**COMPLETED** Thomas Morrison died Bradford 1837

[amg2512]

This really is a stab in the dark but I am hoping that someone can direct me.

Thomas Morrison was born in Scotland and appears to have travelled quite some distances whilst giving lecture tours on what subject, I really don't know, possibly astronomy, religion, politics.   He was quite an orator and from the picture I have built up, I think you either hated or loved him.

Anyway my problem is that he died whilst on one of these trips, an obituary that has been found dated 22 April 1837 says he died last week.   I would really like to find out if he was buried in Bradford or taken home OR?   I know it's a tall order but any information on him would be welcomed.

Thanks for your help
Alison

[dobfarm]

Hi Alison,
I have had a look at Bradford family history society parish burial surname index book and there is no 'Morrison' burials 1837. A man called Mr Blackburn did most of the Bradford churchyards MI's and these are held at Bradford local studies library (See link) Address, Phone and Email contact details given in link.

They will do a free look up for you on a known date.

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/archon/searches/locresult_details.asp?LR=2750

There is a Thomas Morriss died age 56 years Bradford April 10th 1837 (Could be mis-transcribed)

Dave

[amg2512]

Thank you Dave for your reply & the link.    Unfortunately I have no idea of the exact date of death, my Thomas was 62 when he died however I will keep Thomas Morris on a back burner for a while, just in case.
Alison

[dobfarm]

Hi Alison

Exact date for the libray really means they a have very near date to work from say within a month either way but they will charge for Blanket unknown dates search of more than 3 month.

Blackburn burial MI's register is by name first then dates for example there maybe 3 'Joe Soap's' buried one in 1800 one 1812 and one 1837! so found very quick.

Thomas Morriss is what was entered in the burial book NOT Morris and the April date one week aprox before the obituary date makes me think its a mistranscribe with 'on' missing.

I'll look up the entry on my next visit to Bradford Library

[amg2512]

Thank you so much, very grateful.   Had not noticed the double S and of course thinking about the age I can only assume the people he were with had to guess!   Could well be my man, I'd be so pleased if it was.
Alison

[LizzieW]

What an interesting man to have found in your research.

Lizzie

[amg2512]

There is so much more I want to know, people keep giving me snippets & it sounds amazing, I really need to get to the Library but not possible for a while. But yes he sounds very interesting.
Alison

[dobfarm]

Bradford Observer Thursday 13 April 1837 page 85 bottom left first of page.

COBLER of DUMFERMLINE---Died, in this town, on Sunday last (9th April 1837),
Thomas Morrison Senior, of Dumfermline in Scotland , frequently designated the cobler of Dumfermline. This most extraodianry individual, has, for many years past, been engaged in a crnsade against all the commonly received opinions in theology,polities and philosophy. He appears to have been a universal sceptic: everything that he could not understand, he, with the utmost assurance, denounced as false. And as his literary acquisitions were but limited, though his oratorical powera were very considerable, he dibelieved even those truths, which, to well cultivated and reflectting mind, are all but self evident. The theories of gravitation and attration ;were a mere delusion:the needle was not attracted by the magnet, and the moon was an hemispherical boat floating in air. These and numberless other monstous absurdities amongst the doctrines he promulgated.
For weeks past he has been lecturing in the neighbourhood of Huddersfield, but unhappily he had become a slave to that worst of tyrants, drunkenness. This frequently prevented him from fulfilling his engagements; large audiences have frequently been collected and have waited for the lecture in vain. On Wednesday last he came to this town (Bradford) by the Huddersfield waggon. On the road he contrived to get excessively intoxicated, and in this state he was put out of the waggon in the street in Bradford, where he was found by the suveyor, Mr Bakes, in a state of insensibility, and conveyed by him to the station house. When his fit of drunkenness had ceased, a lodging and medical attendance was procured for him, but disease, engendered by intemperance had taken so firm a hold on his constitution that all assistance of medical science was vain--He expired on sunday


Bradford St Peter Burial 1837
No 258
Thomas Morrisin abode Bradford 10th April 1837 aged 56 by B Milas curate.

No Gravestone , most likely pauper Grave.

 

[amg2512]

Thank you so much for that at least now I know where he is.    How very sad but I suppose we've all got one in our tree!!

I can't thank you enough for your help.
Alison