Thomas Brindley

Thomas Brindley is the son of Daniel Brindley and Mary. He was born in 1764 in Wolverhampton, Staffordshire, England. He was christianed 26 Dec 1763 at St. Peter's Par., Wolverhampton, Stafford, England. He was married to Mary Williams on 20 Apr 1783 in Sedgley, Staffordshire, England. Together they had nine children:

Sarah Brindley
Born: 1789
Married Name: Pratt

Thomas Brindley
Born: 19 Sep 1797

Maria Brindley
Born: 31 May 1789

Sophia Brindley
Born: 31 May 1789

Elizabeth Brindley
Born: 26 Dec 1800
Married Name: Trotman

William Brindley
Born: 8 May 1803

James Brindley
Born: 3 Jun 1805

Louisa Brindley
Born: 12 Dec 1807
Married Name: Hill

Edward Brindley
Born: 16 Jul 1810

Thomas died on 17 May 1855 in Wolverhampton, Staffordshire, England. The following is an article on Thomas's life as recorded in "The Queen's Jubilee".


The Queen's Jubilee
Fifty Years of Progress in Wolverhampton

An Old Wolverhampton Letter Carrier

We commence our article wthis week with a brief biographical sketch of an individual who in his day rendered good and faithful service to the town. Thomas Brindley--who was in his 80th year and by her Majesty's accession, the only postman in Wolverhampton. When he commenced his career as a public servant somewhere about 1789, he also held the position of groom and general factotum to Mr. John Lewis (fatherof the present Mr. Lewis in Church-street) linen and feather merchant of Queen-street and Castle-street, and for some years afterwards performed the double duty of attending to his master's horse three times a day, and delivering the whole of the postal correspondence that came into town. But in those early times, owing to the heavy postal rates on the one hand and the limited means for the conveyance of her Majesty's mails-i.e. the old stage coach on the other, the letter bags for Wolverhampton were by no means heavy ones, and Thomas Brindley managed in the course of each morning to get through his work without much difficulty. He was a man of strong constitution, and in the prime of his manhood. Before an evening delivery was put upon him he added to his duties as groom and postman the function of a night watchman, carrying to the doors of his fellow townsmen their letters by day, and keeping watch and ward over their lives and property by night.

When he first entered the service the local postoffice was a small chemist's shop on the north side of Queen-stree, the proprietor of which held the important position of postmaster. It was afterwards removed higher up the street to the shop now occupied by Mr. Adams the printer and news agent, and from here a few years later to premises adjoining Messrs. Hoden and Son's Bank in the old churchyard, with Miss HIll as postmistress.

When that lady, in a few years later, resigned her position to become the wife of young Mr. Alexander Horden the banker, the appointment of postmaster was conferred upon her brother the late Mr. Henry Hill, father of Staveley Hill, G.C.M.P. and about the same time the office for the reception and despatch of letters was again removed into North-street. From here, after a short interval, another move was made into Cock-street by Mr. Knight, the bootmaker, and from thence, about the year 1840 to the large house now. Mr. Webb's printing establishment at the bottom of John-street, Mr. Christopher Taylor Darby, who had for some years acted as chief clerk, having at this time succeeded to the position vacated by Mr. Hill as postmaster.

Through all these varied changes, old Thomas Brindley still continued as "tho only postman in Wolverhampton" to go his daily rounds, morning and evening, in storm and in sunshine. He cheerfully plodded alon teh main streets and in and out the crooked courts and alleys of the town, delivering his missives for weal and for woe. He was known to all and respected by everyone for he was respectful and courteous to rich and poor alike. It was proverbial of the man that he was as regular and punctual as the church clock; nay, even more so, for whilst the fingers on the clock dial plate would occasionally and most provokingly stand still, old Tom Brindley was scarcely ever known to be absent from his daily round. In the latter period of his service when consequent on the increase of the number of letters coming into the town, the burden of their delivery had become too heavy for the old man, he was 82 years, when growing infirmities incapacitated him from active duty. He was dismissed from his post. This was in the year 1845. It was fully expected, of recognition. But there were no Civil Service pensions in those days, and in reply to a memorial sent up to the Postmaster-General on his behalf, the memorialists were informed that there was no fund out of which any such grant as were asked for could be made. Poor Brindley's case was indeed a hard one. Long past the allotted span of human existence with scarcely a sixpence to call his own, for out of his small stipend of 16s a week he had been unable to lay by for the wants of his declining years. It seemed as if he would have to end his days in the workhouse. But a few old friends in Wolverhampton took up his case, and a fund was subscribed sufficient to insure him an annuity of 12s per week. He lived just ten years to enjoy their boutny, his death taking place in the month of May 1855 at the partriarchal age of ninety-two.