Thomas Garland was born on 14 February 1801, the son of William Garland. He was baptised on 12 April 1801 at St Peter’s Church in Leeds and the baptismal record shows that the family were living on Nelson Street.

Thomas married Rebecca Bloom Wheen on 12 March 1829 at Kirk Bramwith, a village north of Doncaster.

Thomas and Rebecca had the following children:

  • William (1830-1898)
  • Richard Wheen (1832-1906)
  • Thomas Bloom (1835-1908)
  • Ann Elizabeth (1840-1918)
  • Maria Jane (1843-1894)

In 1841 the Census shows that Thomas and Rebecca were living on North Street in Leeds and Thomas was working as a “Druggist” with their four oldest children, two apprentices and two servants.

Rebecca died in April 1849 and was buried in Beckett Street Cemetery in Leeds. Thomas remarried on 20 July 1850 to Elizabeth Wheen at Manchester Parish Church, later Manchester Cathedral. I believe Elizabeth was Rebecca’s sister. The marriage register shows that Thomas was aged 49, a widower working as a “Chemist and Druggist” living at 24 North Street in Leeds. Elizabeth was a spinster aged 47 living at Old Millgate, the daughter of Richard Wheen, a farmer.

The 1851 Census shows Thomas and Elizabeth living at 24 North Street with the three youngest children, Thomas working as a Chemist.

In 1861, Thomas had retired according to the census, and they had moved to West Hill, Chapeltown Road in Potternewton with their three youngest children Thomas was described as the “Curate of Netherton”, Netherton was a village a couple of miles south of Dudley in what was then Worcestershire. They also had a visitor, Caroline Wheen, aged 47 who I think was probably a sister-in-law of Elizabeth.

Thomas died on 3 May 1861 at West Hill and was buried in Beckett Street Cemetery along with his first wife.

Probate reads:

GARLAND Thomas. 13 July. The Will of Thomas Garland late of West-hill Newton-green Potternewton in the Parish of Leeds in the County of York Gentleman deceased who died 3 May 1861 at West-hill aforesaid was proved at Wakefield by the oaths of William Garland of Potternewton aforesaid Wholesale Chemist Richard Wheen Garland of the Wharncliffe Works Sheffield in the said County Merchant and the Reverend Thomas Bloom Garland of Netherton near Dudley in the County of Worcester Clerk the Sons of the Executors.
Effects under £1,500.