Thomas Morgan Harvey

Thomas Morgan Harvey was born in 1835 in Cornwall and was baptised in February of that year at St Phillack, the son of Francis and Anna Harvey. Francis was a draper. In the 1841 Census Thomas was living in Cornwall with his parents and four siblings.

Towards the end of the 1850’s Thomas commenced his career as a merchant. He married Hannah Elizabeth Cowey in 1863, and they had seven children. For over two decades, during the 1860s and 70’s Thomas was a Colonial Merchant based in South Africa where his eldest three children, Anna Ruth, Mary Edith and Thomas Edwin were born in Natal.

During his working life as a Colonial Merchant, mainly in South Africa, the family had residences in various properties in South England. In the 1871 Census the family were living in Islington with four of their children and two live-in servants. In the 1880’s and 90’s the family were living in Hertfordshire, with five of their children, two servants and a cook. By this time, their son Thomas was working as a Colonial Merchant Buyer.

By the 1911 Census Thomas had retired and was living in his final family home, in the fashionable town of Royal Tunbridge Wells, along with his wife of 48 years, his daughter Mary and 4 servants.

Thomas and Hannah’s last address was No 1 Camden Park, consisting of 16 rooms. The property was known as Salesmere and No 1 was one of the first group of five houses to be built in Camden Park in the 1850’s. It is an Italianate style property, typical of Willicombe although not proven it was built by him, complete with a tower and contemporary conservatory. Thomas and Hannah’s daughter Mary remained living at Salesmere until her death in 1925. In recent years, the property became a private Nursing Home but has now returned to residential premises.

Thomas died at Salesmere on 21st December 1913, aged 78. He was buried in Tunbridge Wells Cemetery on 24th December. On his burial record he was listed as a Gentleman and retired Colonial Merchant. Probate was granted in London on 9th February 1914, to his widow Hannah Elizabeth and his son Thomas Edwin Harvey, Merchant, to the sum of over £50,000.

Following Thomas’ death Hannah remained living at Salesmere and was buried with him in 1919, aged 76. Their daughter Florence was buried with her parents in March 1924. On her death at the age of 53, Florence was living at Woodlands, Camden Park. Thomas and Hannah’s daughters Mary Edith, Kate Harriet and Gertrude Morgan are buried alongside their parents in A6/GEN/93.

The family grave consists of two plots A6/93 and 94. The large memorial on the site spans both plots and is a large carved stone cross sitting on a stone plinth.