Thomas Dickman FENN [8838]

  General Notes:

Thomas worked at Turners Greyfriars Iron Foundry from about 1855 until 1884 when he set up his own business as a Wheelwright & Timber Merchant

He was also a poultry/bird breeder and successful exhibitor see below.

The Ipswich Journal Entries
1866 10th November The Ipswich Poultry Show First Exhibition. Class 47. Best Canary (crested or turn crowned) - Highly Commended Mr Thos. Fenn Grey Friars Works, St Peter's, Ipswich. Also Class 52. Best six cage birds. Highly Commended.

1868 31st October Annual Show of the Ipswich Poultry Society. "The cage birds were a most attractive feature in the show, and a large number were sent by local exhibitors. A three-guinea cup was given for the greatest number of points made in these classes,- first prizes counting three, second two and third one point. This was taken by Mr Thomas Fenn of the Greyfriars Works, [Wolsey] Ipswich, who was a large exhibitor, having no less than forty-seven entries of canaries, goldfinches and other birds. Mr Fenn took no less than five first, six second, and seven third prizes, with nine commendations - three high commendations and four very high commendations........Mr Fenn's mottled mealys were greatly admired for their fine colours. Mr Williams cages of mottled crested yellow caneries were very fine, and here he succeeded in taking the first and third prizes from Mr Fenn, and scoring also a V.H.C. for a third cage."
"Poultry Class 18 Hamburg (any variety) - Best pair of hens or pullets £1 10s Mr T Fenn Grey Friars Works, Ipswich."
Cage Birds Class 51-56, 58-60, 62-64 prizes to Mr T Fenn

1870 8th and 19th November Great Poultry and Bird Show at Ipswich
"The local exhibitors of canaries were Messrs W. and T.Fenn
Class 2 Game (any other variety).- Commended Mr W Fenn, Globe Lane, Ipswich, duckwings.
Class 29 Canary (clear yellow) . Highly commended Mr.T Fenn Grey Friars' Works, Ipswich, cock. Commended Mr T.Fenn cock (3).
Class 30 Canary (clear mealy) - Commended Mr. T Fenn, cock.
Class 31 Canary (mottled yellow) - Highly commended Mr. T. Fenn, cock
Class 32 Canary (mottled mealy) - Highly commended Mr. T Fenn, cock
Class 33 Canary (mottle crested yellow) - 1st prize Mr T.Fenn, cock; 2nd, ditto. Highly Commended Mr.T Fenn, cock
Class 34 Canary (mottled crested mealy) - 2nd, Mr.T.Fenn; Highly commended Mr T.Fenn, cock
Class 35 Canary (lizard) - Highly commended Mr.T.Fenn, cock. Commended Mr.T.Fenn 3 other entries
Class 37 Canary (any other variety) - Commended Mr.T.Fenn
Class 38 Canary (Selling Class) - 1st prize, Mr.T.Fenn; 2nd Mr.T.Fenn. Highly commended (3), Mr.T.Fenn

1871 5th April Damage to thrashing machine, Fore Street, belonging toi Mr. Fenn (probably Thomas)
1871 28th October 'Ipswich, Poultry, Pigeon, Cage Bird and Dog Show Cage Birds T Fenn featured in all five classes, scoring two firsts, two seconds and two highly commendeds

1872 26th October attended the 5th Annual Banquet of the Ipswich Working Men's Associaton with father T Fenn ? and brother William Fenn
1872 16th November 'Fall of a Shed' "Fortunately no one suffered from any injury by the fall, but Mr.Fenn, the foreman of the Works [Wolsey Street], and who resides on the premises, had only left the shed abot twenty minutes previous to its falling.

1873 25th February 'Poultry, Pigeon, Bird and Rabbit Show at Colchester' Mr Fenn took several commendations
1873 1st November attended the 6th Annual Banquet of the Ipswich Working Men's Conservative Association in the Public Hall with brothers George and William Fenn.

1875 11th December 'The Ipswich and Suffolk Poultry and Pigeon Show T Fenn, of Ipswich received 3rd prize in the white booted bantam class.

1876 8th January Thomas Fenn attended a preliminary meeting of Conservative electors of the Bridge Ward held at the Great Eastern Hotel Stoke.
1876 25th April - The New Doomsday Book Thomas Fenn Jun Owner of 1 Acre and 2 Roods. Rental £9 10s

1880 4th September 'Bildeston District Horticultural Society'. Best game Mr.T Fenn, Ipswich and best guineafowl, Mr.W.Fenn, Ipswich

Unknown date (probably early 1970s when at his peak) Poultry Show at Woodbridge, Bantams Class 16 Highly Commended Thomas Fenn, Ipswich. Canaries T Fenn, Ipswich winner of £3 3s prize for greatest points featuring in twelve of the sixteen classes.

