This photograph was sent to us by Helen Best and it is believed to be of Thomas Rook 1784-1844. Is there anyone who has a knowledge of dating old photographs that would be able to verify that such a photograph coud have been taken in the early 1840s? Helen has also given us details of Thomas Rook's family which are below.

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This photograph is from my family album. It is likely to be Thomas Rook 1784-1844. I think he is in his working clothes, he was a blacksmith. If this is satisfactory I can send some more including a photograph of a shop which I hope someone will recognise.

Helen

If it is indeed a photo of Thomas Rook 1784-1844 it would be very unique. It depends on how one defines photography but it was not until the 1840s that photography started and it was not until the 1860s that it became commercial. Can you please send us more details about Thomas such as where he was born or lived and anything else you may know.

Please send any other photos you have and include as much information that you know about them as a photo is far more interesting if it has some background information to go with it.

David

I have tried to look at the photograph in more depth but cannot take it out of the album and I am afraid of damaging both to try any further.

However, today, for the first time, I have found that the photograph appears to have been mounted on card at some stage after it was taken rather than it being on the board which photographs tended to be mounted on. I want to be as accurate as possible and have tried to look via the Internet as well as in library books to check that this kind of photograph was being produced in his lifetime but have not managed to do so. If you think the photograph could not possibly have been taken then, we will only be able to state it was a member of the Rook family but for all of my life my mother and her relatives have always said it is a picture of Thomas Rook(e).

I have several pictures of his son Thomas (my great, great grandfather) who is much slimmer and looks decidedly different (see next photo to be sent to you). Pictures of his son are with other people making it certain that it was him.

The picture I sent to you is sepia and faded and it appears to be older than the ones of Thomas Rook junior.

Thomas Rook was born in about 1784. I do not know where he was born or the names of his parents but would love to do so. It is likely he was born in the Forest of Dean. However the rest of the dates and places are likely to be very accurate I have checked some via several sources (his marriage, death etc. are recorded in the remaining pages I have of the family Bible which he and his wife bought in 1829. I am sure that they bought it then as their names and the date have been engraved professionally on the back of the hard cover of the front of the Bible in gold lettering on a red background.) The Bible itself has gone all but a few pages but it was published in 1816.

Thomas Rook(e) was married to Elizabeth Mary Stead on 21st and 22nd February 1813. You might wonder why I say they were married on two consecutive dates?! The reason is they were of the RC faith and their RC marriage was not considered legal, so they married in the C of E as well. Their Anglican marriage was on 22nd February at Newland, Gloucestershire and the vicar was Rev. Josiah Allport. Witnesses at the wedding were Susannah Rook (I have not managed to find out who she was and would love to know!) and Thomas Bond (he crops up several times at weddings and baptisms I've noticed). At the RC wedding (Monmouth) the priest was Rev Gildart. Elizabeth Stead/Steade [sometimes wrongly referred to in records as Steele] was his wife, born 20th Jan 1786 in Hotwells, Bristol. Family oral history is that her mother was French and spoke broken English but I have found a record stating she too was born in Hotwells. Thomas died on 15th March 1844 at Lane End, Coleford. I even have the time of his death as midnight. Buried 19th March. His wife died 26th May 1866 in Coalway, Lane End, Coleford.

They had five children, that I know of: four boys and a girl. The girl was called Mary born 21/5/1816. I am not sure what happened to her but she is likely to be the Mary Rook buried in Coleford at the age of 3 years in 1819. Their sons were:

Joseph Rook, born 5/2/1814 died 23/1/1856 (Died at Lane End, Coleford)
Thomas Rook(e) my great, great, grandfather 17-6-1818 to December 1883 in Sheffield (he moved to Sheffield in the 1870s to work at Osborn Mushett's steel works).

Charles J. Rook, born 1824 died (in Poughkeepsie, New York) 1/10/1854

Paul Rook born about 1831 died 11/4/1871 (buried at Parkend Cemetery, Forest of Dean).

Note how old they were when the last two children were born. This is definitely true as my mother used to talk of how old they were (oral history connecting with written records) and how old their son Thomas was when some of his children were born.

Thanks,
Helen Best