Catalogue description Letters received by Thomas Nicholson (1753-1825)

Thomas was the younger son of James (1718-1773) and Elizabeth Nicholson (see 920 NIC/5 and 6). In 1772 he was apprenticed in the linen trade to Ben Thomson of Ravensdale, co. Louth, Leinster. He completed his apprenticeship in 1776, left Ravensdale and went to Newry, co. Armagh, where he and John Thomson, Ben's brother "engaged in the linen business and general merchandise". Thomas Nicholson's visit to London late 1777, early 1778 to see "our pork" is recorded in a diary (see 920 NIC/23/2/1, also the correspondence 920 NIC/10/4).

In 1779 he became partner in the Liverpool firm, now M. T. & M. Nicholson and in 1780 he left the Newry business. In February 1783 he settled in Manchester and he was joined there in 1785 by his brother Matthew (see 920 NIC/10). Under the name Thomas Nicholson & Co. they traded in cotton and linen. Matthew left the business in 1789 and 1798 Thomas Nicholson moved with his family from Manchester to a house in Gateacre to which was attached some farmland.

In 1813 he let his Gateacre home, opened a warehouse in Parker Street (later moved to Leigh Street) and went to live in Renshaw Street, Liverpool. On his brother Matthew's death in 1819 he inherited the house at Richmond Bow, Everton, where he lived until his own death in 1825.

In 1789 he had married Mary Hatfield (see 920 NIC/12). She had died at Gateacre in April 1803 leaving Thomas Nicholson to bring up six children.

See pp. 83-103.