1881 12th November 'Hadleigh Farmers Club Show' Winner in the poultry Section Mr T. Fenn, Freston

1882 18th November 'Eastern Counties Dog, Poultry, Pigeon & Cage Bird Society' Winners Thomas Fenn, Fred Fenn and W Fenn - several prizes
1882 25 November 'Hadleigh Show' Poultry prizes T Fenn, Freston
1882 12th December 'Kingston-on-Thames Poultry & Pigeon Show' Successful 'winners' Mr.Thomas and William Fenn
1882 16th December 'Suffolk Poultry Show Bury St Edmunds' Hamburgs T Fenn 3rd.

1883 13th January 'Tunbridge Wells Poultry Show' Mr T.Fenn, of Freston, was highly commended for a black Hamburg cock in a very large class.
1883 10th November Thomas Fenn of Freston was shown on the official list of creditors of Messrs Woods and Long, ironfounders, Stowmarket to the tune of £41 11s 6d
1883 17th November 'Hadleigh Farmers Club' Hamburghs, a lustrous pair of blacks, belonging to Mr.Thom.Fenn, Freston, was placed first
1883 24th November Prizes won by W Fenn and brother T.Fenn of Freston in the poultry classes and F Fenn, Freston, in a pigeon class
1883 27th December 'The First Good Intent Canary Club' fourth annual show.. Mr.T.Fenn, Freston, filled the office of judge in a highly efficient manner.

1884 6th September 'Annual Show of the Bildeston & Poultry Association. Amonst the exhibitors Mr.Thom. Fenn. of Freston, who had several of his handsome black Hamburgs.In all Thomas won three prizes.
1884 1st November Mr.W Fenn and Mr T Fenn attended a large Conservative County Demonstration in the Drill Hall Ipswich.
1884 29th November 'Hadleigh Farmers Club' Winners ai the poultry and pigeon classes T Fenn and F Fenn

1885 15th September 'Bildeston District Horticultural and Poultry Association'. "The game were about the best that have been seen at Bildeston, the first prize going to Mr. Thomas Fenn, Freston, for a pair of duckwings full of quality, though they were a little out of feather". Pigeons - Mr.Fenn second with white dragons. [Shown in the prize list as Mr T. Fenn but probably his sons pigeons?
1885 17th September 'East Samford Horticultural Society at Holbrook'. Committee Member Mr.T.Fenn , Freston - the Poultry Judge.
1885 21st November 'Hadleigh Show' Poultry prizes to Thomas, and sons Frederick and Edward Fenn
1885 10th December 'Poultry Show at Bury St Edmunds'. Mr.Thomas Fenn, Freston and Mr.W.Fenn Richmond Road, Ipswich were amongst the prize winners.

1886 8th July Mr.Thomas Fenn, Freston, assisted at the Holbrook Elections on behalf of the Conservatives

1887 28th July 'The Cambridgeshire Agricultural Show. "In the [bantam] class for gold-pencilled Hamburghs, the first prize was won by T Fenn of Wherstead Road, Ipswich."
1887 2nd December
Hadleigh Farmers Club - Mr T Fenn and Mr F Fenn (father and son) both won prizes in the poultry section.

1888 14th December Thomas driving a timber drag from Stoke Bridge to Freston was called as a witness in a fatal accident case.
1888 9th May 'East Samford Horticultural Society' Mr.Fenn, secretary, resigned.

1890 22nd November 'Hadleigh Farmers Club' Corn Exchange Hadleigh Prizes to T Fenn

1891 10th January 'Fakenham, Poultry Show' Prizes to William and Thomas Fenn
1891 3rd October 'East of England Poultry Show' Prizes to William Fenn, Richmond Road and Thomas Fenn, Freston
1891 14th November 'Hadleigh Farmers Club Annual Show' Thomas Fennin the prizes

1892 9th January 'Grays Show, Essex' More poultry wins for Thomas Fenn, Freston
1892 30th January 'Local Exhibitors at the Fakenham Poultry Show' Winning exhibitors Mr.Thomas Fenn, Freston and Mr.W.Fenn, Ipswich
1892 29th October 'East of England Poultry & Pigeon Show Ipswich' Winners Thomas Fenn, William Fenn and Frederick Fenn
1892 29th October 'Framlingham Show' "The Cochins, though thinly represented, were exceedingly good, Mr.Thos.Fenn,Freston, taking first prize. He had four entries, but three of them unfortunately arrived too late owing to having been carried on by train to Saxmundham.
1892 5th November 'Hadleigh Show' Thomas Fenn on top form. "Special prize of 10s 6d given by the Club to the exhibitor scoring the most points in the show, Mr.Thos. Fenn, Freston

