Tom Shaw

TOM SHAW

Tom was born on Monday 23 November 1874 at his parents’ home in Carlton Street, Castleford, West Yorkshire; the son of Gideon and Jane Shaw. His birth was registered by his father seven weeks after his birth. He was baptised on Sunday 24 January 1875 at All Saints’ Church, Castleford.

When the UK Census was taken on 5 April 1881, Tom was living at 83 Carlton Street, Castleford with his parents and five siblings. He was then aged 6.

When the UK Census was taken on 5 April 1891, Tom was living at 111 Carlton Street, Castleford with his parents, his five siblings and Allen Taylor, a boarder. Allen was a coal miner. Then 16, Tom was already following in his father’s footsteps as a shoemaker.

Apparently, he enjoyed sports and played cricket, football and rugby for Castleford and Featherstone, continuing to play when he and Emily moved to Scarborough after their marriage.

He was married on Saturday 12 February 1898 at the Congregational Church, Castleford to Emily Nancy Pearse. He was then aged 23, employed as a cordwainer and still living at 111 Carlton Street. Their marriage was witnessed by George Higglesworth and Rebecca Solomon. They moved almost immediately to Scarborough, North Yorkshire and had been married for just 3 months when their first child, Florence May, was born there. Between then and 1907 they went on to have five more children, all boys; Horace Gideon, Frederick William, Tom, Leslie and Eric.

When the UK Census was taken on 31 March 1901, Tom was living at 2 Royal Crescent Lane, Scarborough with Emily and their two children. He was then aged 26 and declared his occupation as a self-employed boot & shoemaker. The children were Florence (2) and Horace (1).

On the birth of his second son, Frederick William, two months later in May 1901, Tom was still aged 26, still living at 2 Royal Crescent Lane and still a cordwainer (a boot and shoe maker and repairer).

He was a very keen, competitive cyclist and entered many road and track races as a member of the Scarborough Road Cycling Club. According to his grandson’s wife, Irene Shaw, 1905 was a very good year for him. On 17 September 1905 Tom was awarded a certificate (which is still in the family) in recognition of his ride of 100 miles in exactly 6 hours. It is thought that he also completed a ride of 75 miles in 4 hours 38 minutes and 30 seconds, was the champion of the town and was awarded a shield for a 50-mile ride and cups for 75 and 100-mile rides. He also competed in track racing and would go to events in nearby Ayton and Pickering.

Tom also took up motor cycling hill climbing and became the first person to climb a particular hill near Whitby, although he broke some ribs in doing so. Apparently, he would try anything and rarely had accidents. He eventually added a sidecar to his motor bike so that he could take Emily out with him.

When the UK Census was taken on 2 April 1911, Tom was living at 16 Belle Vue Street, Scarborough (a 6-roomed house) with Emily and their six children. Tom was then 37 and still declared his occupation as a self-employed boot repairer. The children were Florence (12 and at school), Horace (11 and at school), Frederick William (9), Tom (8), Leslie (4), and Eric (3).

On the first marriage of his son, Frederick William, in 1924, Tom was aged 49 and a master boot maker, owning his own business, now in Barwick Terrace.

It is thought that Tom wore breeches most of the time, rather than trousers.

At some point during the 1920s, Tom opened another boot & shoe shop at 32 Raleigh Street in Scarborough. However, the early 1930s was the time of the Great Economic Depression in the United Kingdom and Tom himself became depressed as his businesses approached bankruptcy. It was probably around this time that his son, Leslie, was heavily involved in a plan to set fire to the Barwick Terrace shop in order to collect the insurance money. The plan succeeded, and Tom duly collected the pay-out from the insurance company.

When the England & Wales Register was taken in 1939, Tom was now living at 32 Raleigh Street with Emily and two of their children. He was then aged 64 and still the owner of his on-site boot & shoe business. The children were Florence (41 and employed as a shop assistant, probably in her father’s business) and Eric (31 and employed as a boot repairer in his father’s business).

On the second marriage of his son, Frederick William, in 1949, Tom was aged 74 and still declared himself as a master boot & shoe dealer.

Tom died, aged 79, on Wednesday 23 December 1953 at his home at 32 Raleigh Street. The cause of death was coronary thrombosis and senile cardio-vascular degeneration. His death was registered by his son, Frederick William Shaw. At the time of his death, Tom had retired as a master boot and shoemaker. 32 Raleigh Street had been both his home and the site of his shoe repair and sales shop. Tom was buried in Section F10/28 of Woodlands Cemetery, Scarborough. The grave also contains the remains of Emily, his wife, plus his two unmarried children, Florence and Eric. He and Emily had been married for 55 years and had had 6 children.