Thomas BRAILSFORD Esq., of East Barkwith, Toft Hill and Toft Grange, co Lincoln, JP, DL, was born 10 Oct 1787 at Manchester Lancashire, son of Samuel BRAILSFORD and Mary CHRISTIAN. He was one of three boys. His brother Samuel (1789-1809) died at the age of 20, unmarried. Another brother William (1792-1792) died in infancy.

It is unclear who raised Thomas and Samuel Jnr, as their parents immigrated to New York when they were very young, apparently leaving their children in England. Samuel Snr died in New York in 1798, and his widow Mary remarried to a Mr EWENS. Samuel Snr's Letters of Administration were left unadministered by Mary Ewens, and granted to Thomas BRAILSFORD of Toft Grange, "one of the children" of Samuel, on 28 Sep 1861, subsequent to a former Grant in May 1819. This opens the question that there *may* have been more as yet undiscovered living daughters of Samuel & Mary (but not necessarily!).

Thomas BRAILSFORD inherited a portion of his estates upon the demise of his Great Uncle Samuel BRAILSFORD of Rowthorne in 1798 (to pass in possession in 1808 when Thomas attained the age of 21). The Will stated that Thomas would "...enter upon all my Freehold and Copyhold Estates in the Counties of Nottingham and Derby when he attain the Age of twenty one". The Will bequeathed Estates in Lincolnshire (including Barkwith House) and Lead Mines in York & Derby, to (the younger brother of Thomas) Samuel Jnr, upon his attaining the age of 21. Samuel Jnr predeceased this bequest, dying in 1809 without legal issue before attaining the age of 21. As was specifically allowed for in the Will of their Great Uncle Samuel BRAILSFORD (1798), these properties also then passed into the possession of Thomas. Further wealth was inherited by the death of his (childless) Uncle Thomas BRAILSFORD in 1820.

In 1815 Thomas married the underaged Anne SHEPLEY, daughter of James SHEPLEY and Elizabeth HEATHCOTE. Anne's mother Elizabeth was the daughter and coheiress of William HEATHCOTE Esq of the colony of Demerara and of Stancliffe Hall, DBY. Thomas & Anne had 11 issue between 1815 and 1828.

On 27 Mar 1821 Thomas sold a copyhold estate within the Manor of Mansfield to the Lord of the Manor of Mansfield, the Most Noble William Henry Cavendish SCOTT, 4th Duke of Portland. Included were: a dwellinghouse, barn, stable, orchard and gardens, an adjoining tenement, barn, cowhouse and garden, a cottage and gardens, a close of land called the Mill Close measuring about 2 a., the three Litacre Closes measuring together about 5 a., and the Quarry Close measuring about 3a. Consideration was �1,129 7s 6d. The abstract of this title commenced 5 Jan 1715. According to the documents of the sale of property in Mansfield Woodhouse, he was the only surviving son of the late Samuel BRAILSFORD of Bolsover, DBY.

Thomas' wife Anne died 22 Nov 1837 and was buried in the Vault below the Alter, St Mary's Church, East Barkwith. Thomas married secondly 31 Mar 1840 to Mary Anne HALE, dau of Rev John HALE, Rector of Holton, and had a daughter Mary Margaret (1841).

Barkwith House in 1915. View larger image currently in the possession of Kerrie Brailsford, courtesy of Jane Perkins.

Barkwith House was sold by Thomas BRAILSFORD around 1840 to the TURNOR family & is to this day a lovely estate home, currently owned by Jane Perkins. The postcard picture of Barkwith House (right) was sent in 1915 to JH DENNY Esq, of 6th Devons Reserve in Bombay India, with a brief promise to write of all news soon & was signed MG. The photo appears to have been cut down to fit in a frame, so a full trancsription is not possible.

Thomas and his family moved to Toft Grange. Mary Margaret married in 1863 to William Edward NEWALL, and had a daughter Ethel Miriam in 1864, and (from birth & death registrations) perhaps two further male issue who died as infants. Mary Ann died in 1864 and Thomas died shortly afterwards on 14 May 1866. Their daughter Mary died in 1868, aged on 27. Ethel Miriam married and had two daughters, the younger of whom married, settled in Wales & had issue. Toft Grange was sadly destroyed by fire many years later.

