Thomas Saul FENN [8786]

  General Notes:

Thomas was sent to board at Framlingham College Public School in December 1897 he was awarded the Cambridge University Local Examinations Junior Certificate (prize a copy of "Arabian Nights") and the

The Ipswich Journal 8th October 1898
Framlingham College Speech Day - Certificate awarded to T.S.Fenn
(The Junior Honours 3rd Class (prize "History of India").
However by all accounts he hated life as a boarder.

By 1900 Thomas had left school and was a Learner, Post Office,Ipswich (London Gazette 6 November 1900) living with the family at the Half Moon and Star Hotel in St Matthews Street. A year later on the 1901 census he is described as Sorting and Telegraphist. It was not long before life in the post office was not to his liking and with his father fully occupied with farming and Alderman and Workhouse Guardian duties Thomas found himself in charge of the Half Moon and Star.
In 1910, Thomas was still living with his parents in their new house in Burlington Road, a large Victorian house fitting for a man of George's position. However by 1912 the newly weds were residing at the Half Moon & Star. Thomas invested in a Silver Ghost in which he and Tommy used to go to the Newmarket races and all the children had maids in service up until the Second World War.
Thomas remained the landlord of the Half Moon and Star until the late 1920s when he took over a tobacconists and confectioners in nearby Bramford Road. One story handed down was that a weights and measures inspector witnessed a barmaid adding water to the whiskey which was stored in a china barrel above the bar at the Half Moon & Star.
Mike Fenn has early recollection's of his grandfather: "Father Fenn as he was affectionally known by the family, was in some ways of a rather austere man almost of the Victorian age to my young mind. It would have been in my early days at Ipswich School, when I was about 7 or 8 years old, and he in his late 60s, that I would visit him at his home at 20 Woodstone Avenue. I have no memory of the time when my mother and I lived with him after my father's death but do have fond recollections of visiting his house in later years seeing Aunt Dorothy and being with Nana Fenn (Nellie), a lovely lady who never arose until midday. I would climb into her bed in the mornings and play cards. All the Fenns were great card players and there always seemed to be hundreds of packs of cards for a young boy to play with.
Aunt Dorothy (Mattin), a distant relative of Nellie's, gave her life into servitude to the Fenns. She was a "mother" to George and Tommy, housekeeper to my grandparents and continued to look after my grandfather during the long illness of Nellie and after her death. I look back on times spent in her company at Woodstone Avenue with much love and affection. She was kind, gentle and marvellous with all children and would have made a wonderful wife and mother. I have often wondered why she never married but have heard from my Aunt Joan (Tommy
s wife) that she didn't like men very much."

Thomas was aged 72 at his death

  Research Notes:

Image courtesy of Mike Fenn - 2018

  Other Records

1. Census: England, 1891, 68 St Mathews St Ipswich SFK. thomas is recorded as Tommy a son aged 7 a scholar born Ipswich

2. Education: Framlingham College Public School, Abt 1897.

3. Occupation: Learner, Post Office, Ipswich, Nov 1900.

4. Census: England, 1901, Half Moon & Star St Mathew Ipswich. Thomas is recorded as Finn single aged 17 a sorting & telegraphist Post Office born Ipswich

5. Residence: 22 Burlington Rd, Ipswich, Sfk, 9 Mar 1910.

6. Residence: Half Moon & Star PH, 68 St Matthew's St, Ipswich, Sfk, 1912.

7. Occupation: Publican.

8. Served as: Testator for Thomas Fenn's will of 1915 proved 1919, 2 Aug 1919.

9. Occupation: Confectioner, 65 Bramford Rd, Ipswich, Abt 1930.

10. Residence: 20 Woodstone Ave, Ipswich, Sfk, 1938.

11. Residence: Ipswich, Sfk, 1944.

12. Cremated: Ipswich Crematorium, Suffolk, 5 Apr 1956.

Thomas married Nellie Caroline GARNHAM [9144] [MRIN: 2902] on 9 Mar 1910 in St Matthew Ipswich SFK. (Nellie Caroline GARNHAM [9144] was born 2nd Qtr 1886 in Ipswich, SFK and died on 28 Mar 1952 in St Clements Hospital, Ipswich, Suffolk.)