Thomas Blayney, tailor of London link
including a New Zealand branch

 

Thomas Blayney baptised Westminster 1754 - descendants

The oral tradition is that this branch of Greater London Blayneys descended from Irish Blayneys, moving after an inter-family religious feud. Recent research has placed this story in doubt, at least as it applies to our Thomas Blayney. We have, with the help of a number of others, particularly Terry Muff [804] and Kevin McKenzie [145], been able to establish a relatively clear line of descent all the way from the first Blayney (Evan of Tregynon, Wales) to our Thomas.
See the ancestry of Thomas Blayney born 1754 in London

Here is a mix of information received from Terry Muff [804], descended from Thomas Blayney (1827-1913), Ian Blayney [127], descended from Frederick Blayney (1840/1-?1894/5), Bob Bowles [143], descended from Harriet Blayney (1824-1897), Michael (& Juliet) Blayney [148], descended from Benjamin Blayney (1829-1897), Jane Gibson [149], descended from Francis Blayney (1839-1903) and my family, descended from Alexander Blayney (1843-1924). Other information comes from some secure Internet info, as well as information obtained from memories and histories of living New Zealand Blayneys (some now deceased). Terry's list of Thomas & Rebecca Blayney's children has nine matches with my list [shown in bold], including the correct birth year for my g-grandfather Alexander, so I am more than confident Terry is my 3rd Cousin once removed. Names of children of Thomas & Rebecca confirmed by census or BDM records are underlined

Research by Terry Muff [804] linked to that from Robert (Bob) Blayney and Kevin Mckenzie has identified the link back to Montgomeryshire which you can see in my Link page.

 
1 Thomas BLAYNEY b.14Aug1754 London, England. 

Terraced houses of same 
style of Ashford St Hackney

 


Linendraper 1818

 


Victorian Cheapside, becoming
Poultry (Bucklersbury to right) by
T H Shepherd, engraver W Wallis

 


Willcox & Gibbs sowing machine

In 1871 Willcox & Gibbs were 

based at 150 Cheapside (3 doors

 away from where the Blayney 

firm had been). These machines

probably contributed to the

loss of profit for tailers.


  bpt.29Aug1754 (Parish of St John, Westminster) 
  Oral tradition has him as the son of a shoemaker, and the evidence uncovered
  by T Muff has his parents as Mary and Richard BLAYNEY of London]. 
  Thomas learned his trade working for his cousin Richard, (son of Rev Blayney)
  and James Smith (Haberdasher) at 156 Cheapside [854]. He subsequently worked 
  as a tailor at No 2 St Agnes (Well) Circus, Old St Road, Finsbury 1808 to 1816,
  [see the Blayney London] and was variously named Mr, Thomas, or Thos Blayney,
  Blany or Blaney.
  He also appears to have learnt his trade from James Smith in the haberdashery 
  shop at 156 Cheapside.
  d. between 1816 & 1830
  It is now clear that he was married twice
 +(1)Mary [IGI] HOLMES m.1780   
  2 Thomas BLAYNEY chr.9Apr1781 (St Clement Danes, Westminster, London) [IGI]
    (previously thought to have been our ancestor, but it would now appear that
    he could have died young, explaining why the first son of Thomas b.1754 and
    his second wife was also named Thomas [804])    
  2 John BLAYNEY chr.2Nov1783 (St Clement Danes, Westminster, London) [IGI] 
    Quite likely named after Richard "of London" Blayney's youngest son. 
 +(2)Priscilla Charlotte SARGEANT b.2Mar1775;
   bpt.29Mar1775 (St Luke, Old Street) m.4Aug1795 St Luke Old Street, Finsbury.
   d/o William and Susanna SARGEANT; d.1841 in Bethnal Green.
   Two children identified, Thomas & Elizabeth.
  2 Thomas BLAYNEY b.1796 See Thomas below.
  2 Elizabeth BLAYNEY b.7Sep1805, bap.31Aug1830 (St Leonards, Shoreditch).
    Her father, Thomas was shown as being deceased on the baptism certificate
    and that they were living in Ashford Street, Finsbury. [804]
   + Joseph WRIGHT m.1829 (St Luke Old St) 

  2 Thomas BLAYNEY b.1796 (Finsbury) chr.10Nov1797 Bethnal Green [152] 
    Occ. Journeyman Tailor. d.Sep1854 (Hackney Wick) of Cholera. 
   + Rebecca LAMBERT b.27Dec1804 Bethnal Green, London,
     chr. 1804 Bethnal Green [152];  d.?1889 [130]; d/o Francis and Mary LAMBERT
     m.15Oct1823 St Matthew, Bethnal Green [127] [128];
     Witness was Elizabeth, the sister of Thomas consistent with a pre 1823 death 
     of Thomas Blayney b.1754. 

     
A description of conditions in Shoreditch and Bethnal Green, and a story about an apprentice tailor named Thomas is given on the Blayney London page. 
     
     The 1841 Ossulstone Census has Thomas listed as 40 (he was about 45) and 
     Rebecca as 35 (she was 36), but the children generally match. They were 
     more accurate in 1851 [See 1841 & 1851 Census returns here.]

     Oral tradition is that there were up to 17 children! [142]], so I have listed 
     those with confirming evidence in bold.
     I have 17 names from various sources, having eliminated those belonging
     to Thomas b.1820.
     Note that the four (five) oldest boys all married a (separate) Mary Ann!

