T. G. G. Brent (aka Thomas George Gloster Brent): History

The Company

The company known as Thomas George Gloster Brent appears to have been started around 1870 as that is the first time it was listed in a London City directory. The owner may have taken over the cutlery business of James Botsham and renamed it with the Brent name because it was listed in the 1870 directory as Thomas George Gloster Brent (late James Botsham) working cutler. Unfortunately, to date no information about a Botsham firm has been found. Also, Mr. Brent is first listed as a cutler master employing two men in the 1871 census at 22 Windmill Street in Finsbury where it continued to be listed as such in the 1881 census except the address changed to 43 City Road in Finsbury, London. Evidently the business was at 43 City Road from at least 1875 to 1881. The firm continued to be listed under the Brent name until at least 1905 although the address was changed several times and by 1890 was listed as at 81 Long Lane, London. Mr. Brent retired from the business sometime between 1905 and 1911 as he was listed as a retired cutler in the 1911 census. Evidently the company ceased to exists after his retirement as it was no longer listed in city directories after 1905.

Only one Avery style needle case has been found with the T. G. G. Brent 43 City Road, London name stamped on it. It is the Quadruple Golden Casket - Fleur de Lis seen below. This needle case must have been made between 1875 and 1881 as that is the only time the firm was listed at this address. Obviously, William Avery, who patented this needle case in 1868, formed a relationship with Mr. Brent to allow the Brent name to be stamped on it. Presumably the company’s initials were stamped on the needle case because the full company name was too long to fit on it. Also, it most likely contained packets of Avery’s needles as Avery had arrangements with many other firms so his needles could be distributed to other places increasing his sales. This needle case design was one of Avery’s most popular designs as it has been found stamped with 15 different company names of which 12 were located in the London area.

The Brent Owners

Thomas George Gloster Brent was born in 1838 in Brighton, Sussex. He was the son of a man with the same name, Thomas George Gloster Brent, who was a military officer who evidently moved to either the Brompton[1] section of the London area which was located west and south of the City of Westminster or in Brompton, Kent, a suburban village situated between Gillingham and Chatham, approximately 35 miles southeast of London. When the younger Thomas was 13 years old, he attended school in the St. Pancreas section of London. Then in 1860 he married Jane Hayes Wheeler in Bloomsbury, in the Camden section of London where he worked as an ironmonger apprentice. By 1869[2] he was working as a cutler, an occupation he held for the remained of his life.

Thomas and Jane had seven children: Alice Jane 1861, Florence Louise 1864, Rosa Catherine 1869, Thomas George Gloster Jr. 1870, Sydney Herbert 1874, Eugene Percy 1877 and Eva Constance 1880. Unfortunately, his wife died 10 months after the birth of their daughter Eva. A year and a half later in 1881 Thomas married his second wife Priscilla Eliza Osborne and they had one child together, Bertha Osborne, who was born in 1883.

During the early years the Brent family lived 224 High Holborn in the St Giles section of London, later moving the 22 Windmill Street in the Finsbury section and later to 43 City Road also in Finsbury. Then by 1890 they moved to 81 Long Lane in the St. Bartholomew section of London. After his retirement around 1910, the family moved to Isledon Road in Finsbury. Thomas died at the St. Bartholomew Hospital in London in 1916 and left his estate valued at £207 to his wife Priscilla who died two years later in 1918 at the Mildmay Hospital in Mildmay Park, London. Priscilla left her estate of £232 to her only child, Bertha Osborn.

T. G. G. Brent: Images

Thomas George Gloster Brent: Geneolgy

(Note: all of the information below is from the actual records that are available on ancestry.com unless otherwise noted. Be advised that the actual records contain the correct information whereas some of the record transcriptions contain minor errors. Also, anything with S= in front of it means that is the source of the information.)

· Birth: January 11, 1838 (S=The Family Register- Parents Names). Brighton, Sussex (S=census records).

· 1851 UK Census: 28 Grove, Kentish Town, St. Pancreas, Middlesex. Listed as Thomas Brent age 13 a scholar born in Brighton, Surrey.

· First Marriage: September 3, 1860 at St. George, Bloomsbury, Camden, England (S=Church of England Marriages and Banns). Listed as Thomas George Gloster, a bachelor and ironmonger who resided at 43 High Street whose father was Thomas Brent a military officer, who married Jane Hayes Wheeler a spinster whose father was Edward Wheeler a solicitor.

· First Wife’s Birth Date: March 20, 1836 (S=The Family Register – Parents Names).

