The LEWTAS Families

DECEMBER   2023

mc.storey@btinternet.com

DOCTOR THOMAS LEWTAS

 

Thomas Lewtas was born in Poulton in 1800 the son of George Lewtas and Mary Banks. He worked as a surgeon in Liverpool, having trained in Edinburgh. He married Mary Wilding in St Chad’s Poulton on March 12th 1831: their marriage was recorded in the Liverpool Mercury 25/3/1831: 'Mr J Lewtas surgeon of this town' married Mary 'daughter of the late Captain Wilding of Skippool near Poulton'

Thomas and Mary had three children all baptised in St Peter’s Liverpool - George in 1832 (he died in 1853 aged 21 in Antigua), Margaret in 1834 - she died at 6 months and Mary Wilding Lewtas who was baptised on December 2nd 1835. Unfortunately Thomas’s wife Mary did not live to see her daughter christened - she died on 25th November 1835 after the birth of their third child. A notice in the Liverpool Mercury '
on Wednesday the 25th ult (November) Mrs Mary Lewtas the wife of Mr Thomas Lewtas surgeon aged 33 years'.

Margaret Wilding-Lewtas was to marry George Breakell of Garstang, a veterinary surgeon on June 15th 1858 at St Bride’s church Liverpool.

It is interesting to note that the death of Thomas's father George is recorded in the Liverpool Echo '
on 28th ult (June 1839) Mr Geo Lewtas of Poulton, Fylde, father of Mr Thomas Lewtas surgeon'. The link with Poulton made news of the Lewtas family events taking place in Liverpool worthy of reporting in the Liverpool newspaper. The Golden Ball in Poulton was the town's reading room and major newspapers were available there each week. In this way people in small market towns such as Poulton were able to keep up with the news.

Thomas later married Margaret Tweedie. A report appeared in the Liverpool Mercury on June 14th 1844,
'Thomas Lewtas esq, surgeon of Hunter Street married Margaret the youngest daughter of the late Mr J Tweedie at Bebbington church'. Their six children were born between 1845 and 1851.

In 1851 Thomas was living at 54 Stafford St. with Margaret and seven children; a niece Mary Lewtas aged 21 born in Poulton was living with them described as 'nurse'. They later moved to No 2 Edge Lane

Margaret Lewtas died on April 17th 1877 aged 65. Thomas died two years later in 1879 and is buried in St James' churchyard alongside the Anglican Cathedral .