Slade in Newfoundland & Nova ScotiaThomas Slade1,2,3 
b. 12 June 1753, d. 1816
Thomas Slade was born on June 12, 1753 in Winfirth Newburg, Dorset, England.2 He was the son of Robert Slade and Elizabeth Dunning.2 He began working for his uncle, John Slade, in 1873 and soon became a ship's captain, commanding transatlantic voyages from 1780-1790's.4 Upon the death of his Uncle John in 1812, Thomas was one of the nephews named as an heir, inheriting a significant fishing and fur trading business.3 About 1813, Thomas broke away from the original firm and formed the new firm of Thomas Slade & Company with his brother-in-law, William Cox. They were merchant traders, mainly in Bonavista Vay, trading goods from England for fish and furs from Newfoundland.4 [P fell ill and] died in 1816 in Poole, Dorset, England, at the age of 63.5,6
Thomas Slade, who evidently had never married, left a considerable fortune in stocks, money, property, and trade assets to be divided in a complex manner among his kinfolk. He distributed £53,100 to his immediate relatives, the largest sums going to his brother John and nephew Robert. He also bequeathed a total of £11,000 to some other members of the family and smaller amounts to sundry relations. His lands in the parishes of East and West Morden in Dorset, England, he left to his brother David, and a storehouse in Poole to David?s son Thomas. Half of his Newfoundland trade and all plantations, rooms, storehouses, flakes, land and estates . . . and also ships, brigs, sloops, schooners, boats, craft, fishing implements and other effects belonging to the said trade went to his nephew and partner William Cox. The other half was placed in trust with his cousin Robert for his son Thomas and for the son of his brother David, also named Thomas. It was further enjoined that at the age of 24 the two Thomases were to become partners in Thomas Slade?s company, which would take the name of Thomas Slade and Thomas Slade.5 In 1836, there were six Slade family firms operating in Newfoundland. They were one of the last merchant families to conduct trade directly from Poole.4
Thomas Slade, who evidently had never married, left a considerable fortune in stocks, money, property, and trade assets to be divided in a complex manner among his kinfolk. He distributed £53,100 to his immediate relatives, the largest sums going to his brother John and nephew Robert. He also bequeathed a total of £11,000 to some other members of the family and smaller amounts to sundry relations. His lands in the parishes of East and West Morden in Dorset, England, he left to his brother David, and a storehouse in Poole to David?s son Thomas. Half of his Newfoundland trade and all plantations, rooms, storehouses, flakes, land and estates . . . and also ships, brigs, sloops, schooners, boats, craft, fishing implements and other effects belonging to the said trade went to his nephew and partner William Cox. The other half was placed in trust with his cousin Robert for his son Thomas and for the son of his brother David, also named Thomas. It was further enjoined that at the age of 24 the two Thomases were to become partners in Thomas Slade?s company, which would take the name of Thomas Slade and Thomas Slade.5 In 1836, there were six Slade family firms operating in Newfoundland. They were one of the last merchant families to conduct trade directly from Poole.4
Citations
- [S3056] Gordon Handcock W, Dictionary of Canadian Biography University of Toronto, 1979), Thomas Slade http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/slade_thomas_5E.html
- [S2245] England, Select Dorset Parish Registers, 1538-2001 Ancestry.com , Winfirth Newburg, Dorset, bapt Jun 12, 1753, Thomas Slade s/o Elizabeth & Robert Slade.
- [S3057] Trinity Historical Society Slade Biographical Sketch http://www.trinitymerchants.com/biographical_sketch.htm , Thomas Slade ( ? - 1816) b Dorset, s/o Robert & Elizabeth Slade.
- [S3056] Gordon Handcock W, Dictionary of Canadian Biography, Thomas Slade http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/slade_thomas_5E.html
- [S3057] Trinity Historical Society Slade Biographical Sketch http://www.trinitymerchants.com/biographical_sketch.htm.
- [S3066] Newfoundland 1921 Census, Victoria Villlage, section 1, Will of Thomas Slade.
