Born 1852 Keighley, West Yorkshire, UK. Died 18 Aug 1928 South Fulham, London, UK.

Around 1890 Thomas Hargreaves Brigg owned an established Iron Founders and Machine Making business based in Bradford, Yorkshire, UK. He also had a passion for mechanics in particular as applied to Horse Drawn Traction.

Between 1877 and 1924 Thomas Hargeaves Briggs patent applications numbered dozens, possibly hundreds in the UK, France, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Canada and the USA. The patents, mainly inventions involving textile machinery and horse drawn traction but also included steam locomotion and domestic appliances.

During this period he had many places of residence, several in London including one on Harley Street and one in New York on Broadway. He lived his last years at 14 Colehill Gardens, Fulham, London, where he died of cerebral apoplexy, heart block and chronic mylocarditis on the 18 August 1928. The death certificate shows his occupation as formally Civil Engineer, possibly indicating had been ill for some time prior to death. Present at his death was one J.E.M Woodward of the same address, who was he or she.

In 1894 He set off to the Worlds Columbian Exposition in Chicago. En-route to the exhibition he conducted a lecture tour of London and Chicago. Mainly aimed at the military and civil services the lectures explained the mechanics and advantages of his Briggs Easy Handling and improved Plywel Pole Head traction device for horse drawn carriages.

He won awards at the Chicago exhibition and at least two Royal Agricultural Shows in the UK including Royal approval from the Prince of Wales whose carriages were apparently fitted with his device.

Thomas returned several times to the US and once again as an exhibitor at the 1904 St Louis Worlds Exposition.

In his absence TH Brigg & Co, Bradford was run by younger brother William (my great grandfather)

Below is an advert from the Bradford Postal Directory for his improved pole head.

I would be very interested in hearing from anyone with any information on the above.