Coat of Arms granted to Thomas BRAILSFORD Esq, of Barkwith House in 1825. Image courtesy of , who provides Arms FREE of charge Follow this link for further discussion of BRAILSFORD Coat of Arms

SOURCES

BIRTH:
Descent of Thomas BRAILSFORD Esq of Barkwith House, Lincolnshire (Burke's Landed Gentry (1846))
Thomas BRAILSFORD born 10 Oct 1787
[son of] ...Samuel [and] ... Mary...CHRISTIAN

MARRIAGE:
IGI Marriage transcripts, 1541-1837 CofE Parish Church of Darley DBY Batch M020492 & M139081
Darley Dale Thomas BRAILSFORD M 14 Jan 1815 Ann SHEPLEY

Darley Dale CD
DDM1815001
BRAILSFORD Thomas of Darley
mar 14 Jan 1815 at Darley, SHEPLEY Anne of Darley

BDM Vol 14 Page 607
Thomas BRAILSFORD mar Mary Ann HALE Mar 1840 qtr

ISSUE:
Darley Dale CD
Issue of Thomas BRAILSFORD & Anne SHEPLEY chr at Darley Dale:-
Thomas BRAILSFORD 3 Nov 1815 Stancliffe Hall Gent DDB1815057
Eliza BRAILSFORD 26 May 1817 Stanton Hall Esq DDB1817022
Ellen BRAILSFORD 28 Jun 1820 Stancliffe Hall Esq Age 2 DDB1820050
Samuel BRAILSFORD 28 Jun 1820 Stancliffe Hall Esq Age 1 DDB1820051
John Arthur Heathcote BRAILSFORD 25 Aug 1824 LINCS Esq Age 2 DDB1824051
Alsina BRAILSFORD 25 Aug 1824 LINCS Esq DDB1824052
William BRAILSFORD 12 Jun 1827 LINCS Esq DDB1827034

DEATH:
From Jane PERKINS by email
Thomas BRAILSFORD died 14 May 1866 at Toft Grange and was returned to East Barkwith for burial.

OTHER:

Wills
Samuel BRAILSFORD (father) d 1798 proved 1861
Thomas BRAILSFORD (uncle) proved 1820
Samuel BRAILSFORD (great uncle) proved 1798
Thomas BRAILSFORD proved 1866

Case Study
Chambers v Brailsford [Rolls - 1811, Feb 7, 11] p367-375

Sutton-In-Ashfield by Barrie SMITH
28 Jul 1825 a grant of arms was made to Thomas Brailsford of East Barkwith Esquire, Lord of the Manor of Toft Hill and Toft Grange in the County of Lincoln.

Jane PERKINS (researcher of Barkwith House) by email, March 2004
"Thomas sold Barkwith House around 1840 to the TURNOR family & Thomas and his family moved to Toft Grange, though Thomas was brought back for burial in 1866. Toft Grange was destroyed by fire many years later."

Jane PERKINS (researcher of Barkwith House) by email, April 2004
...The memorials which were my starting point are a stone tablet which replaces one accidentally damaged in 1959 in which it says that in a vault beneath the altar lie the remains of Annie [1st wife] who died in 1837, Thomas who died at Toft Grange in 1866 & three of their children, Alsin, Annie & Mary who died in infancy. There is also a stained glass window, given in memory of their parents in 1868, by their two youngest children; William (1825-1882) & Emma Dorothea (1828-1908).

Portland (London) Collection: Catalogue of Deeds and Documents from the Estates of the Dukes of Portland, 1304 - 1933
Refer Manuscripts Listings

North East Lincolnshire Archives
Lincolnshire Deed dated: 20 December 1822
Refer Manuscripts Listings

Lincolnshire 1841 Pigot's Directory
BRAILSFORD Thos.,091

Lincolnshire History, Gazetteer and Dictionary 1856 Seats of Gentry Clergy pp 56, 742
Toft Grange, 4 miles NNE of Tattershall, Thomas Brailsford, Esq.

Burke's Landed Gentry of Great Britain & Ireland 1846
BRAILSFORD of Barkwith House
Refer Pedigrees Listings

Burke's Landed Gentry of Great Britain & Ireland 1866
BRAILSFORD of Barkwith House and the Manors of Toft Hill and Toft Grange
Refer Pedigrees Listings

Lincolnshire Archives
Genealogical Manuscripts of John Kirkby
Refer Manuscripts Listings