Thomas Langstone Stone was the first child of James Stone & Sarah Langstone born Jan-March 1859 at Wolverley, Kidderminster, Worcs.
In 1861 Thomas was living with his parents at Broadwater, Wolverley.
In 1871 the family had moved to Hilltop, West Bromwich, Staffs & Thomas now had 3 younger brothers.
Thomas married Mary Granger at Christ Church, West Bromwich on December 2nd, 1880. Witnesses at the wedding were William Granger & ? Garratt. Mary was born November 4th, 1855 & christened March 25th, 1863 at All Saints, West Bromwich, the daughter of Betsey & William Granger, a boilermaker.
In 1881 Thomas & Mary were living at 52 Bratt St, West Bromwich & Thomas was a tailor & woollen draper.
By 1891 they had moved to 55 Institute Lodge Rd, West Bromwich & Thomas was still a tailor & draper. They had 2 children – Charles L (8) & Alfred P (2).
In April 1895 Thomas became a member of the Dartmouth Lodge of the Freemasons in West Bromwich.
In 1901 Thomas was at 307 High St, West Bromwich at the time of the census, still in the same trade & noted as an employer. With him was a domestic servant (house keeper) Mary Johnson, a 44 year old widow. Thomas was noted as married on the census. His wife Mary was still living in West Bromwich, but at the time of the census she was at 84 Paradise St & was described as a boarding house keeper. Her son Alfred P was with her & a 21 year old general domestic servant, Emma D Mullaney, & 3 boarders – a pupil architect, a dentist & an analytical chemist.
Thomas was still at the same address in 1911 & still working as a tailor & draper. He had a housekeeper, Mary Preece, a 44 year old widow. Thomas’ wife Mary was now living at 5 Union Row, Handsworth where she was a boarding house keeper with one lodger, an 86 year old widower, David Williams.
Son Alfred had joined the Royal Garrison Artillery by 1911 & at the time of the census he was at Elizabeth Castle, Jersey. He served in France during WW1. Alfred was to marry Dorothy Fontaine in 1915 in Fulham, London. At the time of the 1911 census Dorothy was listed in the ‘House of Help’, in St Helier, Jersey.
It appears son Charles Langstone emigrated to USA as he becomes an American citizen on June 12th, 1910 in Seattle, Washington. There is a record of Charles arriving at New York, USA, on February 17th, 1913 having sailed from Liverpool on the ‘Campania’. Records show his WW1 draft registration on September 18th, 1918 at Seattle, Washington. He gave his address as 1493 Arcade Building, Seattle, & his occupation as master mariner. He gave his nearest relative as his uncle, William Harry Stone, (who had also emigrated to America) living at 1617 W. 30th Street, Los Angeles, California. There is a record of Charles returning to England, arriving in Southampton on July 11th, 1928, to visit Mrs Granger, Shelfield, Walsall.
Kelly’s directory of 1912 lists Thomas at the Wagon & Horses Inn, Broad Lanes & also a tailor of High St, West Bromwich.
Thomas died on September 1st, 1917, aged 58, at 307 High St, West Bromwich. Probate was granted on December 14th, 1917 to Robert Kerr, draper & clothier, Walter David Forsyth, auctioneer & accountant & James Clark, solicitor. Thomas effects were £15,626. 5s. 8d. It was noted in the Staffordshire Advertiser of September 8th, 1917 that Thomas had been one of the oldest tradesmen in West Bromwich & was a prominent worker in the Conservative party & took an active part in Midlands elections.
The Birmingham Daily Post of December 1st, 1917 reveals that Thomas had been the owner of many freehold properties, including his own shop & dwelling house at 307 High St, that were now for sale. As well as a number of houses & messuages in West Bromwich, Thomas also owned the Wagon & Horses Inn, Broad Lanes, Bilston. In addition to the public rooms in the pub, there were also 2 stable & a coachhouse. In 1918 the Smethwick Telephone of January 5th declared that Thomas left estate valued at £15,626 , net personalty £10,117. To Elizabeth Beasley he left £25 & £3 per week during widowhood. The residue of his property was left in trust to sons Charles & Alfred or their issue, whom failing to his brother William.
The children of Thomas Langstone Stone & Mary Granger were:
st.2.5.1.1 Charles Langstone Stone born August 24th, 1882 at West Bromwich,
Staffs; died January 3rd, 1950 in Seattle, Washington, USA
st.2.5.1.2 Alfred Percy Stone born May 7th, 1888 at West Bromwich, Staffs; died October 18th, 1951 at 248 Holbrook Lane, Coventry.