Thomas Henry Johnson was born on 23rd September 1867 at Stockton Heath. He was the eldest son of William Johnson (born Daresbury) and his wife Mary (nee Johnson) who was born in Comberbach.
The 1871 census recorded the family living in a cottage in Daresbury village. The father was a journeyman wheelwright and three-year-old Thomas had a younger brother called George who was nine months of age.
Ten years later Thomas was working as an errand boy whilst George was attending school. The family were still living in Daresbury and Thomas now also had three other younger brothers: Herbert W. (9), Albert E. (6) and Cecil O. (4) who were also scholars. There was also a sister Harriet B., who was one year old.
A year later Isobel Ethel was born, followed by Roda Hannah May two years after that and Samuel Walker in 1886/7.
Sadly their father William died in October 1886 and was buried at Daresbury. He was 46 years old.
The census of 1891 showed their widowed mother was now living with most of her children on Aston Lane in Preston Brook. Thomas Henry was working as a garden labourer and George and Cecil were farm labourers. The four younger children were at school.
Ten years later they still lived in Aston Lane and Thomas was working as a gardener. George and Cecil were road labourers and Samuel was a telegraph messenger. Harriet Beatrice was still living at home, helping her mother.
Mary Johnson declared in the 1911 census that she had had nine children, of whom one had died. This was Albert Edward in 1888, at the age of 14 years. Thomas, George and Samuel were all unmarried and supported their mother at home. Thomas worked as a labouring gardener, George as a roadman and Samuel as a shoeing smith.
Thomas served in the Great War with the Cheshire Regiment as a Private. He was given the service number 33025. His records showed that he had been with the 12th Service Battalion, C Company for one year and one month when he was transferred to a sick convoy in March 1917. He had served seven months in a field force. By that time he was nearly 50 years old. He was suffering from inflammation of connective tissue in his right foot and also hammer toe. It is most likely that he had been serving in Salonika in Greece, fighting against the Bulgarian army. By 1918 he was back as a resident in Preston Brook, whereas his brother George was still serving.
After the war Thomas found employment as an oil refinery works labourer. He continued to live with his mother in Preston Brook and never married.
Thomas’ mother died in April 1925 and was buried at Daresbury. She was 79 years old.
Thomas Henry Johnson had died previous to this, at their home in Aston Lane in Preston Brook on Christmas Day 1924, having suffered a cerebral haemorrhage. He was buried at Daresbury on 27th December. He was 57 years of age.