· 1861 UK Census: 224 High Holborn, St. Giles in the Field, London, Middlesex. Listed as Thos G. Brent age 23 an ironmonger’s aprt born in Brighton, Sussex with wife Jane age 25 born in Mitcham, Surrey.

· 1871 UK Census: 22 Windmill Street, St. Lukes, Holborn, Finsbury, London. Listed as Thos Geo Gloster Brent age 33 born in Brighton, Sussex a cutler master employing 2 men, with wife Jane Hays age 36 born in Mitcham, Surrey, 3 daughters (Alice Jane age 9, Florence L. age 7 and Rosa C. age 2) and 1 son (Thos G. Gloster age 11 months).

· First Wife’s Death: December 1880, Holborn, London (S=Civil Registration Death Index). Listed as Jane Hays Brent age 44.

· 1881 UK Census: 43 City Road, St. Lukes, Finsbury, Holborn, London. Listed as Thos. Geo. G. Brent age 43 born in Brighton, Sussex, a widow whose occupation was cutler employing 2 men with 3 daughters (F. Louise age 17, Rosa C. age 12 and Eva C. age 1) and 3 sons (Thomas G. G. age 10, Sydney H. age 6 and Eugene P. age 4) and 1 servant (Mary A. Hindes age 34).

· Second Marriage: June 3, 1881 St. Bride, Fleet Street, London (S=Church of England Marriages and Banns). Listed as Thomas George Gloster Brent, a widower, cutler and silversmith who resided at St. Bride whose father was Thomas Brent a military officer, who married Priscilla Eliza Osborne a spinster whose father was Thomas Osborrne a upholsterer.

· Second Wife’s Birth Date: February 18, 1851 (S=The Family Register – Parent’s Names).

· 1888 January 23, 1888 (S=London England Freedom of the City Admission papers). Listed as Thomas George Gloster Brent a cutler whose premises was 81 Long Lane listed as the son of Thomas George Gloster Brent late of Brompton.

· 1891 UK Census: 81 Long Lane, St. Sepulchre, Newgate, London. Listed as Thomas G. G. Brent age 53 a cutler employer born in Brighton, Sussex with wife Priscilla E. age 40 born in Finsbury, London and 2 daughters (Eva C. age 11 and Bertha O. age 7) and 2 sons (Sydney H. age16 and Eugene P. age 13.

· 1901 UK Census: 81 Long Lane, St. Bartholomew the Great, West Smithfield, London. Listed as Thomas G. G. Brent age 63 a working cutler employer born in Brighton, Sussex with wife Priscila E. age 50 born in London and 1 daughter (Bertha C. age 17).

· 1911 UK Census: 121 Isledon Road, Finsbury Park N., Islington, London. Listed as Thomas George Gloster Brent age 73 a retired cutler born in Brighton, Sussex with wife Priscilla Eliza age 60 born in London and 1 daughter (Bertha Osborn age 27).

· Death: Jan-March 1916 (S=Civil Registration Death Index), listed as Thomas G. G. Brent age 78 London. January 23, 1916 at St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, London (S=Index of Wills and Administrations).

· Probate: July 28, 1916 London (S=Index of Wills and Administrations). Listed as Thomas George Gloster Brent of 121 Isledon-road, Finsbury Park, Middlesex with effects of £207, 4s. 3d. to Priscilla Eliza Brent widow.

· Second Wife’s Death: April 1918 (S=civil registration death index), listed as Priscilla E. Brent age 67. April 29, 1918 at Mildmay Memorial Hospital, Mildmay Park, Middlesex (S=Index of Wills and Administrations).

· Second Wife’s Probate: July 1, 1918 London (S=Index of Wills and Administrations). Listed as Priscilla Eliza Brent of 121 Isledon-road, Finsbury Park, Middlesex, a widow with effects £232 14s. 10d. to Bertha Osborne Hopkins wife of Albert William Hendy Hoplins.

· Children:

1. Alice Jane Brent. Born: July 2, 1861 (S=The Family Register – Children’s Names). Baptized: October 6, 1861 and born July 2 (S=Church of England Births and Baptisms) with parents listed as Thomas George Gloster and Jane Brent of High Holborn and with father’s occupation listed as ironmonger. 1871 Census with parents. Marriage: March 3, 1883 Sydney, Australia (S=Sydney Mail newspaper dated March 10 1883, marriage section page 476), listed as Alice Jane Brent the eldest daughter of G. G. Brent of Finsbury Square, London, England who married Noah Griffiths.

