Thomas White (1773-1859)
Thomas White (1773-1859), Shipbuilder of Cowes
1795 Married Elizabeth Peake in St. Lawrence, Ramsgate[1]
1801 Birth of son Joseph White in Broadstairs.
1802 In his book "Wight, Biography of an Island" Paul Hyland explains that the White shipbuilding business moved from Broadstairs (Kent) to Cowes in 1802, where they began work on the 'Thetis' Yard on the 'salterns' and marsh between the Medina and Arctic roads.
Married Susanna.
1810 Birth of son John in Gosport
Birth of son Robert White
1841 Thomas White 67, ship builder, lived in Cowes, with Elizabeth White 25, Thomas White 21, shipbuilder, James Beck 23, shipbuilder, Hannah Peake 40, Sarah Peake 60[2]
1851 Thomas White 77, retired shipbuilder, lived in West Cowes, with his Granddaughter Caroline White 23, and 2 Sisters-in-law, Sarah Peake 81, Hannah Peake, 56[3], Caroline would have been a daughter of his son Joseph.
1859 Died in West Cowes.
'Thomas White of Cowes. We have to announce the decease of this gentleman at the patriarchal age of 86 years. Mr White was born at Broadstairs, in Kent, on the 16th of October, 1775, and was the descendant of one of the oldest shipbuilding families in Great Britain, one which has flourished for upwards of a century. Before the close of the French war the deceased selected the port of Cowes as his future residence, having himself preferred that port to all others which had inspected, for its capabilities for both constructing ships and repairing those which might be driven from stress of weather; but finding a want of the necessary accommodation, Mr White constructed in 1815, the Thetis Dock and adjoining building slips and thus laid the foundation those extensive shipbuilding yards the Medina Docks. He was better known, probably, to the naval and yachting world the Father of the "White’s School" of Architects. This gentleman, some years back retired from the active engagements of his profession favour of his two sons, John and Robert White. The deceased was twice married. To Mr Joseph White, a son by the first marriage, is the royal navy and yacht clubs indebted for his unrivalled productions; and to the present firm, the offspring of the second marriage, our commercial marine bears testimony of their genius, as the Inventors of the patented "Improved Diagonal Principles" in ship-building, the lifeboats, Ac. The loss of such a man is universally felt in the neighbourhood, not alone as the founder of its staple trade - shipbuilding - but for his Christian virtues and benevolence. His remains were, Thursday last, interred in the family vault in the old churchyard, the inhabitants closing their respective establishments as a mark of respect on the occasion.'[4]