Thomas Jay was born in 1776 in Southminster, Essex, England to parents Thomas Jay (1751-1808) and Susanna Durrant (b1741).
Thomas was baptised on 23 December 1776 at the parish church of St Leonards, Southminster.
At the age of 20 Thomas married Sarah Ward on 24 May 1796 at St Nicholas in Great Wakering, Essex.
Sarah was born in Great Wakering, Essex in 1779 to parents Robert Ward and Mary Bayley, and baptised at St Nicholas, Great Wakering on 20 February 1779.
Thomas was a butcher in Great Wakering.
Thomas and Sarah had a large family of eight children –
- Sarah b 1796 Great Wakering d 1871 Hillingdon Heath. Married Hercules Jameson.
- James b 1798 Great Wakering
- Margaret Emma b 1800 Hawkwell d 1847 Great Wakering. Marr James Mead.
- Eliza b 1806 Great Wakering d 1880 Bethnal Green. Marr George Caston.
- Honour b 1809 Great Wakering d 1866 Prittlewell. Marr John Murrell.
- William b 1813 Foulness Island d 1871 Leigh. Marr Charlotte Benfield.
- John b 1816 Great Wakering
- Jessie b 1819 Great Wakering d 1875 London. Marr William Cowell.
An interesting fact, Honour was baptised at the age of 21 years, the day before her wedding in January 1830.
In 1808 Thomas Jay appears in the Essex Beneficiaries Index – Thomas Jay, vendor, mentioned in will of W Cripps (Archive Ref ER36118).
Thomas died on 18 May 1835 in Great Wakering aged 58 years. He was buried at Great Wakering on 18 May 1834.
His wife Sarah lived for another five years, and died on 21 May 1839 aged 60 years, and was also buried at St Nicholas in Great Wakering with her husband on 21 May 1839.