Born: 21 November 1849

Birth Certificate:

Registration District	Dudley
in the Sub-District of	Dudley
in the County of	Worcester
When and where born	21 November 1849, Minories Dudley
Name	Thomas
Sex	Boy
Name of Father	Thomas Whitehouse
Name of Mother	Elizabeth Whitehouse formerly Collett
Profession of Father	Fruiterer
Informant	the Mark of Elizabeth Whitehouse, Mother, Minories Dudley
When Registered	22 December 1849

His Apprenticeship papers, dated 20 March 1866, give his age as "Aged seventeen years on the eleventh day of December last", implying birth on 11 December 1848. Perhaps a year was added to his age in order to obtain the apprenticeship.

Father: Thomas Whitehouse

Mother: Elizabeth Collett

5-generation pedigree

Siblings:

1. Samuel Whitehouse [1839 - ]
2. Emily Whitehouse [1847 - ] married 1^st qtr 1866 Dudley RD Denis Callahan
3.   Thomas Whitehouse [1848 - 1929]
4. William H Hill [1856 - ]

Married: Mary Lee

Marriage Certificate:

Registration District	Dudley
Solemnized at	The Parish Church
in the Parish of	Netherton
in the County of	Worcester
When Married	1 November 1869
Name and Surname	Thomas Whitehouse
Age	full
Condition	Bachelor
Profession	Brazier
Residence	Dudley
Father's Name	Thomas Whitehouse
Father's Profession	Miner
Witnesses	Eli Hill, Elizabeth Hill groom's stepfather and mother

Children:

1. William Henry Whitehouse
2. Thomas Whitehouse
3. Elizabeth Whitehouse
4. Mark Whitehouse
5. Emily Whitehouse
6. Dinah Whitehouse
7. (John) Edward Whitehouse

plus 5 unknown children, dead by 1911

The Whitehouse family, circa 1890

Photograph in old age

Newspaper: Unknown, 1929

Mr. Thomas Whitehouse, Lye
The funeral of Mr. Thomas Whitehouse, founder of the firm of Messrs. Thomas Whitehouse and Sons, Coronation Works, Lye, was on Thursday week. Mr. Whitehouse, who was in his 80th year, was one of the local pioneers of the sheet metal industry connected with the galvanised hollow-ware trade. Sixty years ago this industry, now of very considerable dimensions in Lye and district, was in its infancy. There were then only two firms engaged in it - Mr. Thomas Rhodes and Mr. George Hill. In 1867 Mr. Whitehouse, who had served his apprenticeship in the sheet metal trade in Dudley, came to Lye, entering the employ of Mr. Rhodes, and shortly afterwards he was engaged by Mr. George Hill, who had then installed the first galvanising pot in the district. Here he remained until 1905, and then he started in business on his own account, under the name of Thomas Whitehouse and Sons. He retained his interest in this firm until his retirement in 1925. Mr. Whitehouse's life was lived almost entirely in the interests of his home and family and with his business activities; he never entered public life. By his upright and industrious life he gained the respect of a wide circle of friends. Mrs. Whitehouse predeceased him 16 years ago, and he is survived by three sons and three daughters. The funeral was at Lye and Wollescote Cemetery in the family grave. Mr. A. Wooldridge, an old friend of the deceased, conducted the last rites at the house where the hymn "Jesus is a Rock" was sung and prayer offered. The mourners were Messrs. William H. Whitehouse, Thomas Whitehouse, senior, Mark Whitehouse (sons), Fred Whitehouse, sr, Sam Whitehouse, Tom Whitehouse, junior, Frank Whitehouse, Arthur Boaler, Fred Whitehouse junior, Bert Pearson, Harold Whitehouse, Senior, Ronald Pearson, William Whitehouse, junr., Edward Whitehouse, Harold Whitehouse, junior, Eric Clewitt (grandsons), Enoch Boaler, Rowland Pearson (sons-in-law), W. J. Clewitt, Bert Homer, J. H. Perks, P. Heathcock and W. Fletcher (friends). The bearers were Messrs. A. Southall, R. Amphlett, T. Little, L. Skelding, A. Pardoe (employess of the firm).

