Weaste Cemetery

Biographies of people buried between 1857 & 1869

Thomas Boothman (1792 - 1857)


 Thomas Boothman Jnr was an Agent for a number of Insurance companies and was also the Secretary of the Manchester Chamber of Commerce from 1830 to 1857.

 

He was born in 1792 in Ribchester, Lancashire, the son of Thomas Boothman Snr, who was a Coal Merchant in Manchester, and who owned a small colliery in Whaley Bridge, Cheshire (now Derbyshire), known as Wharf Colliery. It was originally sunk in 1856 – 60 on land occupied by Richard Robinson. Thomas Snr's other son John William Boothman (1804 – 1863) owned and operated another small colliery in Whaley Bridge known as Furness Clough Colliery and also a lime kiln alongside the Peak Forest Canal. It is no coincidence that Thomas Boothman Snr was also a Lime Merchant with premises on Dale Street, Manchester.

 

Not a lot is known about Thomas jnr's early life, but the census of 1841 at Ardwick Place, Chorlton-on-Medlock, Manchester, shows Thomas Boothman Snr, born 1771 and aged 70, Thomas jnr born 1796 aged 45, Alice born 1806 aged 35, John born 1806 aged 35, and also Ann Robinson born 1816 aged 25. In 1842 Thomas jnr married Marcia Robinson of Whaley Bridge, (registered in Macclesfield, Cheshire). In 1851 Thomas jnr and Marcia were living at 16, York Place, Manchester. Thomas was aged 58 and an Agent. Marcia was aged 41. Their children were Charles (b.1844 in Stockport, Cheshire) aged 7, Henry (b.1846 in Manchester) aged 5, Elizabeth (b.1848 in Manchester) aged 3, and Edward Jno (b.1849 in Manchester) aged 2.

 

Extracts of Thomas jnr's business life show that from 1830 to his death in 1857 he was Secretary of Manchester Chamber of Commerce; in 1833 he gave evidence to the Factories Act (10 hour Bill) 1833; in 1837 he became Manchester Agent for Scottish Widows Life Assurance; in 1839 he was referred to in a letter of Richard Cobden's regarding leaflets on the Anti Corn Law League; in 1841 he attended the funeral of Thomas Sharp, Manchester Engineer; in 1843 he was Manchester Agent for Messrs Waghorn and Co, (mail to India); in 1848 he was a Partner of the Liverpool and Manchester District Banking Company; and in 1851 he wrote a letter to the Australian cotton growers about the quality of their cotton.

 

Thomas Boothman jnr died of stricture (narrowing of a passage in the body) on 12th December 1857 aged 65. His interment took place in the Catholic portion of Weaste Cemetery conducted by Father P Benoit. A notice in the Manchester Times of 19th December 1857 read BOOTHMAN – on the 12th inst, aged 65 at his residence York Place, Thomas Boothman Esq.

 

Thomas's widow Marcia, continued to show in the Census records: 1861 at a Lodging House at East Beach, Lytham, Lancashire; 1871 as Head at Bath Street, North Meols, Southport; and 1881 as Head at 30, Queen's Gardens, Paddinton, London. She died on 24th March 1895 aged 83. A notice in the Tablet publication of 30th March 1895, read "IN MEMORIUM – of your charity pray for the soul of Marcia Boothman, late of No.30, Queen's Gardens, London W, who died on 24th March 1893 aged 83. R.I.P.