▶Date of birth:  25 November 1811        Place of birth: Limehouse. Middlesex

▶Father:  William Baker     Mother: Anna Maria Smart

▶Spouse(s):  Eliza Ann Gibson    Date(s) of marriage:   23 January 1849    Place(s) of marriage: Trinity Church, Tunbridge Wells

▶Occupation: Clergyman (Anglican)

▶Lifestory: Thomas Baker’s family moved to Cheltenham when he was a young man, and he seems to have regarded Cheltenham as his home for much of his life, despite the fact that some of his clerical duties lay elsewhere. He was the third son of solicitor William Baker, one of the Coroners for Middlesex, of Limehouse, Middlesex, and his wife Anna Maria (née Smart). He was educated at Tonbridge School, where he was an Exhibitioner, and matriculated in 1829 at St John’s College, Cambridge, BA 1833, MA 1838. In 1834 he was ordained Deacon (Canterbury), and became a Priest in 1835; in 1841 he lived with his family in Lansdown Place in Cheltenham, described as a clergyman.

In 1844 he was licensed Curate of Lenham in Kent. Between about 1846 and 1848 he may have been Curate of Holy Trinity Church, Tottenham, in London (Alumni Cantabrigienses). He married Eliza Ann, daughter of John Gibson Esq., of Stratford, Essex, in 1849; they had a son and a daughter. In 1857 he still lived at the family home in Lansdown Place, Cheltenham, and by 1858 was preaching at St John’s Church in the town, where in April of that year he was appointed Assistant Curate. In 1859 he was registered by the Cheltenham Annuaire as living at 3 Pittville Lawn (now 33 Pittville Lawn).

He served for a while as Assistant Minister at St Andrew’s Chapel, at Hove, at first living at 1 Belvedere Terrace in Brighton, and he died at his home, 10 Brunswick Road, Hove, in 1866, at the age of fifty-four. His wealth at death was sworn at under £7,000.

▶Moved to Pittville from:  Lansdown Place, Cheltenham      Moved from Pittville to: Hove

▶Date of death:  12 February 1866      Place of death: 10 Brunswick Road, Hove

▶Date of burial:         Place of burial:

▶Notes:        ID: 3714

Contributor(s):  John Simpson