BRIGGS, Thomas [12316] ^{1 2 3}

  General Notes:

Grandpa Briggs started out as a coal miner, but thought he could do better as a carpet weaver. He had to pay for his training, and became a carpet weaver at Westfield Cottages, in Scotland. There are two types of weaving, Brussel weaving to produce velvet, and tapestry weaving. Brussel weaving paid more because it took more training. Grandpa Briggs did tapestry weaving, and Grandpa (George Albert) Sheward did Brussel weaving.

Grandad came over in 1907/1908 to try and get into the States. For some reason he was turned back at Ellis Island. In 1909 he came to Canada, where it took him about nine months before he had a job and the house on Elizabeth Street, and sent for the rest of the family. They were to embark on the Grampion, but the ship had mechanical problems, so they were switched to the Southwark.

They came down the St. Lawrence River to Quebec, where Aunt Marge said they were given a meal, then down to Montreal where they left the ship and went to Guelph. Grandad was the first one to come to Canada. He thought he could do better in Canada.

Grandpa sang in the choir at St. Pauls Presbyterian Church in Guelph, as did several of the Briggses and as did Grandma (Emma Kitchen) Sheward.

Grandpa Briggs and Grandpa Sheward both raised pigeons and they both raised gladiolas. They had quite a competition going between them.

Grandpa Briggs smoked an imported English pipe continuously. His favorite tobacco was Edgeworth, and that is what his family got him for his birthday each year. Grandma Briggs made him use a little metal top to his pipe, which kept the sparks from leaping out when he talked and breathed through the pipe, or when he fell asleep with his pipe going. Nevertheless, there were always burns in his suit. I remember when he came to visit, I would find him sitting up in the middle of the night to have a smoke.

I remember when Grandma Briggs died, I went with Mom and Dad to clean out the house on York Road.

Grandpa moved to Sandy's house after Grandma died. After he himself died, as we were cleaning out a dresser drawer, we found 10-12 piped-shaped cases, each one containing a used pipe with a hole burned through it. These high class pipes represented a lifetime warranty: If you burn up one of our pipes in a year, we will replace it free! The company lost out on Grandpa Briggs.

According to Aunt Marge, Grandpa Briggs never brushed his teeth. But his breath never smelled, and he never had a cavity in his life.

From his obituary: Thomas Briggs was born 75 years ago in Midlothian, Scotland, nd resided there until coming to Canada in 1908 to take up residence in Guelph. For more than thirty years, he was a valued employee of the weaving department of the Guelph Carpet Mills. He was in failing health for some time, before his death.

A member of the Guelph Horticultural Society and the Guelph Poultry Association, he was a keen pigeon fancier, his birds winning many prizes at the Ontario Provincial Winter Fair in Guelph...

According to Robert Carson (Feb 2002):
Addresses: 1871-No112 Road 1881-No72,both Newtongrange
Documents: Censuses-1871,1881
Note: Presumed witness at brother Alexander's marriage ⁸

  Noted events in his life were:

• Residence, 1910, Guelph, Ontario, Canada. ⁹

• Residence, Between 1912 and 1936, Guelph, Ontario, Canada. ^{10 11 12}

• Occupation: Carpet Weaver.

Thomas married Marjorie WATSON [12317] [MRIN: 4283], daughter of Alexander WATSON [12464] and Isabel FORBES [12465], on 12 Apr 1891 in New Grange, Midlothian, Scotland. (Marjorie WATSON [12317] was born on 4 Oct 1867 in Dundee, Scotland ¹³ and died on 8 Sep 1936 in Guelph, Ontario, Canada ^{14 15}.)