He was born 15 May 1841 (the original register, and therefore the certificate, has 15 June; an error since registration was 12 June) at 159 Western Road, Brighton, a son of Thomas Wyborn, chemist, and Jane Elizabeth, formerly Pearce. His birth was registered without names 12 June 1841 by his father. Jane Gertrude Banks (formerly Wyborn), Thomas Harrison's daughter, knew that his birth date was 15 May.
In the 1841 census of Western Road, Brighton, taken 6/7 June, he (Tom) was aged 3 weeks and at the home of his parents, Thomas (a chemist) and Jane. This is a further indication that his date of birth was 15 May 1841.
In the 1851 census of High Street, Eton, Thomas was in the home of his parents aged 9 and born at Brighton.
In 1861 he was not living with his stepmother (a chemist and druggist) and her family at 100 High Street, Eton. There is a suitable entry in the census of 1861 at 21 Broadway, St Margaret's Westminster for a Thomas Wyborn aged 20, a servant to a grocer, George Morris (aged 50) and his brother Joseph (aged 48). Thomas was born at Brighton, Sussex.
In June 1864, Thomas Harrison was of Eton, a grocer's assistant.
In the census of 1871, in the High Street, Brackley, Northamptonshire, Thomas appears to be a grocer's shopman, aged 27, unmarried, and born at Brighton, Sussex. The head of the household was Thomas Slatter, a grocer and wine merchant.
At some point, Thomas Harrison was apprenticed to a grocer in Kingston.
Thomas Harrison Wyborn married Elizabeth Branton at Esher after banns, on 19 March 1876. Thomas was aged 32, a bachelor and grocer's assistant, of Kingston on Thames, the son of Thomas Wyborn, a chemist and druggist. Elizabeth was aged 23, a spinster of Esher, the daughter of John Branton, a farm labourer. The witnesses were John Branton and Fanny Taylor.
The 1881 census of High Street, Kingston gave Thomas aged 38, a grocer, born at Brighton, his wife Elizabeth (aged 28) and her sister, Sarah Branton (aged 19), both born at Hoo Green, Suffolk. Their three sons were Harry aged 4, Ernest aged 2 and Wilfred aged 6 months, all born at Kingston.
When another grocer opened a shop next to Thomas's in Kingston, he became bankrupt and had to move. Mary Branton, his wife's sister was in service in Bromley and found them a cottage there. Thomas Harrison then became an agent for Singer Sewing Machines.
Kelly's Directory of 1887 gave Thomas Henry Wyborn (sic) as a machine agent of 58, Palace Road, Bromley. Kelly's Directory of 1890 gave Thomas Harrison Wybornas a machine agent of 58, Palace Road, Bromley.
In the 1891 census of 58 Palace Road, Bromley, Thomas Harrison was aged 49, a grocer's assistant, born at Brighton Sussex. His wife, Elizabeth was aged 38 and born at Hoo, Suffolk. Their children were Ernest aged 12, Wilfred aged 10 both born at Kingston, Teresa aged 8, Mabel aged 5, Agnes aged 2 and Florence aged 3 months, all born at Bromley.
He died 24 December 1899, aged 57, a grocer's assistant, of double pneumonia, at 15 Bromley Crescent, Bromley. The informant was his son Harry Wyborn of the same address, in the Shortlands district of Bromley. In 1901 Harry was living with his mother, so perhaps this address is where the Wyborns were living in 1899.
In the 1901 census of 43, East Street, Bromley, Elizabeth was a widow aged 48, born at Hoo Green, Suffolk. Her children were Harry John Gustave, aged 24, a plumber fitter (worker), Wilfred Albert, aged 20, a painter, both born Kingston on Thames, Ethel Emily Theresa, aged 17, a dressmaker, Annie Mabel, aged 15, a dressmaker, Agnes Beatrice, aged 12, Florence, aged 10, Gertrude Jane, aged 7 and Helen Maud, aged 5, all born in Bromley. There was also a boarder.
After Thomas's death, Elizabeth and her family first lived at Scotts Road and then in an attic room over a shop in East Street (a laundry receiving office was below), next to the Railway Tavern, until Jane Gertrude was about 8 and then at 66, Park Road, Bromley. Elizabeth lived on the ground floor with Helen on the 1st floor and Annie in the basement.
In 1911 their address was Park Road, Bromley.
In later life, Elizabeth suffered from thyroid problems and had a large swelling on the right hand side of her neck (a goitre).
Elizabeth died 28 March 1941 at 19 Church Road, Bromley. She was aged 88 and died of influenza and cholelithiasis. The informant was her daughter, A.B. Thomas of 19 Church Road.
Thomas Harrison and Elizabeth's children were:
Posted 18 January 2007