THOMAS DENT

My paternal Great Great Grandparents, Henry Dent b 1835 at Bolam near Darlington County Durham and Sarah Dent b 1836 at Woolwich London (nee Million) were the parents of my great grandfather Thomas Dent, known as Tot, b 1858 at Staindrop County Durham. 

the tiny hamlet of Bolam near Darlington County Durham 2018
Still very agricultural when Henry was a child

Staindrop circa 1867 would look similar to this when Thomas was a child

Staindrop 2018

The 1861 Census shows Thomas' father Henry, and mother Sarah, were living at 230 West Auckland.  

After the opening of the Stockton Darlington Railway in 1825 the search for coal escalated.  Drilling started in 1826 in West Auckland and in 1828 in St. Helen Auckland, so with better prospect of jobs, the population rose from 978 in 1801 to 3,651 by 1891.  Henry would have been a miner in either West Auckland Colliery, that employed 620 men and more probably at St Helen's Colliery, that employed 352 men.

Sadly by the time of the 1871 Census at the age of 34 Thomas' father Henry was dead - it states Sarah was a widow and head of the household, living at 36 Albert Street Willington County Durham with her son William aged 14 a miner, Thomas aged 12 a miner, and Sarah's two brothers George Million aged 30 and John Million aged 23 

It is difficult to contemplate that Thomas, at the age of 10, became, like his father, a miner, what a terrible hard life for a child. 

Restoration of Thomas Dent probably in his 40s perhaps taken in Yard of 
22 Montague Street Scotswood Newcastle upon Tyne 

Thomas Dent in approx 1926

Restoration Thomas Dent Front Door of 252 Whitfield Road Scotswood
 Newcastle upon Tyne

What is notable about these photographs of my Great Grandpa is how smart he is, he may have been a miner, but, obviously it was important to him to be dressed smartly.  This was something he passed on to his son Luke Dent my Grandfather.