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Michael Tuck
1866-1866
Michael was born in Newbury, Berkshire, the son of Mark and Margaret Tuck (nee Mecan/Macan) (birth registered in the June quarter 1866).
He died aged 0 in 1866 and was laid to rest in the Newtown Road Cemetery on the 12th November.
Michael’s family:
His father Mark was baptised on the 22nd January 1837, at St Nicolas Church, Newbury, Berkshire, the son of John and Mary Tuck. (John was recorded as a Lodging House Keeper on the baptism record). Mark’s mother died aged 40, she was buried on the 6th February 1837, at St Nicolas Newbury. In 1841 Mark (4) and his brothers, Edward (10) and Solomon (5) were living with a Sarah Williams (40) a Laundress, in Newtown Road, Newbury. Mark’s father John died in 1861, he was laid to rest in the Newtown Road Cemetery on the 18th January.
His mother Margaret was born c1840 in Newbury, Berkshire the daughter of Michael and Sarah Macan. In 1851 Magaret (10) was living in New Street, St Mary’s, Kent, with her parents Michael (58) a Shoemaker and Sarah (56), both born in Ireland and her sister Caroline (5), born in Southampton.
Michael’s parents married in 1858
Marriage details:
Place: St Nicolas Church Newbury, Berkshire.
Date: 15th February 1858
Groom: Mark Tuck, full age, bachelor, occupation, Labourer, abode, Newbury
Bride: Margaret Mecan, aged 27, spinster, abode, Newbury
Fathers: Michael Mecan, a Cordwainer and John Tuck, a Lodging House Keeper.
Groom signed, Bride made her mark
Mark and Margaret also had the following children:
Mary Ann born 1859 (died of burns, aged 12, in 1871, in Reading, Berkshire, see below)
Mark John born 1861
Joseph c1863
William 1864 (died aged 12 days, buried in the Newtown Road Cemetery on the 4th November 1864)
Margaret 1867
In 1861 Mark (23) was recorded as a Rag and Bone Dealer, living in Old Road, Newbury with Margaret (21), their daughter Mary (2), Solomon Tuck (34), a Blacksmith (Mark’s brother) and six lodgers.
Mark was often in trouble with the law, he had a serious drink problem. On numerous occasions over the years his name appears in the local newspapers, for being drunk and disorderly. Fines and even a few spells in jail did not seem to change him.
On the 30th May 1871 Michael’s sister Mary Ann accidentally set herself on fire. The following appeared in the Reading Mercury on the 3rd June 1871
A CHILD BURNT TO DEATH: On Thursday, an inquest was held at the Hospital, before Mr. William Weedon, Coroner, on the body of Mary Ann Tuck, aged 12 years, daughter of Mark Tuck, a hawker.
Margaret Tuck said; I am the wife of Mark Tuck, hawker, Swan Court, Silver-street, and mother of the deceased child; she was the eldest of ten children, and in charge of the others when I was away. I came home about eight on Monday evening. At half-past ten I gave deceased a candle and some rice, and told her to give the baby some of the latter. I was in Mr. Clark’s shop when the child took the candle and rice from me. I was waiting near the public-house for my husband, and while there I saw a child in flames in Mrs. Hamersley’s kitchen. I went at once and put the flames out, and then found it was my child; deceased told me she put the candle on the bed. I went afterwards into the room and found the candle melted; the candlestick was under the bed, and a corner of the quilt on the bed on which she had been lying was on fire. Three other children were in the room. Deceased was twelve years old, and had been at home all day minding the children. I have lost other children; four died at birth. I had not been at the public-house.
William Jones said; I am a labourer and lodge at Hamersley’s in Silver-street. About half-past eleven on Monday night the deceased ran into the room in flames. I caught hold of her and threw her down and tried to roll her, but could not. Deceased got up but I pulled her back; some water was brought and the flames were almost put out. I saw Mrs. Tuck, she came in about ten minutes to eleven. I saw Tuck in his own room very drunk. Last witness was excited, but appeared quite sober.
Mr. Richard Galpin, house surgeon, said; Deceased was admitted on Monday, just before midnight, with severe burns of chest, both arms and neck, she died yesterday afternoon from shock to the system, occasioned by the burns. The mother when she came with the child was either drunk or very excited.
Mark Tuck said; I am a hawker and father of the deceased. I have seen the body, and identify it as that of my child. I was drunk all day Monday. My wife tried to induce me to come home. She is not a woman given to drink Verdict, “Accidentally Burnt.”
On the 11th June 1872 in Newbury, Mark was sentenced to four hours in the stocks (this was the last time the stocks were used in the UK).
In 1881 Mark (44) was recorded as a Labourer, lodging at the Railway Steamer, in Cheap Street, Newbury.
Mark died aged 45, on the 13th December 1881, whilst under the influence of alcohol. He was heard crying for help, clinging on to a post in a stream near Twyford Station, by two policemen and a mail cart driver. They managed to rescue him from the stream by tying ropes under his arms and lifting him up to the bridge but he died a short time later.
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