Thomas Cross was born and baptised in Wrexham on 18 December 1817 he was the son of John Cross and Elizabeth, his father was a joiner and lived in Abbot Street.
It`s possible that this is the marriage of the right couple as all birth registrations of the children have mother’s maiden name of Williams.
18 September 1836. St Mary’s on the Hill, City of Chester.
Thomas Cross, bachelor, currier and Margaret Williams, spinster married. Both of that parish. Witnesses Catherine Cowap and John Hughes.
As Margaret and Thomas were married before 1837 there is no fathers name on the marriage entry, so all we know that she was from Bala.
Because the 1841 census for Wrexham is missing Thomas doesn’t show up until 1851.
He is a currier in Abbot Street, his wife Margaret is 30 is a dressmaker and was born in Bala. Their children are Charles 8, Eliza/ Elizabeth 6 and Edwin Alfred 1.
18th September 1858. Wrexham Advertiser,
Thomas was the target of some badmouthing as he was forced to put a notice in the papers.
TWENTY POUNDS REWARD.
WHEREAS, some evil disposed person or persons have been circulating a report affecting the character of Mr. THOMAS CROSS. of Abbot-street and Hope Street, Wrexham, and another person. Notice is hereby given, that whoever will give such information to the aforesaid Thomas Cross, as shall lead to the detection and punishment of the author, or authors of such report, shall receive the above reward. Any person circulating such report after this notice will be prosecuted. (It`s not known if the culprit was caught)
In 1859 Thomas seems to have problems with his house.
3 September 1859 SURVEYOR’S REPORT. Complaints having been made that the house at the corner of Back Chamber-street, occupied by Mr Thomas Cross appeared to be dangerous, I examined it and found most of the floors and ceilings out of level. The front wall was bulged out in the entire; there is also some large cracks in the brick work. This appears ready to fall and the whole front is much out of the perpendicular and must eventually fall into Abbot Street.
The following year on 28 April 1860 there were still concerns about the building, Thomas had said he had nowhere else to carry on his business and Mr Robinson one of the owners asked for another 2 years as they could not just re build the property. Councillor Manuel Jones said Mr Cross apprehended no danger, and if he thought himself safe why not we?
The Ex-mayor said Mr Manuel Jones would not be satisfied, if the building fell into the street as he was passing and Mr Cross standing untouched on the shop floor looking at him.
(The full report is quite amusing)
The same year of 1860 Thomas Cross, Town Hill, currier was charged along with many others in a number of cases of illegal, deficient and unstamped weights. He was fined 5s and costs.
In 1861 Thomas is in Hope Street, still a currier and leather dealer, Margaret is still a dressmaker, they have 2 more children Philip 9 and Henry 7.
In April 1866 Thomas had some of his hides stolen.
DENBIGHSHIRE QUARTER SESSIONS. STEALING A HIDE AND TWO CALF SKINS.
Two men stole 3 skins, on the 27th of April, the property of Mr Thomas Cross. Charles Davies pleaded guilty, Edward Davies pleaded not guilty. Mr Cross proved the missing of the skins and both were found guilty. Charles was sentenced to four months’ imprisonment and Edward to six months imprisonment, both with hard labour. In the previous report on the robbery Thomas Cross said I am a tanner. My yard is in Penybryn and another witness states Mr Cross’s tanyard adjoins the Horns Yard. (This gives us a good idea of where it was)
In August 1866, the same year “nuisances were reported” by P.C. John Henshaw, Inspector of Nuisances at Gwersyllt: 1 respectfully beg to report the following places as being nuisances to the neighbourhood and highly injurious to the health of the inhabitants.
On the property of Thomas Cross, currier, of Wrexham, consisting of six houses situate at the Cerney, Broughton, entirely without drains, the refuse running on the highway.
So it seems Thomas was a property owner as well as having his tanyard.
A few years later Thomas is appearing as a member of the jury in cases at the Wrexham County Court and by 1871 he has moved to 25 Regent Street, Thomas is still a tanner, Margaret is still making dresses, son Charles is married and also a tanner, but his wife isn`t there with them.
They stayed at 25 Regent Street and in the last census taken before he died Thomas has retired and Margaret has given up sewing.
Thomas died at his home in Regent Street on24 January 1882, he left a personal estate of £709 18s.
OBITUARY (EDITED)
Mr Cross was born in Wrexham and has resided in his native town all his life, where by his close application to business he became the owner of a considerable amount of property situated in Salisbury Park, Town Hill, Regent-street, Tuttle Street, and other parts of the town. For a large portion of his life he carried on business as a currier, to which in late years he added that of a skinner, by taking the skin yard lying between Bridge-street and Chadwick’s Foundry in Tuttle Street. The latter he disposed of a few years ago to Mr Hugh Price, and about the same time he gave up the other business to his eldest son. Deceased had been connected with Penybryn Chapel for the greater portion of his life, and always took a great interest in the off-shoot of that place of worship which exists in the hamlet of Rhosrobin, and as a local preacher was well known in the district for miles around.
Margaret moved to 2 Erddig Terrace and in 1891 is there with her grandson Thomas. She died aged 77 on 7 May 1893 and left effects of £66.
EDWIN ALFRED CROSS 1849 – 1924
Edwin Alfred was the son of Thomas and Margaret, he was born in 1849. He didn`t follow his father’s trade as by 1871 he is an insurance clerk. By 1891 he was in Shrewsbury where
he stayed for quite a while, he is found there in 1901 with his sister Elizabeth Pace who is a widow.
He then moved to Walton, Liverpool and in 1911 is with his nephew Percy Thomas Pace, also an insurance clerk. 61 Edwin is now 61 and still unmarried, he has retired from work.
Edwin Alfred died at Grindon House, Station Road, Old Colwyn on 19 January 1924. He was brought back home to Wrexham and buried with his parents. As probate was granted to the Public Trustee then it seems he never married.
Researched by Annette Edwards. August 2018. Gravestone photograph by Graham Lloyd.
Grave ref: Wrexham Cemetery M-03462
