Structures remaining from TJ’s activities in Reading PA.

In Reading there are still significant reminders of Thomas Jackson’s activities. Most conspicuously there is signage commemorating the Lock where Thomas and Edward Jackson started their business in 1829. As explained in the Reading Times newspaper article of September 9th 1870, the two brothers stumbled on this location almost by chance and initially started a rope making business just to the west of the lock.

In this clear display you can see that “T Jackson” was the owner of lots 37 and 39 with a dry dock between them. It was here that the rope business grew from small beginnings until wiped out by floods. Edward Jackson partnered with his older brother in starting the rope making business but soon moved next door to establish a general store and hotel that was ready to welcome boat owners as they waited for the water levels in the lock to balance. Together their presence caused a quiet anonymous lock to be widely known as Jackson’s Lock. This name is already recorded in the bottom right hand corner of this valuable record.

The store and hotel run by his brother shows in several other documents

Finally the Historical Society of Berkshire County in Reading now holds the last sign that announced the Thomas Jackson Rope Works- here donated to the organization by Vicki Jackson, related to the Jackson family by marriage

The only evidence of Thomas Jackson’s early days when he still lived on Ilkeston England with his father, rope-maker John Jackson . No remains of his property is left, just a modern road sign at the corner of a car agency.

Despite many hours spent researching in the Ilkeston Library, it was not possible to locate more TJ letters that had been published in local newspapers nor any reports of his father being put in prison for supporting the American revolution, a fact that TJ writes about twice in this collection.

Here is one remainder of Thomas Jackson’s day, the Gallows Inn that still exists and is mentioned by TJ as being just along the canal from where his father made ropes.

There is evidence of others branches of the Jackson family that never left England.

And the long established line of Ropmakers in the town is reflected by having two coils of rope in the town’s coat of arms.

The American “Ambassador” returning to the Ilkeston Library in England in 2018 to seek out any further information about Thomas Jackson that may still be accessible locally. The only records he found were already known to him while he was America.

There were however many other people with the same surname but there was no evidence that they were members of Thomas Jackson’s family in any way.

He did discover that rope-making had long been a prominent trade in the town and was reflected by having two coils of rope in the town’s coat of arms (along with handmade leather gloves).