    3 Harriet BLAYNEY  b.22Oct1824 d.9Jan1897 

Harriet
 

     + Shadrach RAVEN (Tailor) b.1824 (Willingham, Cambridge); m.27May1844 (Christ Church) [143] [868]
       They lived at 27 Whiler St. 
       In 1854 they moved with their children to USA,
       settling in Syracuse NY in 1855.
       See the Harriet BLAYNEY family

    3 Beatrice (Beatie) BLAYNEY b.~1825
      I don't think she was the Beatie I have photos of.
      Other details unknown  
  

Tom Blayney
b.1827

Benjamin
b.1829



Martha Robena
née Blayney

Rebecca
Blayney




Lizzie
b?1840s

Mary Ann Parish
née Blayney

 


Bill
Blayney

Bill's
wife

 
 
 

 
 
 


Frederick
Blayney

Martha wife of
Fred Blayney
 
 
 

 


Alexander 
Blayney

Rebecca 
Blayney
 
    3 ?Catherine BLAYNEY b~1826 (Aged 15 in the 1841 census but
      could be a guest). 
      Probably the Catherine BLAYNEY witness to Harriet and Shadrach's wedding

    3 Thomas BLAYNEY  b.1827 d.1913. Cabinet Maker,
      presumably a more profitable business than haberdashery, particularly 
      with cheap imported goods flooding the market in the later 19th century.    
      Thomas married thrice (Mary Ann HARRISS, Emily then Rosina [804]).
      This is not the same person as the Thomas b.1820,
      who was born, married (to Margaret, not a Mary Ann) and 
      died in Wales.
      See the Thomas Blayney family

    3 Benjamin BLAYNEY  b.1829 chr.1830 Bethnal Green [152]
      d.Mar1898 (Hackney) [130] Dealer in Poultry
      Listed as Benjiman BLAYNEY, Salesman, age 52 in the 
      1881 British Census [804]
     + Mary Ann HARLING b.1832-1903 they had 9 Children.
       See the Benjamin BLAYNEY family

    3 Martha ?Robena BLAYNEY 
     + ___ 
      Possible confusion with Martha BARRETT, Fred Blayney's wife. 
      
    3 Rebecca BLAYNEY b.1833 
      Occ. 1851 "Servant"
     + ___ McCARTHEY [1861 Census had the family as "Blaney" and 
       Rebecca McCarthey as a daughter[371]

    3 Elizabeth (Lizzie) BLAYNEY 

    3 William (Bill) C BLAYNEY  b~1834 chr.1840
     + ?Mary Ann TINSON  (see photo)
       See the Bill BLAYNEY family

    3 Mary Ann BLAYNEY  b.1835 chr.1835 Bethnal Green [152]
     + ?Richard PARISH b~1834
       See the Mary Ann PARISH née BLAYNEY family

    3 Samuel (Sam) BLAYNEY b.1837 chr.1838 Bethnal Green [152]
       Occ. Milkman and/or Policeman
     + Mary Ann ?COOMBS b.1834
       See the Samuel BLAYNEY family

    3 Francis (Frank) BLAYNEY b.1839 chr.1839 Bethnal Green [152]
      d.1903). Occ. cabinet maker in Bow [10]
     + Mary Ann HARVEY m.Dec1859 [130]]
       See the Francis BLAYNEY family 
     
    3 Frederick BLAYNEY  b.1841 chr.1841 Bethnal Green [152] 
      m.1864; occ: Cabinet Maker; ?d.1894/5 
     + Martha BARRETT  of Cork, Ireland. b.1842
       m.1864 at St Mary, Bow but they moved to Hackney (London). 
       See the Fred BLAYNEY family
      
    3 Walter BLAYNEY, probably Walter Hanson BLAYNEY 
      b.Sep1841 (?twin to Fred) at Bethnal Green [130]
      Emm to NZ ?arriving Auckland, 4Feb1884 on the Manapouri [131]
      Also lived in Argyl Street Morningside, Auckland
      Walter Hanson BLAYNEY, Settler;
      d.unm.11Jun1914 (Auckland) [122] [142] [865]

    3 ?Nathan BLAYNEY [No records]

    3 Alexander Henry BLAYNEY  My great-grandfather, 
      b.1843 (Bethnal Green) chr.1843 Bethnal Green [152], 
      16th of 17 children [142],
      Em. to New Zealand in 1893, died 11Sep1924
      Possibly Alex was born Henry Alexander BLAYNEY
     + Rebecca (Beckie) NICOLS  b~1865 (England); m.1893 London,
     d.22Aug1948 (Auckland) age 83 (Brain tumour)
     See Alexander & Rebecca's family

    3 Percival BLAYNEY b.1844 chr.1844 Bethnal Green [152]; d.Jun1897.
      This name suggests (but not proves) a reasonably close link with the
      Blayney-Percival "African line". 
     + Emma/Emily m.Mar1869 (Hackney) [130]
     See Percival's family

The following are actually children of Thomas Blayney (1820-75), who has been confused by some with our Thomas Blayney b.1770. These ARE NOT candidates for the 17! Hayster BLAYNEY [No records] Arthur BLAYNEY [No records 1823-44] Edward BLANEY (em. to Cincinnati, USA); + Mary

See other New Zealand Blayneys

Blayney Homepage

Gregynog

CastleBlayney

Blayney Barons

Blayney History