Thomas Kilpack was born 1794 in Southwark, Surrey, England, United Kingdom and died 10 August 1874 42 King Street, Covent Garden, London, Greater London, England, United Kingdom of unspecified causes. He married Ann Brand (c1805-1835) 16 August 1818 in Westminster, Middlesex, England, United Kingdom.
Boase's Modern English Biography (1897, not in copyright) states the following:
Kilpack, Thomas. b. 1794; proprietor of Gliddon's divan 42 King st. Covent Garden (started by Arthur Gliddon, tobacconist 1825) 1828 or 1829 to death, where he had also a bowling alley; much frequented by artists, authors and actors. d. 42 King st. Covent Garden, London 10 Aug. 1874. The Town, i 75 (1837).
NOTE.-His dau. Miss S. L. Kilpack exhibited 2
sea pictures at the British Institution in 1867.
His first wife Ann seemingly died at a young age. Two further wives' names are given in census data - Mary in 1841[1], and Georgiana/Georgianna in 1851[2] and 1861[3]. There are multiple web pages stating that Georgiana is Sarah Louisa's mother e.g. [4], but the dates would suggest that Mary is a more likely mother for her and Frank. (Edit: please note that Georgiana's full name was Georgiana Mary Brand, and she married Thomas on 1 November 1836 at St. John the Evangelist, Westminster. Further, she was his first wife's younger sister, which would have been illegal had this been discovered. Written by J. Ellis, descendant of John Henry Kilpack.)
Contemporary accounts
An advertising flyer for Kilpack's establishment can be viewed here [5].
It was reviewed favourably by Bell's Life in London and Sporting Chronicle on 3rd February 1839:
In connexion with the subject of theatres, we have much pleasure in calling the attention of our subscribers, both town and country, to an establishment in King-street, Covent Garden, which the tired play-goer will find a most agreeable and convenient lounge. Mr. Thomas Kilpack's Cigar Divan (formerly Gliddon's) will furnish him at all times with the means and appliances of a pleasant hour or two - such as drawing room comfort and elegance, excellent coffee and tobacco, and no end of sport and other periodicals. There is also a capital billiard-table up stairs. We write from personal experience.
On 20 April 1850, Bell's Weekly Messenger reported upon legal action taken against him by excise officers:
Thomas Kilpack, proprietor of the "American Bowling Saloon," King-street, Covent-garden, was charged on information with retailing spirityous liquors without licence.-Dr. Bareman conducted the prosecution, Mr. Abbott the defence.
The facts of the case were these:- Mr. Hayling, a supervisor of excise, and two officers, having suspicions that the defendant was selling spirits without licence, went there on the 4th of February, and ordered two glasses of brandy-and-water, which were supplied in a very short time, and for which 1s. was paid. One of the officers who remained outside ascertained that the spirits were fetched from a publican's on the opposite side of the street, Mr. Turpin's, the Essex Serpent, where the waiter received a quartern of brandy, giving 1s. and receiving 2d. in change. He also ascertained that this was the constant practice; the defendant receiving an allowance of 20 per cent. on all the spirits sold.
Mr. Abbott, for the defendant, said that his client was labouring under an impression that if he sent out for what was required he was not violating the act of parliament.
The Court were of the opinion that there had been a sale within the meaning of the act-a practice which must be stopped, but under the circumstances the Court would mitigate the penalty of 50l. to 10l.
An obituary was printed in The Era on 16th August 1874:
Another link with a past generation has snapped in the death of Mr Thomas Kilpack, of 42 King-street, Covent-Garden, an establishment which, as "Gliddon's Divan," was the favourite trysting-place of the celebrities of forthy years ago, and which has since well maintained its reputation. Mr Kilpack here expired, at the age of eighty, on Monday last, August 19th. He will be affectionately remembered and deeply regretted by very many professional visitors to his famous "smoking lounge" and "bowling alley," and by a large circle of private friends, who highly estimated his social qualities.
Children
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| Thomas Kilpack (1819-1876) | 1819 | 1876 London, England, United Kingdom | |
| William Kilpack (c1820-) | |||
| Alfred Kilpack (1821-1838) | |||
| Henry Kilpack (1823-1825) | |||
| Ann Kilpack (1824-) | |||
| Letitia Kilpack (1826-1907) | 23 July 1826 | 1907 Hackney, England, United Kingdom | Thomas Brooks (-) |
| Anastasia Kilpack (1827-1902) | 3 January 1827 | 1902 Hackney, England, United Kingdom | |
| Charlotte Kilpack (1830-1873) | |||
| George Kilpack (1831-1859) | |||
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| Frank Kilpack (c1838-1889) | 1838 | 1889 Plymouth, Devon, England, United Kingdom | Catherine Langley (-) |
| Sarah Louisa Kilpack (1839-1909) | 1839 Covent Garden, Greater London, England, United Kingdom | 1909 | |
Siblings
Residences
Footnotes (including sources)
| ‡ General |
"England and Wales Census, 1851," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:SGFH-JX4 : 29 July 2017), Thomas Kilpack, St Paul Covent Garden, Middlesex, England; citing St Paul Covent Garden, Middlesex, England, p. 24, from "1851 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO HO 107, The National Archives of the UK, Kew, Surrey. |
| Ω Birth |
"England and Wales Census, 1851," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:SGFH-JXX : 29 July 2017), Charlotte Kilpack in household of Thomas Kilpack, St Paul Covent Garden, Middlesex, England; citing St Paul Covent Garden, Middlesex, England, p. 24, from "1851 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO HO 107, The National Archives of the UK, Kew, Surrey. |
| ₪ Wedding |
|
| ¢ Children |
Morning Post, Deaths, 24 August 1859: "KILPACK.-On the 21st inst., aged twenty-seven, George, second son of Thomas Kilpack, King-street, Covent-garden." |
| ¢2 Children 2 |
"England and Wales Census, 1841," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MQJ6-QLQ : 7 September 2017), Thomas Kilpack, St Paul Covent Garden, Middlesex, England; from "1841 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO HO 107, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey. |
| ¶ Death |
|