2. Florence Louise Brent. Born: January 18, 1864 (S=The Family Register – Children’s Names). Baptized: May 1, 1864 and born January 18 (S=Church of England Births and Baptisms) with parents listed as Thomas George Gloster and Jane Brent of High Holborn and with father’s occupation listed as ironmonger. 1871 and 1881 Censuses with parents. Marriage: January 20, 1886 (S=Church of England Marriages and Banns) listed as Florence Louise Brent age 22, whose father was Thomas George Gloster Brent a jeweler, who married William Joseph Walker.

3. Rosa Catherine Brent. Baptized: February 28, 1869 and born December 26, 1868 (S=Church of England Births and Baptisms) with parents listed as Thomas George Gloster and Jane Hays Brent of 22 Windmill Street with father’s occupation listed as cutler. 1871 and 1881 Censuses with parents. Marriage: March 1, 1891 (S=Church of England Marriages and Banns) listed as Rose Catherine Brent age 22, whose father was Thomas George Gloster Brent a cutler, who married Charles Herbert Kent.

4. Thomas George Gloster Brent. Born: May 22, 1870 (S=The Family Register – Children’s Names). Baptized: May 7, 1871 and born May 22, 1870 (S=Church of England Births and Baptisms) with parents listed as Thomas George Gloster and Jane Hayes Brent of 22 Windmill Street with father’s occupation listed as cutler. 1871 and 1881 Censuses with parents.

5. Sydney Herbert Brent. Born: May 3, 1874 (S=The Family Register – Children’s Names). Baptized: December 5, 1875 and born May 4, 1874 (S=Church of England Births and Baptisms) with parents listed as Thomas George Gloster and Jane Brent of 43 City Road and with father’s occupation listed as cutler. 1881 and 1891 Censuses with parents

6. Eugene Percy Brent. Born: February 14, 1877 (S=The Family Register – Children’s Names). Baptized: April 15, 1877 and born February 14, 1877 (S=Church of England Births and Baptisms) with parents listed as Thomas George Gloster and Jane Hays Brent of 43 City Road and with father’s occupation listed as cutler. 1881 and 1891 Censuses with parents. Marriage: December 24, 1899 (S=Church of England Marriages and Banns) marriage to Hannah Pauling, listed as Eugene Percy Brent whose father was Thomas George Coster Brent a cutler.

7. Eva Constance Brent. Born: February 16, 1880 (S=The Family Register – Children’s Names). Baptized: April 18, 1880 and born February 16, 1880 (S=Church of England Births and Baptisms) with parents listed as Thomas George Gloster and Jane Brent of 43 City Road and with father’s occupation listed as cutler. 1881 and 1891 Censuses with parents.

8. Bertha Osborne Brent. Born: June 15, 1883 (S=The Family Register – Children’s Names). Baptized: September 9, 1883 and born June 15, 1883 (S=Church of England Births and Baptisms) with parents listed as Thomas George Gloster and Priscilla Brent of 239 Mare Street and with father’s occupation listed as jeweler. 1891, 1901 and 1911 Censuses with parents. Marriage: July-Sept 1911 London (S=Civil Registration & Marriage Index), listed as Bertha O. Brent who married Albert W. H. Hopkins

· London City Directories

o 1870 – Listed as Thomas George Gloser Brent (late James Botsham) of 22 Windmill Street, Finsbury a working cutler.

o 1875 – Listed as Thomas G. G. Brent of 43 City Road a table knife maker, working cutler and silversmith.

o 1880 – Listed as Thomas George Gloser Brent of 43 City Road a cutler.

o 1885 – Listed as Thomas George G. Brent of 5 Tabernacle Street a cutler.

o 1890 – Listed as Thomas George G. Brent of 81 Long Lane a cutler.

o 1895 – Listed as Thomas George Gloser Brent of 81 Long Lane a working cutler.

o 1900 – Listed as Thomas George Gloser Brent of 81 Long Lane a working cutler.

o 1905 – Listed as Thomas George Gloser Brent of 81 Long Lane a working cutler.

Avery Needle Cases with the “T. G. G. Brent 43 City Road, London” Name Stamped on Them

1. Quadruple Golden Casket - Fleur de Lis: Mechanical Patent #3517 dated November 19, 1868 registered by William Avery, needle manufacturer, and Albert Fenton, machinist, from Redditch (S=British Library - Business and Intellectual Property Centre, London).