Catherine died on 28 May 1926 -
Tom was in constant pain from a hernia. He died on 25 April 1934. Tom and Catherine are buried in a double grave in St Martins churchyard.
Discovering what ‘made things tick’ was a passion for Tom. He liked clocks and delighted in repairing them. ‘The Old Forge’ resounded not with the sound of a blacksmith’s hammer but with a cacophony of chimes from the many clocks which festooned its walls. Tom also made a crystal radio set from a kit. He would listen to broadcasts of classical music and, as he was able to read music, he would follow recitals using his own score.
Clearly Tom was one of Preston’s familiar figures. On one occasion he organized a charabanc trip for the villagers to watch the Derby horse race at Epsom. Perhaps not quite so well appreciated by the locals was his work as rating officer for Preston. At the Preston parish meeting of March 1895, Tom was appointed ‘overseer’.
Tom and Catherine sent their children to Preston School. There are some illuminating comments about them in the school log book:
1 Nov 1896 -
5 Aug 1898 -
17 Jan 1896 -
6 Oct 1899 -
They put down their roots at ‘The Old Forge’, Church Road which they rented from Geoffrey Pryor. Their home was almost opposite the lychgate of St Martins Church. This was a convenient location for Tom as he was the organist at the church. His daughter Catherine Rose pumped the organ bellows. If Tom thought the sermon was dragging, he would look at his watch and glance meaningfully at the vicar.
On the subject of Tom’s bakery business, in his history of Preston Cricket Club,
D. Frost described his fond memories of Tom’s ‘delicious rock cakes’ which were supplied
for the cricketers afternoon teas. Villagers such as my aunt, Maggie Whitby (nee
Wray) delivered Tom’s bread and cakes by bicycle and 14-
Like man of the tradesmen in Preston, Tom had his own means of transport -
He also used the trap to visit his brother Arthur in Hitchin. Sometimes he would
fall asleep on the return journey -
Tom Ashton was the baker in Preston from the mid-
Born on 5 April 1856 in the village of Hawnes, Beds, Tom was the son of master baker James Ashton and Elizabeth. He was brought up in the Bedfordshire village of Shillington where, at the age of 14, he assisted his father in the bakery.
In 1878, Tom (21) married Catherine (Kate) Smith (21) at Shillington. Catherine was the daughter of publican Frederick Smith. He kept the ‘Queens Head’, Swan Street, Weston, Herts.
Tom and Catherine had eight children between 1878-
Charlotte Smith
Selina Augusta
Thomas Reginald James
Stephen
Rosa
Caroline
Mary Elizabeth
Catherine Rose
Tom and Catherine were living at Arlesly, Bedfordshire. in 1878. By the winter of 1884 they had moved to Stevenage, Herts and they arrived in Preston a few years later.
born 1878
born 1879
born 1882
born 1884
born 1887
born 1889
born 1893
born 1900
(I am grateful to Wendy Dinsdale and June Nicholson for their help, memories and photographs which make this page so interesting)
Left: Three generations of Ashtons in 1926c -
Stephen exaggerated his age and called himself Charles S. Ashton in order to join the army. He served in the Boer War and World War I in Egypt.