Charles Allen Du Val

Thomas Shimwell 1814-1892

Thomas Shimwell (or Shemwell) was born in 1814, the son of Isaac Shimwell and his wife née Hannah Smith, and was baptised at Youlgreave in Derbyshire on 25 December 1814.

When the Census was taken in 1841 he was living at home in Church Street, Youlgreave. He married Ann Bartram on 1 January 1842 in Manchester Cathedral. He was a calico printer in Manchester.

They had the following children:

Lucy Ann Shimwell. She was born in 1843, and died in 1916.

Catherine Shimwell 1844-1932. She was born in 1844 in Manchester. She was married on 29 November 1865 to Gerald Du Val in Manchester Cathedral. He was born in Manchester on 27 October 1840, the son of Charles Allen Du Val and his wife Elizabeth Renney. She died aged 88 years in Manchester in 1932.

Jane Graves Shimwell. She was born in 1847, and was married to John Cooper 1842-1921, an export merchant in Manchester. She died in 1927.

Blanche Ellen Shimwell. She was born in 1855, and died unmarried on 22 March 1908 (1).

Walter Shimwell. He was born in 1856. By 1881 he was a foreign commercial traveller, presumably in his father's firm. In 1884 he married Phoebe Eugenie Houlder of Epsom in Surrey, and they had two sons Humphrey Shimwell (born in 1885) and Oliver Shimwell (born in 1886). When the Census was taken in 1891 they were living in Dickenson Road, Rusholme in Manchester, and Walter Shimwell was then a shipping merchant. By 1901 he was recorded as being an exporter of cotton piece goods, and the family lived at The Ridge, Alderley Road, Alderley Edge in Cheshire. They were still there in 1911, and the sons were then assisting in the family business. Walter Shimwell died on 27 October 1927 (2).

Thomas Bartram Shimwell. He was born in 1850. He became a merchant in Manchester. He was unmarried, and died on 3 March 1922 (3).

William James Shimwell. He was born in 1852. He became a calico printer's salesman, presumably in his father's firm. He married Susan Edith Lees in 1876, and they had three daughters: Margaret Shimwell (born in 1879), Lucy Shimwell (born in 1899), and Kathleen Audrey Shimwell (born in 1890). They lived at Stone Pale, Northen Etchells in Cheshire. He died on 8 October 1928 at Gatley in Cheshire (4).

When the Census was taken in 1881 their father Thomas Shimwell was a widower living at 32 Birch Lane, Rusholme in Manchester. With him then were his unmarried daughters Lucy Ann Shimwell and Blanche Ellen Shimwell, and his bachelor sons Thomas Bartram Shimwell (an export merchant) and Walter Shimwell (a "commercial traveller foreign"). Also in the household were Miss Mary McMillan (a Scots teacher of music), a cook and three housemaids. By 1891 Thomas Shimwell was living at Plas Tiron. Park Road, Llandrillo yn Rhos, Conway in Caernarvonshire, Wales. With him then were his unmarried daughter Lucy Ann Shimwell and his married daughter Jane Cooper and her husband.

He died on 2 April 1892 at Altrincham in Cheshire (5).

The photograph of Thomas Shimwell is on a carte-de-visite and was taken by the firm of C.A. Du Val & Co.

(1) "SHIMWELL Blanche Ellen of Draycote House Birch Hall Rusholme Manchester spinster died 22 March 1908 Probate London 2 April to Thomas Bartram Shimwell merchant William James Shimwell calico printer and Walter Shimwell merchant. Effects £10835 17s 11d." Probate Calendars of England & Wales 1858-1959 (1908) page 171.

(2) "SHIMWELL Walter of The Granary Alderley Cheshire died 27 October 1927 at 29 Wimpole-street Middlesex Probate Manchester 16 December to Phoebe Eugenie Shimwell widow. Effects £6984 1s. 3d." National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations) 1858-1966 (1927) page 290.

(3) "SHIMWELL Thomas Bartram of Draycote House Birch Hall-lane Rusholme Manchester died 3 March 1922 at 24 York-place Manchester Probate London 10 April to Henry Whittaker Garnett chartered accountant. Effects £10216 2s 8d." Probate Calendars of England & Wales 1858-1959 (1923) page 233. He was an executor of Adam Edward Lejeune of Manchester who died on 28 October 1899 Probate Calendars of England & Wales 1858-1959 (1899) page 105.

(4) "SHIMWELL William James of Greenbank Gatley Cheshire died 8 October 1928 Probate London 17 December to the Public Trustee and the reverend Thomas Shimwell clerk. Effects £38834 3s." Probate Calendars of England & Wales 1858-1959 (1928) page 284.

(5) "SHIMWELL Thomas of Draycote House Birch Lane Rusholme Manchester calico printer died 2 April 1892 at Altrincham Cheshire Probate Manchester 22 April to Thomas Bartram Shimwell merchant William James Shimwell calico printer and Walter Shimwell merchant Effects £54544 8s. 6d. resworn November 1892 £54892 8s. 6d." Probate Calendars of England & Wales 1858-1959 (1892) page 74.