T. was illegitimate and his father unknown. It appears that his mother had died and he was in the care of the Burton-upon-Trent Board of Guardians. The information about his life prior to the application to the Waifs and Strays' Society is extremely scanty. T. was admitted to the Cambridge Home on 10 September 1902. On 30 November 1902 he was baptised at St Luke's Church, Cambridge. In July 1905 he was transferred to Lord Sandwich's Home at Huntingdon. This was a private Home that the Earl of Sandwich had recently built and which was maintained by him. He had placed certain free vacancies at the Society's disposal and T. was recommended as a suitable candidate because of his excellent character. In September 1908 Revd Edward Rudolf wrote to the Burton-upon-Trent Union to inform them that T. was now employed at the Earl of Sandwich's residence, Hinchingbrooke, Huntingdon.
