the Hull Daily Mail from 29 November 1922. [1] The report titled ‘How the Poor Live: Wretched Conditions of Negro’s Hull Family’, told of the distressing conditions that Thomas and his family were living in. The Mail described how Thomas and his wife Gertrude and their three young children, Margaret (aged 8), Thomas (aged 7) and Florence Rebecca (15 months) were living in one room at 3 St George’s Place, Lower Union Street, Hull with a pensioner named ‘O’Brien’ who had taken them in “out of sympathy.” The room was “very dirty and the smell unbearable” and only the children had a bed. Unfortunately the couple had been brought in front of the Police Court in Hull with the charge that they were “neglecting” their three children, and although the children were described by the court as “fairly clean” – remarkable for the circumstances they were living in – the couple and their eldest child Margaret were given no choice but to be admitted to the workhouse. |
Hull Daily Mail, 'How the Poor Live,' 29 Nov 1922.
|
Effects of the War
It is quite clear from the Mail’s article that Thomas had fallen on exceptionally hard times. He described to the court how he had served during the war on a minesweeper and had been “blown up” and “so badly injured” that he could no longer work. He said that he had once had “a good home” but had been compelled to sell it “to get food for the children.” Because there was no welfare state during this time period, the workhouse was ultimately the only option left to this unfortunate family.
It is quite clear from the Mail’s article that Thomas had fallen on exceptionally hard times. He described to the court how he had served during the war on a minesweeper and had been “blown up” and “so badly injured” that he could no longer work. He said that he had once had “a good home” but had been compelled to sell it “to get food for the children.” Because there was no welfare state during this time period, the workhouse was ultimately the only option left to this unfortunate family.
Thomas and Gertrude Biggs
The Mail’s article provided some interesting details which we could use to begin researching Thomas’s background. A look at the Birth, Marriage and Death (BMD) records showed that Thomas had married Hull-born Gertrude Elizabeth Marris (who the Mail had described as a “frail-looking white woman”) in Hull in 1920 and that he had probably died in Hull in 1930. The BMD records also revealed that the couple had possibly had three other children: Ethel M Biggs, Edith Biggs and David A Biggs. The first four children were probably born out-of-wedlock since their birth dates precede the couple’s marriage and it is interesting that in the 1911 census Gertrude suggested that she had been married to the “Head of Family,” Thomas Henry Biggs, for two years. [2] Having children out-of-wedlock during this period was considered morally unacceptable and against social norms which is why Gertrude almost certainly chose to record herself as married on the census. We learn nothing about Thomas on this census record though, since he appears to have been absent from the family home at this time and although he is described as the “Head of Family” on the form, Gertrude (or Gertie as she called herself) signed for her ‘husband’.
The Mail’s article provided some interesting details which we could use to begin researching Thomas’s background. A look at the Birth, Marriage and Death (BMD) records showed that Thomas had married Hull-born Gertrude Elizabeth Marris (who the Mail had described as a “frail-looking white woman”) in Hull in 1920 and that he had probably died in Hull in 1930. The BMD records also revealed that the couple had possibly had three other children: Ethel M Biggs, Edith Biggs and David A Biggs. The first four children were probably born out-of-wedlock since their birth dates precede the couple’s marriage and it is interesting that in the 1911 census Gertrude suggested that she had been married to the “Head of Family,” Thomas Henry Biggs, for two years. [2] Having children out-of-wedlock during this period was considered morally unacceptable and against social norms which is why Gertrude almost certainly chose to record herself as married on the census. We learn nothing about Thomas on this census record though, since he appears to have been absent from the family home at this time and although he is described as the “Head of Family” on the form, Gertrude (or Gertie as she called herself) signed for her ‘husband’.
