f a m i l y Children with: Phoebe Ward Children: Margaret Elizabeth McGrady George Thomas McGrady Alice Maud Mary McGrady Ann McGrady Frank McGrady Albert McGrady Walter McGrady Arthur McGrady Charles McGrady William McGrady Robert Henry McGrady William McGrady Thomas W McGrady Born: 1855, Belfast Married 1882, Lincoln, to Phoebe Ward Died: 9 Nov 1937, Northfield, Occupation: Navvie (1891 Census) Builders Foreman (1901 Census) Railway labourer (1911 Census) In 1881 he is living as a boarder with Mary Ann & Phoebe Ward in Connigsby In the 1891 census he is living in the parish of St Mary, Leicester with Alice, Arthur, Charles, George, Phoebe and William In the 1901 census he is living away, boarding at Water St, Pembroke Dock In the 1911 Census he is visiting Charles McGrady and familyat 3 Furnace Street in Dukinfield, Lancs Thomas McGrady worked on civil engineering projects. Moved about with his wife, Phoebe, a lot for his work, hence children born in various towns. Last job prior to retiring was working on Frankley Reservoir, Birmingham City's water supply from the Elan Valley. Last abode 163 Mill Lane, Hawksley Mill (renumbered, was 28 Mill Lane) after 1901 census. 163 Mill Lane was a Victorian-built townhouse. In the 1940s it still had gas lighting and a shallow stone sink and washboard in the kitchen. In the front room there was a steel air-raid shelter table, wind-up trumpet gramophone and a large aspidistra in the window. Outside in the garden shed there was a single-seated wooden toilet. There was a Triplex grate in the back room which was used for cooking. Thomas McGrady grew lots of rhubarb on an allotment between the river Rea and the Birmingham to Gloucester railway line opposite 163 Mill Lane. Margaret Sawyer, Thomas McGrady's granddaughter, used to sit on the allotment bench with her grandfather, waving to the passing trains. Thomas made a lot of very strong rhubarb wine in his garden shed, often consumed by the children with dire consequences! There was an alleyway at the rear of the townhouses for the coalmen to deliver coal to the rear gardens. Before their children were married they worked at the local laundry or the Kalamazoo factory. Thomas McGrady is buried in plot 613, Lickey Churchyard extension.