Thomas Corall, Baker of Aberdeen

Our records at Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Archives include the personal collection of Thomas Corall, a baker and member of the Aberdeen Parliament Debating group. These records were donated in 2020 and can be viewed at our Old Aberdeen House site under reference DD3026. The collection includes documents relating to the Aberdeen Parliament Debating group, the Scottish Union of Bakers and the Northern Cooperative Society.

Thomas Mitchell Corall was born in 1888, the son of iron moulder Alexander Corall of East North Street and papermill worker Elizabeth Robertson of Commerce Street.

Thomas Corall with his brother, Alexander c. 1908-1910

From the census, we can see Thomas is listed as living in Aberdeen with his family in both 1891 (aged 3) and 1901 (aged 13). In 1891 he is listed at 25 West North Street with his parents, older brother Alexander (aged 13) and younger sister Elizabeth (aged 1). By 1901, they have moved to 149 George Street. Thomas’ older brother Alexander is no longer at home, but another sister Margaret (aged 9) and John (aged 6) are with the household.

 

In the 1901 census, when Thomas is 13, he is recorded as a ‘scholar’. Unfortunately, we have been unable to find him in admission registers for schools in the area. It is likely he attended nearby, though. You can see more information about the school records we hold on our website:

 

https://www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/services/libraries-and-archives/aberdeen-city-and-aberdeenshire-archives/catalogues-and-indexes/education-and-school-records

 

At the age of 20, Thomas completed his apprenticeship as a baker with James Wood, Bread & Biscuit Baker, at 46 Park Street. The document below details this on 15 December 1908, with a positive recommendation for his work:

Thomas went on to work at various bakehouses, including with J Gordon, Baker in Braemar for 4 months in 1909. His recommendation states ‘we will give him work again if he wants’.

In 1910, at the age of 23, Thomas emigrated to America. His older brother Alexander had already moved there in 1906, so this may have been the driving force for his move. The manifest for the S S Columbia, sailing from Glasgow on the 6 August 1910 provides the following information for Thomas: 

·         Aged 23, occupation baker, single.

·         Relative, from home: Alexander M Corall, Father, residing at 23 Shoe Lane, Aberdeen.

·         Final destination: Newark, New Jersey.

·         Able to read and write.

 The SS Columbia (Master given as Francis H Wadsworth) arrived in New York on 14 August 1910.

 

The manifest provides a great description of Thomas: 5 feet 2 inches, brown hair, blue eyes, fresh complexion, money in possession ‘18’.

Interestingly, the outward passenger list describes Thomas as a ‘labourer’ although he had completed his bakery apprenticeship by this time and ‘baker’ is used on the manifest.

Whilst living in New Jersey, Thomas worked with James H. Jones, Baker and Confectioner at 507 North Fourth Street, Harrison. According to his recommendation, he was employed with this baker for 16 months, although this does not quite align with his outward travel to America in August of 1910. Perhaps it should have said 6 months?

 

In 1911, Thomas returned to Scotland, where he married Harriet McHardy (of Crathie and Braemar). He worked on small breads with Robert Thomson, Schoolhill, Turriff for 11 months, from 1 April 1911 until 24 Feb 1912. 

For 18 months he was then employed in the small bread department of Mitchell & Muil, Bread and Biscuit Manufacturers, Schoolhill. He is described as a 'capable workman, sober, obliging, and attentive to his duties'.

In 1913, Thomas and Harriet had a daughter, Harriet McHardy Corall, registered in the district of St Machar, Aberdeen. 

Thomas joined the army as a Private in the Royal Army Medical Corps, 1914. He served as a stretcher bearer at the Somme. From Ancestry, we have found his regimental number and some related records for his service, including his registration. He was awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal.

Returning to Aberdeen after the war, Thomas went on to work at the Co-op bakery department, where he stayed until his retirement. The photograph below is presumed to be the from Thomas’ time with the Co-Op around 1920. Thomas is in the top row, 4^th from the left.

Thomas Corall was part of the Bakers' Union and also the Aberdeen Parliament Debating Group. Some of the records included in this collection relate to these elements of his life. 

Six notebooks contain details of the Aberdeen Parliament debating group, including some very pertinent notes on the cost of living and food price enquiries...

Thomas even noted some advice on 'how to live to 100':

Thomas died at his home in Cairnaquheen Gardens, Aberdeen, on 5 October 1981 aged 94. 

Alexander Corall:

Thomas’ brother Alexander had an interesting life too. He was born in 1878 and lived with the family at 25 West North Street (13 in the 1891 census). Alexander followed in his father’s footsteps as an iron moulder and was involved in making the Duthie Park Gates. He married Jemina Copper in Glasgow in 1900. There are records on Ancestry that show his frequent visits to and from America, but it looks like he moved there initially on 1 May 1906 (travelling to New York) and declared naturalisation on 30 June 1917 in Vermont, where he worked as a molder with the Windsor Foundry Corp until 1950. Alexander and Jemima had a child, Ruby Bissell, and Alexander was drafted into both WW1 (12 Sept 1918) and WWII (1942). In 1956, we found Alexander on an incoming passenger list for Liverpool, marked as (s) for single. This was given for widowed or divorced people; Alexander's wife Jemima (Jimina Copper Coral) had sadly died in Windsor, Vermont aged 64 in 1943.

[NB - Army records and Manifest records from this blog post have been located via Ancestry.]

Kimberley Smith, Archivist