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Thomas Druce FFMFF
Name - "official" name and what they were known as:
Thomas Charles Druce Date and place of birth: Possibly Witney, Oxfordshire ( as per 1851 census), birth about 1796 Names of parents Unknown – possibly illegitimate son of ?? Date and place of baptism - if applicable Unknown * About 50 years after TC Druce’s death the widow of one of his sons claimed TC was in reality the 5th Duke of Portland who lived a double life. A long series of court cases spanning about 10 years followed during which time no evidence of TC’s birth/ parents was ever discovered in spite of extensive searches by various people. In 1907 his body was exhumed and identified. The claim that TC was the Duke was proved pure fiction. Details of each of his or her marriages - if any 16 th October, 1816 married Elizabeth Crickmer at St James, Bury St Edmunds Suffolk 30 October, 1851 married Annie May at Windsor. Occupation(s) - if any Draper’s assistant, Upholsterer, proprietor of the Baker Street Bazaar, 68 Baker Street. Addresses where they lived (including county if in UK) - and please list which censuses you have or haven't found him/her on (if s/he lived in census times!). Bury St Edmunds Suffolk 1816 – abt 1833 when he deserted his wife Elizabeth. TC moved to London by 1833 1841 ‘ lodging at Lodge Road, District of Marylebone 1851- residence with Annie May – 2 Richmond Green, Richmond 1861- residence at 58 Finchley Road, St John's Wood Date, place of death 26 December, 1864 at Holcombe House, Hendon London Cause of death – abscess, gangrene resulting from fistula Date and place of burial. Burial at Highgate Cemetery on 31 December, 1864 Details of will / administration of their estate - if applicable Probate granted 10 February 1865. Memorial inscription - if any N/K
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I take it that there is no father's name on his marriage certificate?
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#3
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Kite there was no indication of TC's parents on any documents either from his first marriage to my 3x ggg mother Elizabeth in 1816 or his later marriage to Annie in 1851. I've not seen the MC of 1851 but a Druce descendant of that marriage said the information is not given.
The entry in the Suffolk- Sudbury Marriage Licences in 1816 is the first time he appears on any record.
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#4
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Kate I've got to tell you that we are probably sort of related ...
My Bil is a descendant too lol ... I'm sure that I've got material he sent me somewhere.... |
#5
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Kate, thank you for providing me with an entertaining morning reading about all the court cases.
Ancestry have the following entries in the Freedom of the City of London Admission Papers collection. - Charles Crickmer Druce, admitted 1857, father Thomas Charles Druce. - Thomas Druce, born 1798, admitted 1821, father Charles Druce. - John Druce, born 1799, admitted 1835, father Charles Druce. There are two births in London for Thomas Druce at about the right time with Charles as the father. Thomas Druce, baptised 25 October 1796 to Charles and Mary Druce. Thomas Druce, born 20 November 1798 and baptised on 8 January 1799 to Charles and Mary. The problem with all this is that Thomas was born in London, not Oxfordshire. Lots of trees and photos on Ancestry as well. Last edited by Shona; 03-12-12 at 18:26. |
#6
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I've got rather hooked on the Druce family and the case of Thomas Charles Druce being the Duke. But the more I read, the more I wonder whether Thomas Druce who married Elizabeth Crickmer is a different person from the Thomas Charles Druce who married Annie May.
There are certainly a lot of Druces in the 1843 Post Office directory for London: Druce & Co, furniture department, Bazaar, 4 King Street, Portman Square Druce & Brock, upholsterers etc, 200 Regent Street Druce, Charles & sons, Attorneys, 10 Billiter Square Druce Thos & Co, Hanstown Brewery, Low. St George St, Chelsea Druce, Thos & Wm, timber and coal mers, Paradise Row, Chelsea Druce, John, butcher, 13 Skinner St, Sommerstown Druce, Joseph, butcher, 6 Pitfield St, Hoxton Druce, Thomas, butcher, 20 Weymouth St, Portland Place Druce Thomas jn, butcher, 33 Pitfield St, Hoxton Druce, Wm sen, Feathers PH, 25 Wellington Terr, Waterloo Road Druce Wm, jn, Rose & Crown, 15 Crown Street, Soho Thomas Charles Druce, the brewer, died in 1860, leaving about £1,500. His address at the time was Warwick Street. Looking at the electoral rolls for London for Thomas Druce, we get the following: 1844 200 Regent Street, house 1847 200 Regent Street, house 1850 Upper Baker Street, Portman Square, workshops 1851 20 Royal Avenue, Chelsea, Hanstown brewery and two houses adjoining 1851 Upper Baker Street, Portman Square, workshops 1852 20 Royal Avenue, Chelsea, Hanstown brewery and two houses adjoining 1853 As 1852 1858 128 Warwick Street, house 1858 58 Baker Street Portman Square, workshops Last edited by Shona; 03-12-12 at 18:27. |
#7
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Kate, is your 2xg-grandparent a child of Elizabeth Crickmer or of Annie May?
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#8
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Thomas Druce and Elizabeth Crickmer (married 1816) had the following children - all born in Suffolk.
- Henry Thomas Druce, born 1817 - Charles Crickmer Druce, born 1818 - George Druce, born 1819 - Frances Elizabeth Druce, born 1821 - William Druce, born 1827 Thomas Charles Druce and Annie May (married 1851) had the following children - all born in London: - Albert/Herbert? Druce, born 1846 - Sidney Charles Druce, born 1848 - Florence Maria Druce, born 1850 - Walter Thomas Druce, born 1852 - Bertha Marion Druce, born 1854 - Louis Alfred Druce, born 1853 If this is the one person, where was he between 1827 when he was in Suffolk and the 1840s when he appears in London? |
#10
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Reading about the famous court case where it was claimed that Thomas Charles Druce was the Duke, I saw this statement by Thomas's son, Herbert:
'I have not been able to find any account of the beginning of the business. I did not know of my own knowledge when it was started nor with whose money. I cannot recollect having seen the certificate of my birth. I have never searched nor know of any search being made. I have not seen a certificate of my baptism, nor searched for one, nor authorised a search to be made. I never saw a family Bible which recorded my birth. The first 50 years (about) of my father's life were a blank to me. I do not recollect being visited at Finchley Road by any relatives of my father's or mother's. I do not recollect my grandfathers or grandmothers.' |
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