Evans, Thomas

Submitted by edpope on

Thomas Evans and his wife Janet are well covered by Ian McCalman in his excellent book Radical Underworld. Evans first appeared in LCS records in 1795, first as a delegate from Div 40 and elected to the Exec Cttee 10.9.1795. Alexander Galloway was described as his brother in law (probably by Francis Place but I haven't searched for the exact source yet). Galloway had a sister Janet born 24.10.1777 but I could find no record of her marriage. It is likely Evans and his wife were not keen on the marriage ceremony, but this was also probably true of Alexander Galloway whose marriage to his wife Elizabeth I could also find no record of. Most likely Janet Evans was Galloway's sister but it is also possible that she was the sister of Galloway's wife Elizabeth. A Thomas Evans bach otp married at St Bride's Fleet St on 15.7.1792 by banns a Janette Fortune sp otp. Both parties signed their names, she signed Janet without the 'te'. I have compared her signature to that on a letter written by Janet Evans when her husband Thomas was in prison, they are not convincingly similar but not entirely different. There was one further coincidence in that Thomas Evans moved in 1796 to 14 Plough Court, Fetter Lane and a David Fortune moved in to 18 Plough Court in 1796. David Fortune was a (brass?) founder in Tollcross, Edinburgh who came to London in about 1783 and died in 1815 aged 52 in Fleet St where he was a French horn and trumpet maker. Janet was a distinctly Scottish name. The only recorded child of Thomas and Janet Evans was Thomas John Binns Evans, who was baptised at Holborn 27.4.1800 "said to be born 17.3.1797" and then baptised again a week later at Clerkenwell St James 4.5.1800 "born 26.3.1797". These baptisms happened while Thomas Evans was in prison from 1798 to 1801. Thomas Evans was buried at Holborn 1.12.1825 age 60 of Grays Inn Lane. Janet Evans was buried at Bloomsbury 1.11.1826 age 57 of Grays Inn Lane. Thomas John Binns Evans was buried at Marylebone 6.5.1831 age 33 from the workhouse. If Janet was Galloway's sister her true age should have been 49 but such inaccuracies were not uncommon.