1893 24th June 'Prize Poultry at Essex Show' Winning exhibitors included Thomas Fenn, Freston and W Fenn, Ipswich
1893 8th July 'Norwich Poultry Show' Four prizes Thomas Fenn, Freston
1893 28th October 'Framlingham Farmers Club' "Mr.Thos.Fenn, of Freston, - who is a strong exhibitor at many of the shows- added much to the interest of the poultry exhibits by his excellent contributions, and he carried off the coveted prize given by her Grace the Duchess of Hamilton for the best show of poultry by one exhibitor.
1893 2nd December 'Ipswich Poultry, Pigeon and Rabbit Show. A very successful show for both William and Thomas Fenn

1894 20th January 'Stratford Show' Mr Thomas Fenn, Freston and Mr.W.Fenn, Ipswich won four poultry prizes each.
1894 31st March 'Local Successes at the Acton Poultry Show' Exibitor success for Thomas Fenn, Freston
1894 19th May 'Funeral of Mr.G.M.Sexton, Wherstead' T Fenn was one of the mourners
1894 23rd June With brothers George and William attended the funeral of Mr.Henry Spurling at Shotley.
1894 10th November 'Poultry & Rabbit Show at Ipswich' W Fenn and T Fenn led in the game classes.
1894 15th December 'Successful Ipswich Poultry Exhibitors at the Stratford Show' "At Stratford Poultry Show, Mr.W.Fenn,of Ipswich, was awarded first and special for black-red bantam cock, and second prize for hen of the same kind. Mr.Thomas Fenn, of Freston, won first with a pile bantam hen, and third prize for black rose-comb bantam cock."

1895 14th December 'Poultry & Pigeon Show at Ipswich' Prizes to T & W Fenn
1896 5th December 'Ipswich Poultry Show' Plenty of prizes for T & W Fenn both winning special prizes

In 1871 Thomas was living at the works of E R & F Turner Ltd , as foreman, and in Freston in 1881. This is supported by The Ipswich Journal Poultry records which pre 1879 records T Fenn of Ipswich Grey Friars works and post 1879 it is Mr Fenn of Freston. This also means that Thomas was no longer at the works at the time of the ?Thames Mystery?
Ref Mike Fenn

Turners Greyfriars Iron Foundry <http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=Grey+Friars+Works+Ipswich&btnG>

For more information on Thomas refer Mike Fenn's Webpages:
http://mikefenn174.tribalpages.com/family-tree/mikefenn174/179/9/Thomas-Fenn-Family#moreinfo_

  Other Records

1. Alt. Birth: Somersham, 1829.

2. Census: England, 1841, Somersham SFK. Thomas is recorded aged 11 born SFK

3. Census: England, 1851, Somersham SFK. Thomas is recorded as a son aged 22 a wheelwright born Somersham

4. Census: England, 1861, Ipswich, SFK. 1162 f67p27 "Thomas FENN Hd M 32 Wheelwright Somersham"

5. Census: England, 1881, Freston SFK. Freston RG11/1867 p12 "Thomas Fenn Mar, 52, Wheelwright Somersham"

6. Census: England, 1891, Freston SFK. Freston FENN THOMAS 62 SOMERSHAM SFK FRE 5

7. Census: England, 1901, Freston SFK. Freston "#18 p3 f123 IPSWICH ROAD THOMAS FENN HD WR 72 WHEELWRIGHT AND TIMBER MERCHANT SFK SOMERSHAM"

8. Event: Assessor & Horticultural Show Committee, 1886.

9. Occupation: Wheelwright, Freston, Between 1879 and 1881.

10. Occupation: Wheelwright, Ipswich, 1861.

11. Occupation: Timber merchant, wheelwright, & thrashing machine proprietor, 1891.

12. Occupation: Timber merchant, 1892.

13. Occupation: Timber merchant & thrashing machine owner, 1900.

14. Occupation: Wheelwright & timber merchant, 1901.

15. Probate: Thomas Fenn – retired wheelwright, 2 Aug 1919.

16. Residence: Freston, Sfk, 1900.

17. Residence: Gt Whip St, Ipswich, Sfk, 1861.

18. Will: Thomas Fenn – retired wheelwright Testator Thomas Saul Fenn & Chas Borrett, 20 Feb 1915.

Thomas married Anna SMITH [8581] [MRIN: 2865], daughter of Peter SMITH [27228] and Unknown, on 29 Jul 1857 in St Mary Key, Ipswich, Suffolk. (Anna SMITH [8581] was born in 1835 in Cratfield, Suffolk, died on 25 Apr 1893 in Samford Rd, SFK and was buried on 1 May 1893 in Ipswich Cemetery, Suffolk.)