OLD PLYMOUTH . UK
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WHO WAS WHO IN OLD PLYMOUTH

THOMAS STEVENS (1799-1869)

Thomas Stevens was born at the end of 1799 in the Maritime Inn on The Parade, Plymouth, where his father, Mr John Stevens, was the landlord.  He was baptised at Charles' Church on January 3rd 1800.  His younger brother, Robert White Stevens, was baptised there on October 19th 1806.

Naturally young Thomas went to sea and it was as a Master Mariner that he married Miss Mary Maddick Sanders at the Ancient Parish Church of Saint Andrew the Apostle on March 20th 1821.  He then settled down to a life on land as a ship owner, wharfinger and coal merchant. At one time he was in partnership with Messrs Ham and Pardieu, which eventually merged into the Phoenix Coal Company.

However, in July 1832 Mr Stevens was in business on his own as a coal merchant.  He was advertising Stobbart's Sunderland Walls End coal at twenty shillings per ton or eleven shillings and sixpence per quarter.  Slightly less expensive was Simpson's Walls End coal at eighteen shillings and sixpence per ton or ten shillings and sixpence per quarter.  Cheaper still was Powell's Newport coal at seventeen shillings per ton or ten pence halfpenny (10½d) per hundredweight (cwt.).  Raby's Fiery Vein coal was sixteen shillings per ton or ten shillings per quarter.  His advert continued: 'Orders received at the Office, 30 Notte-street, or at the Wharf, Barbican, under the Granary adjoining the inner end of the Pier'.

The 1851 census gives Mr Stevens living at number 3 The Parade, with his wife, Mrs Mary Stevens, his 25-years-old son, Mr Sanders Stevens, a ship broker; and two daughters, Miss Betsey Stevens, aged 19, and Miss Pauline Stevens, aged 9, who was still at school.  Mary and the children were all born in Brixham, Devon.  Mary had three servants to help her: a 25-years-old Irish cook, Miss Rosa Mullhall; a 20-years-old Cornish house maid, Miss Elizabeth Hill; and a 21-years-old groom, Mr John Miller, from Plympton Saint Mary.  The couple's eldest son, Mr Thomas Jones Stevens, ship and insurance broker, was in 1851 living at 6 Windsor Street, Plymouth.  He had also married a Miss Mary Maddick Stevens but at the Ancient Parish Church of All Saints, Brixham, Devon, on March 20th 1846.

Thomas Stevens was elected as Mayor of Plymouth for the year from November 1854. The Western Morning News reported that 'He displayed great energy on the administration of justice, and the supervision of town affairs.'  He was one of several provincial Mayors who had the honour of a meeting with the Emperor and Empress of France, whom he invited to visit Plymouth, and he also successfully negotiated with the military authorities for the improvement of Millbay-road.  When he left office he stated that during his year of office he had been occupied in Town business for 240 days and had adjudicated at two-thirds of the 700 cases brought before the magistrates in the Guildhall.  Mr Stevens took a great deal of interest in local railway matters.  At the end of his year as Mayor he retired from the Council.

For many years Mr Stevens was the secretary of the Plymouth Lifeboat Institution.

Mr Thomas Stevens died a this home, Sunny Bank Villa, Mannamead, Compton Gifford, on Wednesday December 8th 1869.  The funeral took place at the Plymouth, Stonehouse and Devonport Cemetery on  Thursday December 14th 1869.

A hint of Mr Steven's character might be derived from the remarks added to the bottom of his coal advert in the Western Morning News: 'NB Thomas Stevens would earnestly recommend the Public's employing the Licensed Horse and Cart Porters to carry their Coals, in preference to those who wish to monopolize the carriage of this article, to the considerable injury of a very industrious class of men -- the probable ruin of some -- and consequent distress of their families; and begs to observe, that the Licensed Carrier being the servant of the customer, is bound to see justice done him, and therefore becomes a check on the dealer, which in some instances latterly has shown itself very requisite.'