Thomas LIGHTLEY

Thomas Lightley was born in Beverley, Yorkshire, in about 1817. He was born illegitimate, and at the time of his christening (as Thomas Freebury) was living with his mother Mary in Beverley Workhouse. However, his mother shortly afterwards married Anthony Lightley, and since Thomas in later life used the surname Lightley (unlike an earlier illegitimate son of Mary Freeby) it seems that Anthony is likely to have been his father (as Thomas stated on his marriage certificate).

Thomas was apprenticed as a tailor in 1831, at which time he was stated to be "a poor boy of the parish". In 1841 he was still living in Beverley and working as a tailor, but by 1851 he had moved a few miles north to Great Driffield. In 1852 he married Elizabeth Robson Bayes of Flamborough, in the parish church of St. Mary Whitechapel, London. The witnesses to the marriage were Stephen Mercer (who was married to Elizabeth's aunt Esther Robson), and Jane Bayes, who was Elizabeth's sister.

Thomas and Elizabeth's first two children were born in Great Driffield, and the remaining five in Bridlington. All but John Robert survived until adulthood. Mary Alice Fidler, who was referred to as Thomas and Elizabeth's granddaughter in census records, was in fact the great-granddaughter of Elizabeth's uncle William Robson.

Sources:

1. Marriage certificate for Thomas Lightley and Elizabeth Robson Bayes.
2. Birth certificate for Stephen Mercer Lightley.
3. 1841 census for Beverley.
4. 1851 census for Great Driffield.
5. 1861 census for Bridlington.
6. 1871 census for Bridlington.
7. 1881 census for Bridlington.
8. IGI.
9. Apprenticeship record for Thomas Lightley.
10. Baptism records for Christ Church, Bridlington.
11. Bridlington Cemetery burial records.
12. "The Fishing Robsons", by Peter Robson.