Floral tributes were sent by Dinah and family; Harriet and Will; Tom and Annie; Lizzie; Enoch and family; Mark, Esther and family; Emily, Roland and family; Mrs. G. Whitehouse and family; Gladys and Bert; Gwen and Arnold; Mr. and Mrs. F. Whitehouse; Louie and Will; Winnie and John; Doris and Jim; Sam and Ethel; Tom and Frank; Emily, Bill and baby Marjorie; Harry and Dot; Florrie and May; Lily and Bert; Bert and Mary; Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Clewitt and family; Mr. and Mrs. P. Heathcock; Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Perks and family; and a globe from the employees of Messrs. Thos. Whitehouse and Sons. Mr. W. H. Raybould, Church Street, had charge of the funeral arrangements.

Apprenticeship Indenture: dated 20 March 1866:

THIS INDENTURE WITNESSETH That Thomas Whitehouse of Dudley in the County of Worcester Aged seventeen years on the eleventh day of December last, by the consent of his Stepfather Eli Hill of the Dock in Dudley aforesaid Sheet Iron Worker doth put himself Apprentice to John Shakespeare of Dudley aforesaid Sheet Iron Worker to learn his Art and with him after the Manner of an Apprentice to serve from the date hereof until he shall arrive at and attain his full Age of Twenty one years until the full End and Term of Years from then next following to be fully complete and ended During which Term the said Apprentice his Master faithfully shall serve his secrets keep his lawful commands every where gladly do. He shall do no damage to his said Master nor see to be done of others but to his Power shall tell or forthwith give warning to his said Master of the same. He shall not waste the Goods of his said Master nor lend them unlawfully to any. He shall not commit fornication nor contract Matrimony within the said Term, he shall not play at Cards or Dice Tables or any other unlawful Games whereby his said Master may have any loss with his own goods or others during the said Term without Licence of his said Master, he shall neither buy nor sell, he shall not haunt Taverns or Playhouses nor absent himself from his said Master's service day or night unlawfully But in all things as a faithful Apprentice, he shall behave himself towards his said Master and all his during the said Term And the said John Shakespeare in consideration of such faithful service to be done and performed by the said Apprentice doth hereby Covenant Promise and Agree to and with the said Eli Hill his executors and administrators that the aforesaid John Shakespeare the said Apprentice in the Art of a Sheet Iron Worker which he useth by the best means that he can shall teach and instruct or cause to be taught and instructed. And also shall and will pay unto the said Eli Hill or to the said Apprentice (Except only during such time as he shall be absent from his service by sickness or otherwise, in which case a proportionate deduction shall be made) the wages or sum of money namely seven shillings weekly until he shall attain the age of eighteen years, eight shillings weekly until nineteen, nine shillings weekly until twenty and ten shillings weekly during the last year of the term of this Apprenticeship. And the said Eli Hill doth hereby promise and Agree that the said Apprentice shall at all times when required assist the said John Shakespeare in any Capacity of his business of a Sheet Iron Worker and Mechanic And also to provide or cause to be provided for the said Apprentice sufficient Meat, Drink, Clothes, Washing, Lodging and all other necessaries during the said Term. And for the true performance of all and every the said Covenants and Agreements either of the said Parties bindeth himself unto the other by these Presents In Witness whereof the Parties above named to these Indentures interchangeably have put their Hands and Seals the twentieth day of March and in the Thirtieth Year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lady Queen Victoria by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain QUEEN Defender of the Faith and in the Year of our Lord One Thousand Eight Hundred and sixty six
The mark of Thomas Whitehouse (seal)
Eli Hill (seal)
John Shakespeare (seal)
Signed Sealed and delivered by all the above named Parties in the presence of John H Walter Accountant Dudley

Died: 24 February 1929, Lye gravestone

Death Certificate:

Addresses:

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