Deputy Chairman of the St Pancras Vestry General Purposes Committee in the late 1800s.
The birth of Thomas Bentley Westacott was registered in the 4th quarter of 1839 in the South Molton Registration District, Devon. He was the eldest of the four children of Thomas Westacott and Elizabeth Westacott née Bentley.
He was shown as aged 1 year in the 1841 census living at Blackmantle, Chittlehampton, Devon, with his parents. His father was listed as a carpenter.
The 1851 census shows him as aged 12 years and living in Little Ash, Chittlehampton, Devon, with his parents and three brothers: James Westacott (b.1843); John Westacott (1847-1933) and George Westacott (b.1850). His father was still described as a carpenter.
When the 1861 census was undertaken he was listed as aged 21 years, a solicitor's clerk, boarding with a family called Chapple at 65 Charlotte Street, Marylebone, Middlesex (now Greater London).
In the 4th quarter of 1865 he married Sarah Rebecca Cosby (1846-1941) in the Westminster Registration District, Middlesex (now Greater London). They were to have nine children: Minnie Westacott (1867-1875); Thomas Charles Westacott (1868-1951); Annie Elizabeth Westacott (1870-1947); Florence Lily Westacott (1873-1964); James Bentley Westacott (1875-1967); Ernest George Westacott (1876-1916); John Henry Westacott (1878-1945); Effie Mary Westacott (1880-1960) and Mabel Gertrude Westacott (1882-1960).
The 1870 Post Office London Directory lists him as a furniture dealer at 45 Crawford Street, West London and in the 1871 census he is shown as aged 31 years, a house agent, living at 51 Euston Road, Marylebone, Middlesex (now Greater London), with his wife and their three children: Minnie Westacott; Thomas Charles Westacott and Annie Elizabeth Westacott.
In the 1880 Post Office London Directory he is listed as an auctioneer, a house & estate agent & valuer and a Collector of Queen's Taxes at 82 Camden Road, Camden Town, London. The 1881 census confirms he was still residing at 82 Camden Road, Camden Town. He was shown as aged 41 years and an auctioneer, living there with his wife and their seven surviving children: Thomas Charles Westacott; Annie Elizabeth Westacott; Florence Lily Westacott; James Bentley Westacott; Ernest George Westacott; John Henry Westacott and Effie Mary Westacott, together with a female domestic servant.
On 30 December 1886 he was admitted into the Freedom of the City of London by redemption in the Worshipful Company of Glovers. He registered his address as 21 Lawford Road, NW London. However, when he was initiated as freemason on 15 January 1889 in the Camden Lodge No.704 which met at Anderton's Hotel, Fleet Street, London, he declared himself an auctioneer residing at 82 Camden Road, London. He resigned from this Lodge in July 1893.
He was described as aged 51 years and an auctioneer in the 1891 census, living at 31 Bartholomew Road, St Pancras, London, with his wife, their eight surviving children: Thomas Charles Westacott; Annie Elizabeth Westacott; Florence Lily Westacott; James Bentley Westacott; Ernest George Westacott; John Henry Westacott; Effie Mary Westacott and Mabel Gertrude Westacott, together with a female general servant. His sons: Thomas Charles Westacott was shown as an auctioneer's clerk and James Bentley Westacott was an electrical engineer's apprentice.
Aged 61 years and still listed as auctioneer in the 1901 census, he was living at 'Glenthorne', Mapesbury Road, Willesden, Middlesex (now Greater London), with his wife, five of their children: James Bentley Westacott, an electrical engineer; Ernest George Westacott, an auctioneer's clerk; John Henry Westacott, a municipal clerk in Town Clerk's Office; Effie Mary Westacott and Mabel Gertrude Westacott, together with a female domestic servant.
When he completed his 1911 census return form he described himself as aged 71 years, an auctioneer and surveyor, living in a ten roomed property at 21 Mapesbury Road, Brondesbury, Kilburn, Middlesex (now Greater London), with his wife, three of their children: Florence Lily Westacott; James Bentley Westacott, an electrical engineer and Ernest George Westacott, an estate agent, together with a female general servant.
He died, aged 84 years on 20 August 1924, his death being registered in the Willesden Registration District, Middlesex and his body was buried on 22 August 1924 in Highgate Cemetery East, Swain's Lane, London, N6 6PJ. Probate records confirm that his address was 21 Mapesbury Road, Brondesbury, Middlesex and that when probate was granted on 27 September 1924 jointly to his widow, his two sons: Thomas Charles Westacott and John Henry Westacott and his widowed daughter Annie Elizabeth Morres, his effects totalled £50,440-10s-6d.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
