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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => London and Middlesex => Topic started by: Cougar on Thursday 30 November 06 07:05 GMT (UK)
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At long last am gathering bits and pieces about my elusive Stanley's. The date would be c1870-1875.
It seems that 'somewhere in London' was an effigy?/ statue
of Tom Thumb that my ggrandfather delighted in jumping over. I am 'presuming' that as he 'walked the streets of London' it would be in old the square mile of the City - but I could be wrong. The family lived in City Rd Shoreditch at the time.
Searches on 'google' have failed to find it.
Does anyone out there know anything about where it either was or is please?
Thanks in advance,
Cougar
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tom thumb was the 1st american buitl steam locomotive !!! what do you reacon ?
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Sorry - thanks but - not him
Tom Thumb also was a midget / actor with Barnham Circus.
Believe also a character from ?Grimms Fairytales.
Cougar
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Maybe try not taking the story too literally.
A six year old ancestor of mine in the 19th Century climbed and sat atop the steeple of Seacroft church. So he claimed. And, it was true - the steeple was on the village green waiting to be lifted into place! When your ancestor claims to jump over Tom Thumb it may just be a statue/figure known locally as "Tom Thumb". It could be a well known feature or a figure from a graveyard for example. It could be a reduced scale figure, such as may decorate the second floor of some buildings or a 'sales' mannekin, outside a shop, for a forgotten product.
Sorry I have no answers for your question,
Nigel
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Hi Nigel
Thanks for that - I think...................... ::)
Trouble I have is, a couple of people vaguely remember it - but of course, can't remember where.
By the way - ggrandad would have been around 20 at the time and from all accounts a scallywag - perhaps that's where I inherited that trait from??? ;)
Oh well, like everything else in this game - is worth a try.
Cheers Cougar
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Hi Cougar
There is a 'Tom Thumbs Arch' in Bow, London, apparently.
Wonder whether it got the name due to a statue..... ??? Not sure how you'd find this out?
Helen
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Hi Helen,
Now, there is a thought - although when I looked at the picture of it - thought it said it was so named because it was so low.
The picture itself was interesting - had a dog in it but also a 'hooded' man (I assume)................
Thanks for that
Cougar
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http://www.electricscotland.com/history/barnum/chap11.htm
Still looking. If he was there in the flesh, then it is possible there was once a statue.
Jamjar
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Wow - thanks for that site - didn't find that on my travels.
Now I wonder whether the 'statue' was near that theatre / outside it ????
Off on the hunt again.
Thanks Cougar
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I am always surprised that people still use Google, Cougar.
For serious searching use a Meta Search Engine. Go to www.dogpile.com. It searches Google, Yahoo, MSN, Ask Jeeves and more.
The list of results all have the link and will say on which search it was found.
It saves lots of time and broadens the probability of success.
Kindest regards,
Jamjar
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goodheavens
Haven't used dogpile since I changed computers - forgotten all about it.
Thanks for that.
Cougar
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There are somethings a girl can't live without and Dogpile is one of them.
There was a time when my firewall and anti-spam blockers stopped it working. I suffered withdrawals. :-\
Working OK now, touch wood. ;D
Jamjar