Thomas Thresh
Thomas Thresh was born on the 11th June 1792. He was baptised at St Peter's Church, Warmfield and was the son of John and Hannah Thresh. He married Ann Beaumont on the 29th November 1816 in the same church. Thomas and Ann had children: Michael 1817, Mary Ann 1821, Edwin 1823 and James 1826. According to his children's baptism entries, Thomas was an innkeeper. After the death of Thomas Thresh in 1836, aged 44 years, his widow Ann remarried to John Berry in 1838.
John Berry was an innkeeper on Church Street, Horbury according to the 1841 census. Would that have been at The Cherry Tree? Edwin and James Thresh are living with John Berry and his new wife Ann. A son William Berry was born the following year, when Ann was 42, but as we see on the gravestone, he died aged 3 years 9 months.
This census also shows Michael Thresh living on New Road with Mary Ann. Michael is described as a chemist. The youngest son James, a mechanic, married Jane Holmes, widowed daughter of innkeeper Robert Clough, on the 25th December 1849 at St Peter's Church, Leeds. Jane was nine years his senior. Just five years later James died, far from Horbury in Callao, Peru.
In 1854, there was a Gold Rush in Peru, particularly in the vicinity of Callao, high in the Andes where James Thresh died. It was reported in the newspapers of October 1854 that there were several hundreds of persons wandering about the streets of Lima and Callao who had been hoaxed there in the search of gold who are now in a state of destitution. For it was a hoax, perpetrated in Melbourne, Australia and there was no gold. Many of the first arrivals perished, victims of the Yellow Fever epidemic raging in Callao and Lima at that time.
The inscription reads:
"Sacred to the memory of Thomas Thresh of this town who died July 26th 1836 aged 44 years.
Also of William, son of John and Ann Berry who died May 25th 1843 aged 3 years and 9 months.
Also Michael, son of the above Thomas Thresh who died March 27th 1845 in the 28th year of his age.
Also the above Ann Berry who died May 22nd 1846 aged 49 years.
Also James, youngest son of the above Thomas Thresh who died at Callao, Peru 16th June 1854 aged 28 years."
Helen Bickerdike June 2017
