The Emigration of Thomas Westover Wombwell and William Wombwell

St. Mary's Old Church, Stoke Newington: Grave of William Wombwell in the foreground. The third gravestone is that of Richard Wombwell. It is possible that the brick grave behind it is that of Maria West. The inscription on the gravestone in between has entirely worn away.

The 1851 census records Thomas Westover Wombwell on Cornhill, Ipswich, aged sixteen, and a member of a travelling menagerie. Since George Wombwell junior was also in Ipswich at this time, it can be taken that Thomas had been given employment by his Uncle in the doomed Menagerie Number Three. Thus when George's business collapsed a few years later, so too did the menagerie career of Thomas Westover Wombwell.  Thomas married Susan Tanner (1842-1919) and they had six children, all of whom were born in the USA. These six children, all fourth cousins x1 removed of Hetty Jane Owen, were:

i) George Frederick Wombwell (1862–1872), born in New York, and died in Fairport, Monroe, New York.

ii) William Henry Wombwell (1865–1951), born in New York, and died in Rochester, Monroe, New York. He married Jennie and they had two children, Margaret (born 1893), and Thomas William (born 1896), both fifth cousins of Hetty Jane Owen. There are further descendants from this line, sixth cousins of Harold and Olwen Eldridge.

iii) Sophia Wombwell (1870–????)
iv) Anna Wombwell (1872–????)
v) Charles Wombwell (1873–????)
vi) Louis Wombwell (1877–1938????). He married Margaret Streber.

All these children were born in or around New York.

There is less to report of Thomas's younger brother, William. It is recorded however that he died in Caledonia County, Vermont, USA. The nineteenth century Wombwells were nothing if not nomadic.