1911 England Census: Gertrude (or Gertie) signs for her absent 'husband' Thomas Henery [sic].
|
The 1939 Register records that Gertrude was living alone at 9 Wormalds Place, Adelaide Street, Hull (presumably because she was a widow by this point) and her date and place of birth is given as 11 November 1875 in Hull. [3] This would have made her 45 when she married Thomas in 1920 and 46 when she had given birth to her last recorded child. Thomas’s birth dates are a little more complicated. In his naval service record, his birth is listed as 1 August 1868, whilst his death record implies that he was born in 1856. A later newspaper report from 1929 (see below) suggests that Thomas’s age at that time was 63, making his year of birth c.1866. Mistakes in transcriptions are not unusual, but in this case it is very difficult to be sure of Thomas’s actual age and year of birth.
|
1911 England Census: Thomas is recorded as 'Head of Family'
|
Naval Service
Thomas’s naval records, which are held by the National Archives at Kew, are a detailed source of information.[4] They show that he had been a serving member of the Royal Naval Reserves from 9 September 1897. He was born in Black River, Jamaica, was 5ft 5in tall, and his parents’ names were written down on the form as Mcgregor and Fanny. His service number was V569 and the record lists a number of ships that Thomas had served aboard. When we took a look at Thomas and Gertrude's marriage certificate from 1920, we learned that Thomas's father's name had been William Mcgregor Biggs, that he was deceased and had been a farmer (perhaps in Jamaica?). Gertrude's father (also deceased at the time the couple were married) had been a prison warder in Hull and named George Edward Marris. The certificate also confirmed that Thomas probably neither read nor write, since he signed the form with a cross rather than a signature.
In 1911, Thomas had undergone biennial training aboard HMS Antrim, a Devonshire class armoured cruiser. In 1913, he had been employed as a ‘fireman’ aboard the steamship SS Cragoswold and his voyage took him to the Mediterranean for three months. His next ship was a tanker, the SS Hyrcania, which sailed to the Black Sea for a month. After this he was engaged aboard a merchant navy ship, the SS Clam, again headed for the Black Sea. The record also shows that Thomas had worked ashore for short periods “at various kinds of employment,” presumably in Hull and since at least 1907 when his first recorded child with Gertrude was born.
Thomas’s naval records, which are held by the National Archives at Kew, are a detailed source of information.[4] They show that he had been a serving member of the Royal Naval Reserves from 9 September 1897. He was born in Black River, Jamaica, was 5ft 5in tall, and his parents’ names were written down on the form as Mcgregor and Fanny. His service number was V569 and the record lists a number of ships that Thomas had served aboard. When we took a look at Thomas and Gertrude's marriage certificate from 1920, we learned that Thomas's father's name had been William Mcgregor Biggs, that he was deceased and had been a farmer (perhaps in Jamaica?). Gertrude's father (also deceased at the time the couple were married) had been a prison warder in Hull and named George Edward Marris. The certificate also confirmed that Thomas probably neither read nor write, since he signed the form with a cross rather than a signature.
In 1911, Thomas had undergone biennial training aboard HMS Antrim, a Devonshire class armoured cruiser. In 1913, he had been employed as a ‘fireman’ aboard the steamship SS Cragoswold and his voyage took him to the Mediterranean for three months. His next ship was a tanker, the SS Hyrcania, which sailed to the Black Sea for a month. After this he was engaged aboard a merchant navy ship, the SS Clam, again headed for the Black Sea. The record also shows that Thomas had worked ashore for short periods “at various kinds of employment,” presumably in Hull and since at least 1907 when his first recorded child with Gertrude was born.
