Thomas Lake

LAKE, Thomas (1788/9-1872), upholsterer and cabinet maker, Stoke upon Trent. 

Thomas Lake was born in 1788 or 1789 at Draycott, Staffordshire. He earned his living as an upholsterer and cabinet maker but posterity remembers him as parish clerk of Stoke upon Trent for 50 years. It was written of him that 'His face was disciplined into a becoming gravity and he was properly conscious of his dignity as a licensed parish clerk.' 

In an 1818 trade directory he is listed as "Cabinet Maker - Stoke". In the 1851 White's trade directory he is listed under a number of headings as follows: "Thomas Lake, clerk of St. Peters and tax collector". "Fire & Life Offices for Phoenix". "Cabinet Maker".

He was listed in the 1851 census as married with two children who occupied premises in Glebe Street: Samuel and Thomas. 
According to the 1851 White's trade directory his son Thomas occupied number 2 Glebe Street as a grocer and the 1881 census has Samuel at number 11 as a cabinet maker.

Take a walk along Glebe Street

He qualified as an improvement commissioner in 1857. 

 

Number 1 Glebe Street

Thomas Lake died at 1 Glebe Street, Stoke upon Trent, on 2 February 1872 and was buried in Stoke churchyard.

 

Thomas Lake's wife was named Jane 

Children:
Ann, b. abt 1814
John, b. abt 1817
Sarah, b. abt 1818
Jane, b. abt 1820
Thomas, b. abt 1822
Samuel, b. abt 1826

 

Thomas Jr. married Elisabeth Anne Hayes

Children: 
Charles J., b. abt 1857
Albert E., b. abt 1862
Alexandra, b. 4 Jul 1864

 

From the 1881 Census:
Samuel Lake's wife name was Emma (maiden name unknown)

Samuel and Emma had 8 children:
Charles, b. abt 1855 (cabinet maker)
George, b. abt 1857 (writing clerk)
Samuel, b. abt 1859 (agent)
Arthur J., b. abt 1860 (writing clerk)
Emma, b. abt 1862
Jane, b. abt 1870
Ernest, b. abt 1872

SOURCES: R. A. Cason, Time and the Place; Census 1851; Dir. 1851, 1872; People of the Potteries; 1851 White's Trade Directory; Alexander Lake's great-granddaughter - Jane Gillard.