Son of Peter and Nancy Bell, baptised 7th December 1811 at Ninebanks, Northumberland (from Millhouse)
Married Margaret Dawson on 15th May 1841 at Ninebanks, Northumberland (from Mill Shield) 1. (Registered at Hexham) (Died 1848?6)
Living at Chairhead at the time of the 1841 census (June 6) 3
Children 2
Ann, born on the 10th of February 1842
Hugh, born 1843
Elizabeth, born 1845 (died 1846 Mosswood, Shotley) 5
Mary, born 1847 (died 1848 at Millhouse)
Married Jane Keenleyside (widow nee Ridley) on 8th May 1851 at Ninebanks, Northumberland (from Millhouse) 1(Registered at Hexham)
Children
Jane, born 1852, baptised on the 31st of March 1852 from Harty-Cleugh, West Allen, Northumberland
Thomas describes himself as a miner in 1841 and 1851, as a lead miner and farmer of nine acres in 1861 but as a farmer of 24 acres, living at Roughside, Allendale in the 1881 census
Died 1881
Notes
1 Both the marriage entries describe Thomas as the son of Peter Swindle. There is also Thomas, son of Peter Swindle and Sarah Lee, baptised 26th February 1810 but he is almost certainly the Thomas Swindle who is recorded as dying in 1877 in the bmd register, whereas Thomas, married to Jane, was still alive at the time of the 1881 census. Moreover the Thomas in the 1881 census is recorded as living at Roughside, Allendale. Ann Swindle is recorded as dying at Ruffside in 1861 aged 88 and is almost certainly Nancy Bell, Thomas's mother.
2 George, 1830; Thomas, 1834; Ann, 1841; Hugh, 1843 listed on 1851 census as grandchildren of Nancy Swindle (all Swindle - or rather do.!). Nancy only had two sons who survived, John and Thomas. Nothing is known of John but obviously the first two children are too old to be the children of Margaret Dawson. Thomas and Hugh are listed in the 1881 census.
3 Probably South Chareheads considering that the enumerator is moving from Corryhill to Moscow.
4 Thomas was probably the witness at his nephew's marriage on 6th June 1840 at Ninebanks. If so, he was unable to sign his name but it was entered as Swindale.
5 The death of Elizabeth Swindle, daughter of Thomas (lead miner), informant Margaret, in February 1846 at Mosswood, Shotley, indicates that Thomas was working at Healeyfield Mine - I know of no other lead mine in the area. It would thus seem likely that he was responsible for his nephew Joseph moving to that mine shortly afterwards.
6 The death of Margaret Swindle was registered in the Durham area in the second quarter of 1848. As noted above it appears that Thomas was working in County Durham at this period.