Thomas English was the son of Joseph Catton English and his wife Mary nee Wilson who were married in Leeds in 1870. Joseph was a tallow chandler from Stamford Bridge near York. The couple's first two children were born in Leeds but around 1875, the family moved to West Hartlepool and lived in the Belle Vue area.
In 1881, there was a daughter Anne aged 8 and five sons which included a 4 year old Thomas. In 1887, Mary, Thomas' mother died and in 1889 his father married Elizabeth
Helena Wright. By the 1891 census there were already two more sons to this second marriage. By 1901, Thomas was no longer in the family home, but his father by then was an abattoir manager.
In 1913, Thomas married Louisa Glendinning in Hartlepool. She had lost her mother just after her birth and had been brought up by her maternal grandparents as her father was working in Bangkok as an administrator.
On 17th May 1918, Thomas lost his life on SS Mavisbrook which was en route from Cardiff to Malta carrying coal when it was hit by the submarine Franz Becker off the SE coast of Spain.
His wife Louisa at their home in Raby Road Stockton on Tees was informed of his death.
