Thomas Brush was born in Fownhope, Herefordshire, in 1840. He married a woman called Ann around 1865, and they had two daughters: Sarah (1866) and Elizabeth (1869). In 1861 he was living in the household of shoemaker William Williams in Linton, Herefordshire, and was his apprentice. In 1871 he was working as a railway porter in Manchester and living at 18 Winstanley Road. Ann died shortly after this and Thomas married Elizabeth Bellingall (1829) in Manchester in 1872. In 1881 he was living at 70 Great Ancoats Street - formerly Elizabeth's father's stationers shop - and was working there as a boot maker. By 1891 Thomas and Elizabeth had moved to 61 Charlotte Street in the Broughton district of Salford and were at that address in 1901. Thomas died in Salford in 1907, aged 67.

Sources
• 1. 1881 Census. 70 Great Ancoats St, Manchester. Thomas Brush. Head. Age 40. Boot Maker. Born Fown Hope, Hereford. • 2. Marriage Registers. Bellingall, Elizabeth & Brush, Thomas. Dec. 1872. 8d. 641. Manchester. • 3. 1891 Census. 61 Charlotte St, Broughton, Salford. Thomas Brush. Head. Age 50. Shoemaker. Born Fown Hope, Hereford. • 4. 1901 Census. 61 Charlotte St, Broughton, Salford. Thomas Brush. Head. Age 60. Shoemaker (Shopkeeper). Born Fownhope, Hereford. • 5. Death Registers. Brush, Thomas. Dec. 1907. 8d. 41. Salford. Age 67. • 6, 1871 Census. 18 Winstanley Rd, Manchester. Thomas Brush. Head. Age 29. Railway Porter. Born Fownhope, Hereford. • 7. 1871 Census. Bromsash, Linton. Thomas Brush. Apprentice. Age 19. Apprentice to Shoemaker. Born Fownhope, Hereford.