OLD PLYMOUTH . UK
www.oldplymouth.uk
 

©  Brian Moseley, Plymouth
Webpage created: June 29, 2021
Webpage updated: February 27, 2022

        

WHO WAS WHO IN OLD PLYMOUTH

THOMAS MOON (1765-1850)

Thomas Moon was baptised on October 28th 1765 in the parish of Saint German's, in east Cornwall, where his father, Mr Edward Moon, held Methodist meetings in the large kitchen of the family home.  As a boy he used to sing in the choir of the parish church.  Although the family's history states that he moved to Plymouth in 1804 to help found and construct the Ebenezer Wesleyan Methodist Chapel, it is interesting to note that on October 9th 1795 he married 17-years-old Miss Jane Thomas at the Ancient Parish Church of Saint Andrew the Apostle, Plymouth.  She was the daughter of stone mason Mr Martin Thomas of Land's End, Cornwall, who had to grant his permission for them to marry because she was under 21 years of age. 

Jane produced a family of seven girls but did give Thomas his one son and heir, Edward Moon, who was baptized at the Anglican Church of Charles, Plymouth, on October 28th 1804.

The foundation stone of the Ebenezer Wesleyan Methodist Chapel was not laid until Friday June 14th 1816.

As their family grew he set up in business as a cabinet maker and took a shop in what was then Butcher's Lane, later number 6 Treville Street.  That was in 1809, the year of foundation that was to form part of the Moon's business logo.  He was one of the first people to start a Sunday School in the Town and, with his eldest daughter, became a visitor for the Strangers' Friend Society.  He was apparently described as 'a plain, lovely man, kindly, and known widely and esteemed and loved as "Father Moon"'.  He became the Superintendent of the Ebenezer Wesleyan Methodist Sunday School after it had been opened for worship on September 24th 1817.

The couple's only son, Mr Edward Moon, seemed to be more interested in chemistry than music until he was blinded in an accident in December 1823.  He was then sent to Ashburton to learn music and the organ under the parish organist, Mr Chappell, who was also blind.  On November 25th 1834 Mr Edward Moon married Miss Anna Chubb, from Coventry, Warwickshire, at Stoke Damerel Parish Church.  He is said to have joined the business in 1836.

The family suffered three deaths in quick succession during 1850.  Mrs Jane Moon died first and was buried in the Wesleyan Methodist Churchyard on January 20th.  Her husband, Mr Thomas Moon, who was in his eighties, died next, on January 22nd and was buried in the same Churchyard on January 27th.  In theory the business passed to their only son, Mr Edward Moon, but he also died on December 30th that year and was buried in the same Churchyard on January 5th 1851.  He was only 42-years old.  As a consequence the business passed to Edward's widow, Mrs Anna Moon (1804-1872) and ultimately their two sons, Mr James Edward Moon (1838-1913) and Mr George Winter Moon (1842-1911)

At that time the family were not only selling harps, harpsichords and pianofortes but also other musical instruments and sheet music.  They also offered music lessons and piano tuning.