Tom Painter

[sigma]

Has anyone come across Tom Painter b.abt 1824, reputedly a bare fist fighter from Shropshire.
His epitaph reads "Here lies Tom Painter, fears no man"

[dot.hawkes]

There are a few Thomas / Thom Paintersd on the 1851 census for Shropshire, but only one born around that time (1825 actually) he is 24 years old in April 1951 and his wife is called martha and his occ. is Agricultural labourer. as were many men at that time who lived in Rural areas . His place oif birth is given as Culmington but he actually lived in Suefton.
There is another Thomas Painter born 1827 living in Chelmarsh with his parents William and Sarah, that Thomas is also recorded as an Ag lab. I doubt it was a recognised profession in the mid-1800s to be a bare knuckle fighter.
In 1861 the second one i mention above is still living at home with his parents and a labourer, the other one is married anf farming hios own place with a wife Mary and a step son surname watkins and 3 kids of his own.
This is assuming he lived in Shropshire at the time of those twop census returns.

[sigma]

Thanks dot.hawkes. The first Thomas you mentioned ,husband of Martha is the one reputed to be a fighter. I just wondered if any one had come across him as such