Details from Thomas H Biggs Naval Reserves documents: The National Archives
|
|
A month before the outbreak of war, in June 1914, Thomas was serving, again as a fireman, on the cargo steam ship SS Etton which was headed to the Baltic region. The records do not make clear what happened next, but on 8 October 1915, the record shows that ‘Mrs Biggs’ had contacted the Naval Reserves to ask “whether [her] husband had been killed.” By 27 June 1916 Gertrude was still asking the Naval Reserves about the whereabouts of her husband. At this date Gertrude is recorded as living with Mrs Barlow, 5 Cross Street, off Brook Street, Hull. More research might show what happened to Thomas at this time and which ship he was aboard. This incident might also relate to his claim in the Hull Daily Mail that he became disabled when he was ‘blown up aboard a ‘minesweeper’. The naval record corroborates this. At the beginning of 1917 Thomas was awarded a Royal Naval Reserves medal for long service and good conduct and towards the end of the war, in 1918, he is awarded a disability pension.
We learn that at the time of his discharge in 1918, Thomas was living at 12 Paragon Street, Hull, and had served twenty-one years in the Royal Naval Reserve.
We learn that at the time of his discharge in 1918, Thomas was living at 12 Paragon Street, Hull, and had served twenty-one years in the Royal Naval Reserve.
|
Further Reported Tragedy
It seems that the couple were only resident in the workhouse for a short time after they were given no choice but to be admitted in 1922. Thomas’s naval records record that his address was ‘care of’ Mrs L Gilbert, 52 Great Passage Street, Hull in August 1923 and there are two other address also mentioned for that year (see more addresses below). However, by June 1929 both the Hull Daily Mail and Yorkshire Post were reporting a further tragedy for the family. The Post described Thomas as “an invalid” and “aged coloured man” who had been rescued from a blazing caravan by his “plucky” wife Gertrude.[5] The couple had recently moved into the caravan on “Pounder’s Field in Southcoates Lane” when, according to the newspaper, a spark from a fire probably ignited some inflammable material and set the caravan ablaze. Attempting to extinguish the fire himself Thomas fell down and attracted by his shouts Gertrude “dashed into the caravan and took her husband to safety.” By the time the Hull Fire Brigade arrived at the field the caravan was almost completely destroyed rendering the couple homeless once again. Thomas was quite severely burned about the hands, arms and feet and was taken to Hull Royal Infirmary and later Beverley Road Infirmary. It may be that this incident played some part in Thomas’s death recorded in 1930. As mentioned before Gertrude appears to have remained in Hull although it is unclear what happened to her surviving children. Thomas’s naval record shows that his wife was still receiving his naval pension in 1941 but we have yet to discover a date of death for her. NOTES
[1] Hull Daily Mail, ‘How the Poor Live,’ 29 Nov 1922. [2] 1911 England Census. The National Archives. [3] 1939 Register, The National Archives. [4] Royal Naval Reserves Records, The National Archives, Cat No. BT/377/7 [5] Hull Daily Mail, ‘Hull Caravan Gutted,’ 13 June 1929. Yorkshire Evening Post, ‘Saved from Blazing Caravan,’ 13 June 1929. |
Yorkshire Evening Post, 'Saved from Blazing Caravan,' 13 June 1929.
Biggs family other recorded addresses
24-05-1918: 4 Adelaide Street, Hull 16-16-1919: 9 Alfred Street, Hessle Rd, Hull. 1919: Victoria Mansions, Hull. 11-10-1923: 56 Myton Street, Hull. 08-11-1923: 9 Hunt’s Terrace, West Parade, Hull. 10-06-1941: 19 Nile Street, Hull. [Mrs Biggs] |
Can you help?
We need more information about Thomas and Gertrude Biggs to help tell their story. Can you help us to find more information about them by looking in the census, BMD records or local Hull workhouse records for example?
Do you remember the Biggs family in Hull? Do you have any memories, pictures, letters that might help us add to their story?
If you would like to help or have any further information please click on our submit button below to contact us. Thank you!
We need more information about Thomas and Gertrude Biggs to help tell their story. Can you help us to find more information about them by looking in the census, BMD records or local Hull workhouse records for example?
Do you remember the Biggs family in Hull? Do you have any memories, pictures, letters that might help us add to their story?
If you would like to help or have any further information please click on our submit button below to contact us. Thank you!