Thomas Ginn of Hertford died 1857

 Thomas Ginn here astonished me - he was born in 1784 yet there is a surviving photograph of him, notwithstanding the fact that photography did not really come in until the 1850s.

Tom here was the second surviving son of Benjamin Ginn of Ware in my last post.  It is clear that Benjamin Ginn had his eldest two sons educated to at least some extent and in the case of Tom put out to a trade.  Because Tom was a Plumber, later (when sanitation became an issue again, some 1500 years after the Romans !) a Sanitary Engineer and Glazier.

I researched Thomas Ginn years ago, even though he was not a descendant of the Aston Ginns.  He has turned up once or twice since when I have been digging in wider records.

Tom was born as I say in 1784.  He was baptized at the Old Meeting House in Ware, but you will not find the record online- it is recorded in manuscript returns at Herts Archives reference NR6/1/1 (page 405)  

In 1803, Tom was 19 and  Britain and France, after a short peace, were locked once again in the Napoleonic Wars.  For Britain, it was a dangerous time, as Napoleon was preparing the Grand Armee to invade.  In the end it was only (in 1805) when Nelson defeated the French and Spanish navies at Trafalgar, that denied Napoleon completely.

But in 1803 the British needed troops.  We did not (unlike the Continent) have conscription.  We relied on a volunteer regular army, a county full time militia and, in these most dangerous times, there was a call for volunteers for home defence.  

Raising volunteer forces had been tried before and these irregular part time units for home service had been seen rather like the Home Guard ("Dad's Army") in WW2 - ie the subject of affectionate ridicule.

Tom Ginn answered the call.  When I was turning up Napoleonic Ware records nearly thirty years ago now I turned up Tom - none of this, even now, is online or even indexed.  Thomas Ginn volunteered for the 2nd Hertford Volunteer Foot Regiment.

The Napoleonic Wars ended in June 1815 when Wellington (aided by Marshal Blucher of Prussia) beat Napoleon at the Battle Of Waterloo.  Three months before, in March 1815, Thomas Ginn had married Sarah Heasler at St James Piccadilly in London, they made a thing of it because Sarah was clearly a Hertfordshire girl, she said she was born in Great Amwell and though I have never found a baptism entry,  she was likely born to William.

Thomas and Sarah first went to live in Great Amwell,  For those not familiar with Hertfordshire (I have lived in Hoddesdon) Hertford, Ware, the Amwells (little and Great) and Hoddesdon merge together in the area, you can cross parish boundaries without really knowing that you have left or arrived.  We do not know where they lived, only that they used Great Amwell Church.  They soon moved into Hertford and over the years had a good number of children.

Thomas Ginn was an innovative chap.  There is evidence that he collaborated on some projects with his brother Benjamin the surveyor, perhaps designer/architect.  This will be discussed later. But Tom has a lighthearted distinction unique in the blog - in 1840 he registered a copyright to his design for a water closet, ie a "w.c" or a flush toilet !  For those fascinated by the history of the "u-bend" (and who isn't ?) the flush toilet was not a Victorian invention.  It had been around for centuries before the wonderfully named Thomas Crapper who is often credited with it. for obvious reasons. 

But in early Victorian times the increasing population and enlarging towns led to more and more disease, cholera epidemics and the like

Thomas Ginn

and our ancestors gradually came to realize that there was a connection (pun intended) between sanitation and disease.  A decade or two remained before towns had a proper sewage system, Tom's flush toilet went to a cesspit or tank in the garden - but it was a start.

Thomas Ginn's business as a Plumber, Glazier and sometime painter flourished and he became modestly prosperous.  It has been said, wrongly, that he became Mayor of Hertford.  His son, grandson and gt grandson certainly did, but not Tom.  In fact I cannot find any evidence that he played any part in civic  life in the Borough of Hertford, but he may have done.

The surviving photo of Tom dates from the early 1850s, he was about 67.  It is at the H'ford Museum who claim the copyright, so please do not reproduce it. My feeling is that when you look at the man you are looking at a product of the 1700s, rather than a man of Victorian England, the photo is reminiscent of a portrait of George Washington.

Thomas Ginn died in 1857 - he was 71.  Sarah lived on and we have a photo of her too - but she (below) had embraced the Victorian age.

Sarah died in 1876 - she was 83.

Thomas and Sarah Ginn had nine children

George Heasler - was the heir.  He went to Surrey. He married twice, first a Harriet Renshaw in London in 1840 and then an Annie in middle age.  There was  a child from both marriages.  He was in Managerial, Clerical work in various areas of work.  He later changed the spelling of his name to Ginne, for reasons best known to himself.  He died in 1900.

Richard - succeeded his father in the family business in Hertford.  He built up a very successful building  firm in Hertford.  Married Elizabeth Frances Hancock in 1855.  There were issue

In 1891 he was Mayor (as were later a son and grandson) and we see him below in his regalia when he was about 73.  He died in 1896.

Mary - was the eldest daughter.  She married James William Brown in London in 1846 and there were issue.  We see her below in a colourized photo.

Ann - married John Arthur Purkiss of London in 1841.  The marriage is announced in the "Reformer" of October 2nd that year.  This was the entry of the Purkiss family into the Ginn line - the name Purkiss later came to be of significance in the family, in the same way they had incorporated the name Heasler.  Family alliances were at work here.

Sarah Heasler - married Thomas Hancock in 1846.  There were issue

Emily - never apparently married and died in 1910

Benjamin - named after Tom's surveyor brother.  There were two, the first died in infancy.  The second, born in 1831 also sadly died, aged 16 in 1847.  There is an announcement in the "Hertfordshire Mercury".

Ellen - married William Heasler in 1858