Like much before 1841 it's not easy to work out.
Apart from the two marriages there is another for a Thomas Bailey to a Mary Amos in 1788. Which could mean a third marriage for your Thomas or the presence of a second Thomas.
I'm assuming that the Thomas you are interested is the one who is definitely the father of the 6 children baptised in 1814.
So is there anything on the baptisms of the children prior to 1799 that actually connects them to him. I know details can be sparse on early baptisms but is there an occupation or address? And is there a burial for a likely Mary Bailey before the second/third marriage? Without any further info you would just be guessing unfortunately.
You may also be reading too much into an old man being listed as a gardener. If he still had to earn a living there are not many things he could do at that age.
Thank you MWS and Pedrocut for your much-appreciated replies. I have spent the entire day digging deeper into this fascinating family. Thomas Bailey’s family tree can be seen at
https://www.familysearch.org/en/tree/person/details/2DTP-8YZ. Most people named below are hyperlinks. If you hover your mouse you will see.
MWS, thank you, but I can rule out the marriage of Thomas Bailey to Mary Amos in 1788 because that Thomas was single, not a widower.
The Thomas Bailey I am interested in had six children from his first marriage to
Mary Ensell, then a further seven children from his marriage to
Mary Ruston. I can fortunately link the two broods from a reference in the delightful book, “Black Country Life 1830-1880”, written by Dilys J. Goode, published in 1994. On page 160 she notes that
William Ensell had married
Elizabeth Harford, nee Bailey. Although she died in 1838, her will was not proven until 16th June 1875 following William’s death. An attorney acted on behalf of Elizabeth’s brother,
James Alderson Edward Bailey, the sole executor, then residing at Arlington in the United States of America.
Elizabeth Bailey was a daughter from William Bailey’s first marriage to Mary Ensell. James Alderson Edward Bailey was a son from William Bailey’s second marriage to Mary Ruston. So we can be sure from the will that they are siblings although technically “half” brother and sister.
Returning to Thomas Bailey, he was definitely a Steel Toy Maker as his apprenticeship to Abel Groves in 1783 and the Ashted baptismal register of 19 April 1814 proves. He also took on an apprentice himself in 1791 when he was a steel toymaker.
I hope that some kind person on this Forum
may help me with any more trade directory records for Thomas Bailey and/or Abel Groves.
As for Thomas being a gardener, I fully accept the point that MWS makes that at the age of 80 he may have been an old man leaning on his rake, watching the birds as a geriatric gardener. But I stand by my theory of him baptising his sixth child as
John Linneaus Bailey being an example of nominative determinism.
It is documented in newspapers that Joseph Bailey of Edgbaston and Thomas Bailey of Birmingham, gardeners and seedsmen were declared bankrupt in 1797. I believe that this is Thomas Bailey and his brother
Joseph Bailey. Probably Joseph as the senior partner with Thomas as the junior partner. Most of Joseph’s family are listed in censuses as gardeners and on one occasion Market Gardener. It is unlikely that an entire family would work independently as ornamental gardeners. Even descendants who emigrated to America carried on working as market gardeners! It is more likely that they all worked together as a family unit as market gardeners. The two addresses that keep cropping up are Deadmore Lane (also spelt Deadmoore Lane) and Boulton Road (also spelt Bolton Road). Boulton Road still exists – and resonates with proud Brummie history - but I can’t find Deadmore/Deadmoore Lane on Google Maps.
So again
I would be grateful, if it looks relevant for market gardening, for any maps 1790-1840 of Deadmore Lane and Boulton Road from the kind people on this Forum.
