Thomas Common Brown
Thomas Common Brown (1828-1909)
was he perhaps related to John Common (1778-1868)?
1828 Born in Shilbottle, Northumberland, son of James and Jane Brown[1]
1841 Living in Shilbottle with his parents[2]
1844 Apprenticed as a millwright
1849 Started work for Robert Stephenson and Co[3]
1851 An engineer wright, living in Westgate, Northumberland, with his brother, Robert, a millwright foundryman, his family, and another brother, Joshua, also a millwright foundryman[4]
1852 Moved to the engine works of R. and W. Hawthorn, where he designed marine engines.
1853 Moved to the R. Morrison and Co at Ouseburn Engine Works.
1859 Moved to Ransomes at Ipswich
1861 Engineer smith, living in Ipswich with Frances Brown 27, James F Brown 3, Dorothy J Brown 1 [5]
1871 Civil engineer, living in Ipswich, with Frances Brown 37, James Fiddes Brown 13, Dova Jane Brown 11, Alice Brown 9, Frances Brown 7[6]
1910 Obituary [7]
THOMAS COMMON BROWN, born near Alnwick, Northumberland, on the 21st December, 1828, died at Ipswich on the 17th December, 1909, aged 81.
He served his apprenticeship to Messrs. Robert Stephenson and Company, Newcastle-on-Tyne, and in 1859 joined the staff of Messrs. Ransomes and Sims, now Ransomes, Sims and Jefferies, of Ipswich, with whom he remained 28 years, latterly as Chief Draughtsman and manager’s Chief Assistant. He was engaged in the design and manufacture of various classes of agricultural machinery, being in several cases the inventor and patentee.
He was elected an Associate Member on the 4th December, 1877.