Brief Life History of William Thomas
When William Thomas Briggs was born on 15 December 1855, in Darwen, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom, his father, Robert Briggs, was 29 and his mother, Jemima MaCauley, was 29. He immigrated to Utah, United States in 1864 and lived in Lancaster, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom in 1871. He died on 12 May 1912, in Lancashire, England, United Kingdom, at the age of 56.
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Family Time Line
Sources (14)
- William Briggs in household of Robert Briggs, "England and Wales Census, 1861"
- William Thomas Briggs, "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975"
- British Army WWI Service Records, 1914-1920
Parents and Siblings
World Events (8)
1858 · Halle Orchestra Give First Performance
The Hallé Orchestra named after Charles Hallé became a permanent orchestra when they played for the first time on January 30, 1858, in the Free Trade Hall. The orchestra fell on hard times in 1861 and performed only two concerts. From 1899-1911 Hans Richter directed the orchestra.
1859 · Lancashire Rifle Volunteers
The Lancashire Rifle Volunteers started in the eighteenth century. Those that fought in the militia were selected by ballot. They were formed because of threat due to the Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic War.
1876 · The Manchester Man is Published
The Manchester Man was written by British author Isabella Banks. When it was first published in 1876, it came out in three volumes. It follows the life of Jabez Clegg who was left orphaned by a severe storm that caused flooding. He made his way up the social ladder and changed his life.
Name Meaning
English: variant of Brigg, with post-medieval excrescent -s, from Middle English brig(g) (Old Norse bryggja), the northern and Scottish word for bridge, for someone who lived by a bridge or who came from any of the places called from the word.
History: The surname Briggs is found chiefly in West Yorkshire. A family of gentry have held lands at Keighley in West Yorkshire continuously for 500 years. The mathematician Henry Briggs (1561–1631), who invented logarithms, was born in Halifax, Yorkshire, England.
Dictionary of American Family Names © Patrick Hanks 2003, 2006.
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