Hendy, Thomas

Singer

Collection date: Aug 1905

Area: Somerset - Hambridge surrounds

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Thomas Hendy of Ilminster (1835-1910): age 69, 10 songs over two visits in Aug & Dec 1905: His song 'The Saucy Sailor' (FT618, Roud 531) was published in Folk Songs from Somerset vol4 (click vwml link above):

Thomas Hendy was born in Dec 1835 and baptised at St Mary’s Ilminster on 17/1/1836, son of John Hendy, labourer and his wife Elizabeth. Nine of his songs were sea-related (e.g The Arethusa, a British ship serving in the Napoleonic wars). Whether Hendy himself saw naval service is not recorded.

On 22/11/1859 he married Annis Sweet, a dressmaker, daughter of Abraham & Harriet Sweet, mason of Nether Stowey. Annis was in Nether Stowey in the 1851 census but was 21 and resident in Ilminster at time of her wedding in 1859. Thomas was listed as an agricultural labourer but could sign his name in the register. 

In 1871 the couple were living in North St, Thomas was 35, a postman. In 1881 they were in West St, looking after Thomas’ aged parents (86 & 87 yrs). They had no children of their own.

Annis died in Oct 1888 and in 1891 Thomas was a boarder in a house in Silver St. In 1901 he was 68, an agricultural labourer again, living at The Cross, Ilminster with his spinster sister Ann Hendy (ref RG13/2291 f6 p4). Thomas Hendy was buried 23/12/1910.