Henry Tomkins - Coach Painter - Lambeth

[PaulMonsters]

Hi, I am looking for some information/pictures of my 4th Great Grandfather Henry Tomkins. Born in 1810 in Aston Clinton, Buckinghamshire and moving to Lambeth some time before the 1841 Census. He was a coach painter which is the bit I am really interested in.

Does anyone have any idea how I could find information on the coaches he painted/his business/who he worked for? I have searched and searched for his name and occupation but can't find any sources apart from the 1841-1861 censuses.

His son, Frederick Tomkins, my 3rd Great Grandfather, was also a painter so it would be interesting to follow with that too but there is no reference to what he actually painted so it could be a number of things.

If anyone can help it would be greatly appreciated!

[maddys52]

I can't help with the type of work he did, however there is this mention of the death of two children in 1852 - possibly yours?

"HEALTH OF LONDON DURING THE WEEK ...
In Lambeth Church sub-district (first part), at 8, Newport-street, on 13th and 18th November, the two sons of a painter, aged three years and one year, died of "scarlatina." Mr. Greathead, the registrar says - 'The deaths cannot be attributed to any want of sanitary measures.' "
Thursday,  Nov. 25, 1852, Morning Post
(and also in The Times)

Also, there is a  Henry TOMKINS (engineer) of 8 Newport St (where your family were in 1851 and 1861) mentioned as a witness in a Parish voting scandal in 1855.
Sunday,  May 6, 1855, The Sunday Times (and various other publications)

[maddys52]

Children mentioned above probably:

John Isaac - birth reg Lambeth Dec qtr 1849  (4/335) mmn LAUNDER
                    death reg Dec qtr 1852 (1d/183) age 3

Alfred George - birth reg Lambeth Sep qtr 1851  (4 / 296) mmn SANDER
                        death reg Dec qtr 1852 (1d/183) age 1

[maddys52]

His son, Frederick Tomkins, my 3rd Great Grandfather, was also a painter so it would be interesting to follow with that too but there is no reference to what he actually painted so it could be a number of things.

On his marriage to Susan Elizabeth ABRAMES on 22 Jun 1863, he says he is a"coach painter" (father Henry, coach painter"). For interest, in case you don't have it - her father: Benjamin, fishmonger, witnesses Henry TOMKINS (signs with"x") and John [?] GAWLER.

[amondg]

Try trade directories, if he was in business for himself he would have to advertise

[HeatherLynne]

This may be of interest to you, my Great Great Grandfather Alfred Bell had the occupation of coach painter on several censuses, having been born in Bury St Edmunds then moved to London in the 1870s.

I found the following on the Old Bailey Online site and think it's likely it refers to my ancestor although Alfred Bell isn't an unusual name.  In 1882 he'd been mugged and his testimony includes reference to his workplace and wages:

Cross-examined. " I am a coachbuilder's labourer—I work for Messrs. Cass, in Long Acre, and received 24s. a week—"

Gives you an idea of one employer in London and the wages.

Good luck with your research 🙂
Heather

[PaulMonsters]

Also, there is a  Henry TOMKINS (engineer) of 8 Newport St (where your family were in 1851 and 1861) mentioned as a witness in a Parish voting scandal in 1855.
Sunday,  May 6, 1855, The Sunday Times (and various other publications)

Thank you so much for all the information, this Parish voting scandal may be referring to his son William Henry Tomkins who was an engineer!

[PaulMonsters]

Try trade directories, if he was in business for himself he would have to advertise

Thanks, I'll trawl through trade directories to see if anything comes up.

[PaulMonsters]

His son, Frederick Tomkins, my 3rd Great Grandfather, was also a painter so it would be interesting to follow with that too but there is no reference to what he actually painted so it could be a number of things.

On his marriage to Susan Elizabeth ABRAMES on 22 Jun 1863, he says he is a"coach painter" (father Henry, coach painter"). For interest, in case you don't have it - her father: Benjamin, fishmonger, witnesses Henry TOMKINS (signs with"x") and John [?] GAWLER.

Thank you so much for finding this, it seems he was married and divorced between censuses! My Great Great Grandfather is from his marriage to Emma Lucy Hills, although I can't find their marriage details. It looks like Susan Abrames was back with her mother in 1871 and Frederick was remarried with a child.