2.3.4.3. Thomas Richmond (1886-1950)

Thomas Richmond was born on 23 March 1886 at 50 Flemington Road in Cambuslang parish, Scotland, to William and Mary (Smith) Richmond. His father was a coal miner. His mother was the informant on his birth registration and signed by making her mark. He grew up in Peasweep Rows in Auchentibber a small hamlet in Blantyre parish. By 15 years old he was working as a coal miner.

On 16 July 1909 Thomas married Catherine Riddell in Laighstonehall, Hamilton parish, according to the forms of the United Free Church. He was a coal miner and lived with his parents at 4 Peasweep Rows. His younger sister, Agnes, would marry Catherine's older brother, John, four years later.

Three months after their marriage, Thomas boarded the Canadian Pacific Steamships' S/S Empress of Britain on 19 November 1909 in Liverpool, England. The ship arrived in St. John, Canada, on 26 November. Thomas indicated to Canadian officials that he was traveling to Vancouver, British Columbia, and intended to do mining work for Canadian Pacific Railways. His wife and child joined him in Canada the next year. When the 1911 census was enumerated, Thomas' family lived in Nanaimo and he was a miner.

Canadian Pacific Steamships' S/S Empress of Britain; image courtesy
of Wikipedia

After 10 years in Canada, the family, which now included four children, traveled back to Scotland to visit family. They sailed from Montreal aboard the Anchor Line's S/S Cassandra and arrived in Glasgow on 4 September 1919. Thomas returned to Canada about six months later. He sailed from Glasgow on 31 March 1920 aboard the S/S Cassandra and arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia, on 10 April. His wife and children followed in May 1920. When the 1921 census was taken, Thomas and his family lived at 480 Irvine Street in Nanaimo; Thomas was still a miner. His father-in-law, who had become a widower six years earlier was living with them.

Some time between 1935 and 1950, Thomas left the mines and started working as a laborer for the BC Power Commission.

On 20 May 1950 Thomas was operated on at Nanaimo Hospital. They discovered rectal cancer as well as secondary metastasis in his abdomen. He died five days later having never left the hospital. He was buried on 29 May at the Nanaimo City Cemetery in Nanaimo.

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"S/S Empress of Britain," Wikipedia
1891 Scotland Census, Parish: Blantyre; ED: 1; Page: 18; Line: 15; Roll: CSSCT1891_223
1901 Scotland Census, Parish: Blantyre; ED: 1; Page: 15; Line: 14; Roll: CSSCT1901_245
1911 Canada Census, Census Place: Nanaimo, Nanaimo, British Columbia; Page: 2; Family No: 23
1921 Canada Census, Census Place: Nanaimo, Nanaimo, British Columbia; Page: 22; Family No: 140
Canada, British Columbia, Death Certificate, 1872-1993, 1950-09-005693
Canada, British Columbia, Death Index, 1872-1990, 1950 Richmond, Thomas
Canada, Ocean Arrivals (Form 30A), 1919-1924, Library and Archives of Canada; Rolls: T-14939-T-15248
Canada, Passenger Lists, 1865-1935, 1909 Richmond, Thomas
Canada, Passenger Lists, 1865-1935, 1920, Richmond, Thomas
Canada, Voters Lists, 1935-1980, 1935 Richmond, Thomas
Scotland, Statutory Registrations, 1855-2013, 1886 Richmond, Thomas (Statutory Births 627/00 0122)
Scotland, Statutory Registrations, 1855-2013, 1909 Richmond, Thomas - Riddell, Catherine (Statutory Marriages 647/00 0179)
UK, Incoming Passenger Lists, 1878-1960, Class: BT26; Piece: 650; Item: 110
UK, Outward Passenger Lists, 1890-1960, 1909 Richmond, Thomas
UK, Outward Passenger Lists, 1890-1960, 1920 Richmond, Thomas