Thomas Higgs (1816 – 1887)

Mary Higgs (1824 – 1887)

Thomas Higgs was baptized on 3 November 1816 at St Nicolas in Newbury the son of John and Elizabeth Higg, John was a papermaker. In the 1841 census Thomas was living with his mother Elizabeth in Reg Market in Newbury.

Thomas married Mary Garlick on 18 December 1847 at St Nicolas in Newbury. He was a stationer at the time of the marriage. Mary Garlick was baptized on 18 April 1824 at St Mary in Greenham, the daughter of William and Martha of Twyford, William was a butcher. In the 1841 census Mary was recorded in Cheap Street in Newbury with her parents and brother William.

In the 1851 census Thomas and Mary along with sons Thomas aged 2 and John aged 1 were living in Northbrook Street in Newbury. Thomas was a stationer.

Ten years later in the 1861 census Thomas and Mary were recorded with children Thomas aged 12, John aged 11, William aged 9, Walter aged 7, Elizabeth Ann aged 5, Frederick aged 2 and a baby aged 5 weeks in Cheap Street in Newbury. Thomas was a general dealer. Mary’s father William Garlick was also in the house.

Subsequently in the 1871 census Thomas and Mary were still living in Cheap Street but now with seven children, Thomas, John, William, Elizabeth Ann, Frederick, Herbert and Arthur. Thomas senior was a stationer, Thomas junior, John and William were all shopman to a stationer, while Elizabeth Ann was a dressmaker.

In January 1874 the lease of Thomas’s shop was put up for sale at auction after the death of the owner William Taylor. It was described as a double fronted shop as well as a large dwelling house with 4 bedrooms and 4 other rooms and also cellars. Thomas was named as the yearly tenant at a rent of £35 per annum. It had formerly been a bacon factory.

A few years later in the 1881 census Thomas and Mary were still living in Cheap Street (at numbers 33/34) but now with five children, John, William, Elizabeth Ann, Arthur and Brice Edward. Thomas senior was a stationer and general dealer, John and William were assistants to the general dealer, Elizabeth Ann an assistant to the stationer, while Arthur was a draper’s assistant. Brice was still at school and a scholar.

Thomas died on 23 June 1887 aged 71 still living at Cheap Street and he was buried at Newtown Road Cemetery on 28 June. An announcement appeared in the Reading Mercury of 25 June as below. There was also an announcement in Berkshire Chronicle of 2 July.

HIGGS – on the 23rd. inst., at his residence, Cheap Street, Newbury, Thomas Higgs, aged 71 years.

Mary died a few months later on 7 December 1887 aged 63 still living at Cheap Street and she was buried at Newtown Road Cemetery on 12 December. An announcement appeared in the Newbury Weekly News of 15 December as below.

HIGGS – Dec. 7., at 33 Cheap Street, Mary, widow of the late Thomas Higgs, in her 64th year; deeply mourned by all who knew her.

Nine of the children of Thomas and Mary were buried at Newtown Road Cemetery. They were Frederick, John, Walter, William Henry, Brice Edward, Herbert, Thomas Farr, Arthur and Elizabeth Ann who were buried on 10 January 1893, 23 December 1902, 29 November 1904, 15 April 1913, 25 June 1913, 8 January 1915, 10 July 1919, 1 April 1924 and 1 February 1936 respectively.

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