VAD Tom Bastow Wildman
Convoy and orderly duty
Thomas Bastow Wildman was born on 29th May 1871 in Keighley to Charles, a hairdresser, and Sarah Wildman. Charles had been married previously to Eliza who had died in 1868 aged 24, followed by their son who had also been named Thomas, at the age of four in 1869.
In 1881 the family lived at 5 Low Street in Keighley. Charles was working as a hairdresser. In the home with Charles, Sarah and Thomas were his older sister Louisa, (11) and younger siblings Arthur (four), Fanny (two) and Charles Henry (one). A sister called Mary had died aged three in 1875, a brother called Frank had died as an infant in 1878 and Charles Henry’s twin sister Sarah Ann had also died in infancy in 1880. Charles’ widowed mother Fanny was living with the family also.
The 1881 census entry
By 1891 the family had moved to 25 Mornington Street. Thomas was 19 years old and following in his father’s footsteps, working as a hairdresser. Arthur was working as an office boy. Another brother, Herbert had been born in the intervening years and was seven years old, though he died two years later aged nine.
In 1896 Thomas married Florence Sanctuary, who was originally from Shipley, in Keighley.
In 1901 Thomas and Florence were living at his family’s previous home at 5 Low Street, where Thomas still worked as a hairdresser and noted to be an employer.
Tom and Florence on the 1901 census
In 1911 they were still at this address. Although not with them on the night of the census, they had a daughter, called Marjorie Sanctuary Wildman, who has seven or eight years old.
During World War I, from August 1916 until May 1919, Thomas worked as a VAD, employed in hospital duties (700 hours) and in transport (300 hours).
Electoral registers show that Thomas and Florence moved in later years to 122 North Street, and Thomas was still there at the time of the 1939 Register. Sadly, Florence had died in the early part of 1939 and Thomas was living alone, as Marjorie had married a Mr. Arthur Woodhead four years before. He was still working as a gent’s hairdresser and volunteered as a Special Constable during the Second World War. Incidentally, the Register shows that Thomas was living close, possibly next door, t0 Dr Harold Ling, of the GP practice that became Ling House Medical Centre.
Tom Bastow Wildman on the 1939 Register
Thomas remained in Keighley and died here in 1953.
Sources:
England and Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1837-1915
1881 England Census
1891 England Census
1901 England Census
1911 England Census
England and Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1813-1915
England and Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1837-1915
England and Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007
West Yorkshire, England, Electoral Registers, 1840-1962
Findagrave.com
