Thomas Wooldridge (1752-1799) of Birmingham

Early Life (1752-1773)
Thomas was born in 1752 to Richard and Mary Wooldridge. He was christened on the 4 November 1752 at St Phillips Church (later cathedral) in Birmingham. It is unsure what Richard's occupation was at the time, but by his death he was the keeper of the Prison. Mary may have origonaly been from the Scottish town of Inverness, and a distant relative of Dr James Mackenzie, who moved into Aston Hall at around the same time as Mary married Richard.

Within a year of Thomas' birth, disaster struck when his mother pasted away. She was buried on the 18 July at the chapel of St Bartholomew. A year later, Richard married again, this time to Catherine Kineton. They would have seven children, of which, only 3 lived until adulthood. It may have been around this time that Richard became keeper of the prison. The prison was located on Peck Lane, an area that the noted historian William Hutton would later describe as 'of all bad places chose(n) the worst, the bottom of Peck-lane; dark, narrow, and unwholesome within; crowded with dwellings, filth and distress without, the circulation of air is prevented.' An History of Birmingham (1783) by William Hutton

Early Working Life (1774-1790)
From an early age Thomas probably helped his father and step-mother run the prison. But on the 8 May 1774 Aris Birmingham Gazetta, Richard died, leaving Thomas in charge of the prison. Five years later, Thomas married Martha Ebrall, the daughter of a yeoman farmer in nearby Saltley. A year latter their first daughter was born, who the christened Sarah. They would go on to have a further six children, two of which pre-deceased their parents.

It is unsure what became of Thomas' younger siblings. Elizabeth (19) and Sarah (18) may have already been married, or perhaps in service elsewhere when their father died, while John (12) would have been left in Thomas' care when his father died. It is possible that all three helped Thomas run the prison.

Peck Lane Prison
At a public meeting on the 9 September 1733, it was declared that a new prison would be erected at the public expense. Old and New Birmingham (1874) The new building was constructed later that year. It is possible that Richard Wooldridge was the first keeper, but as no record exists to confirm this, it is impossible to say.

As the keeper of the prison was not paid for his duty, he was also allowed to sell alcohol from the premises. This often lead to the keeper being occupied by a person buying alcohol, while the prisoners escaped over the back wall.

In the year 1779, the noble-minded philanthropist, John Howard, visited the prison in Peck Lane. After his visit, he noted the following about the building;

'The Court is only about 25 feet square. Keeper's House in front; and under it two cells down seven steps: the straw is on bedsteads. On one side of the court two night-rooms for woman, 8 feet by 5 feet 9 inches; and some rooms over them; on the other side is the gaoler's stable, and one small day-room for men and women; no window ... In this small court, besides the litter from the stable, there was a stagnant puddle near the sink, for the gaoler’s ducks. [Gaoler's poultry is a very common nuisance; but in so scanty a court it is intolerable.] The whole prison is very offensive. At some particular times here are freat numbers confined. Once in the winter of 1775 there were above 150, who by care of the magistrates had a supply of proper food, broth &c.' A History of Birmingham(1997) by Chris Upton

Howard re-visited the prison in 1788, and noted that although the Court had now been paved with broad stones, they were dirty by the fowls kept by Thomas. A History of Birmingham(1997) by Chris Upton

Children

 * colspan="3" bgcolor="#FFfce0" style="color: #000000;" |Children of PARENTS NAMES
 * colspan="3" bgcolor="#FFfce0" style="color: #000000;" |Children of PARENTS NAMES