Thomas SHORT was recorded in the Hearth Tax of c1670 in Christopher Alley, Tower Hamlets; he had nine hearths so was probably a wealthy man. The earliest known ancestor however is Thomas SHORT, possibly son or grandson of the hearth tax Thomas; he was a weaver who lived at various addresses in the East End of London (including Petticoat lane) during the second half of the 17C.

Four more generations of weavers succeeded Thomas in Mile End New Town or Bethnal Green: Thomas (1691-), Thomas (1715-), Francis (1755-1816), William (1797-1851). The hand-weaving trade in the East End however was in severe decline during this time because of competition from power looms. Francis was noted as a pauper, and William gave up the trade in 1828 to become a dairyman, keeping cattle at his home and selling the milk in the streets.

William's son Thomas continued as a dairyman until cattle disease almost put an end to this East End trade in 1866. His widowed mother opened a coffee shop in Bethnal Green Rd and Thomas (together with his 10 year old son) got a job in a new oil & colour shop next door owned by a Mr Williams.

This began a long association of the SHORT family with various branches of William’s shops. Thomas and his son eventually managed a shop in Roman Rd; his grandson Thomas managed a shop in Salmon Lane, Stepney until it closed in 1922. This Thomas’ daughter, Nellie, married Roderick STEVENSON in 1933

OUTSTANDING QUESTIONS

1) B9. Origin of Thomas SHORT, probably born about 1660. Can he be related to the Thomas SHORT of Christopher Alley in the Hearth Tax c1670?

2) B8-B6. Any confirming evidence for the descent shown in these generations? Origin of Mary ALEXANDER, Mary CHRISTIAN and Margaret BLACK

3) B5. Origin of Elizabeth BARTLETT; where was she in 1871? Was she the Elizabeth baptised at Romford 7Apr1803 to John & Elizabeth? These parents baptised Mary on the same day, and John, Robert, Sarah at other times.

INDEX OF MARRIAGES ON THE SHORT FAMILY TREE

SURNAME DATE/PLACE MARRIAGE TREE MARRIED TO:

ALEXANDER Mary 7May1714 Stepney St Dunstan MDX ShorT0 SHORT Thomas

BARTLETT Elizabeth 7Sep1820 Stepney Spt Xchurch MDX ShorT0 SHORT William

BLACK Margaret 30Jun1782 Stepney St Dunstan MDX ShorT0 SHORT Francis

CHRISTIAN Ann 19Sep1737 St Benet Pauls Wharf LND ShorT0 SHORT Thomas

CLARK Hannah 8Jul1781 Stepney St Dunstan MDX ShorT6 SHORT James

CLIFFORD c1860 ShorT0 SHORT Hannah

COLLIS Humphrey 30Aug1861 Bethnal Green St Mat MDX ShorT0 SHORT Mary Ann

CRANWELL Sarah 23May1854 Stepney Sp Xchurch MDX ShorT0 SHORT Thomas

DANIELS Lilian 5Aug1907 Bow, St Stephen MDX ShorT0 SHORT Sidney Francis

EVANS Mary c1880 ShorT3 SHORT Charles

FLETCHER John 3Sep1938 Bow, St Stephen, MDX ShorT0 SHORT Lilian Frances

FRENCH Arthur c1935 ShorT0 SHORT Rose Margaret

HANCOCK Minnie c1905 ShorT0 SHORT William George

HARDING Edward ?1764 ShorT0 SHORT Ann

KILBOURN Eugene c1880 ShorT3 SHORT George Francis

KILBOURN Frances Martha 15Oct1876 Bethnal Green St BartMDX ShorT0 SHORT Thomas William

LESERF Susanna 3Sep1762 St Botolph Bish'gate LND ShorT6 SHORT Thomas

MANSFIELD Alice 21Dec1902 Camden Town MDX ShorT0 SHORT Thomas William

PITKIN Thomas 12Dec1768 Bethnal Green St Mat MDX ShorT0 SHORT Rebecca

PROUT W c1930 ShorT0 SHORT Alice Frances

SAUNDERS Arthur c1938 ShorT0 SHORT Ivy Ethel

STEVENSON Roderick 25Dec1933 Manor Park Methodist ESS ShorT0 SHORT Nellie Deborah

VIVIAN Jack 10Mar1946 ShorT0 SHORT Iris Olive

WALBECK Jane 7Jul1686 Allhallows London Wall ShorT0 SHORT Thomas

WHITEHEAD Peter c1960 ShorT0 SHORT Gillian

WINDOW Gladys c1936 ShorT0 SHORT Ernest George

YOUNG Benjamin 9Jun1867 Bethnal Green St.Jon MDX ShorT0 SHORT Eliza