Tale of Thomas Orphan

My husband's family name "ORPHAN" can be traced back to Thomas Orphan, a 2-week old foundling "dropt at a Hospital gate" in the County of Cumberland on April 25, 1764. Documents show Thomas was "taken into the Hospital very young, quite helpless and forsaken and deserted by Parents and Friends. Out of charity he had been fed, clothed and instructed." The Governors of the Hospital sent Thomas to apprentice with a carpet manufactury in Lowther, Northumberland with instructions "to serve his Master until 21 years old" in order to pay back his debt to society. Thomas lived to be 79 years old dying in 1843.

Tony Callaghan a local artist with a booth at the Western Fair Market called "Sidhe Ring" totally transformed an old wooden highchair that has been in my family for over 80 years - my Uncle Bill's chair. 

Tony illustrated the story of the origins of my husband's family name ORPHAN carving whimsical images onto the back, seat and arms of the highchair along with a beautifully written story on the back of the tray.

We provided the highchair, a copy of the original document (above) and suggested using images incorporating faerie doors, faeries, woodland creatures, birds and trees.

I absolutely love, love, love what Tony did with our chair. It's even better than I imagined. I especially love how it illustrates the Tale of Thomas Orphan and celebrates the ORPHAN name. 

 

Tale of Thomas Orphan

(inscribed on bottom of tray)

"Twas a wet cold April morn in the year of our Lord 1764. On the steps of an Alms House in a wicker cradle a childe was left. Burlap and moss around a fair sleeping babe, upon his chest spelt out with twigs was the name THOMAS. The Alms House received its new guest without enthusiasm, another foundling 2 be fed by the generosity of Lord Sir James Lowther patron and carpet purveyor and manufacturer in Northumberland. At 2 weeks old, Tom as the work house girl called him, was a bonny bairn indeed if not a little fey in looks (they made a sign of the cross). He was fair skinned, brown/black of eye with slim nimble digits. The latter would be useful indeed in later years when his apprenticeshipe would come into being. Fed, nursed, bathed (on occasion) schooled and disciplined, Thomas grew lithe, quiet, and curious of every mundane routine he endured. Till the year of our Lord 1774, Thomas enters a new world as an aprentice carpet maker in the factory of Sir James for the period of 11 years to pay off the debt of care from the Alms House he owed."

(inscribed on bottom of seat)

"this story comes to providence in the year of our Lord, 2018 and the rest of this story be history."

Thank you Tony for making this chair into something truly special ... a treasure for our family.

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