Thomas Cunningham was born in Galway, Ireland in 1856. In 1881 he lived at 10 Watergate, Huddersfield as a boarder and was described as a Mason's labourer. The house was occupied by Hannah Cooney (1831) her son Michael Cooney (1855) and John Grady (1855) a boarder. They all originated in Ireland. Watergate now only exists as an area close to the canal in Huddersfield, most of the property appears to have been demolished to make way for industrial and commercial properties.

On 29th July 1893 Thomas married Mary Manning at St Patricks Roman Catholic Church, Huddersfield. Mary was a Woollen Feeder. The Marriage certificate states that Mary lived at 49 New Street, Paddock, Huddersfield and Thomas at Longwood. They had four children. 
Joseph  b.1890    Ellen  b.1894   Mary b.1896    Thomas  b.07.05.1899

I have little knowledge of Ellen and do not recollect my father (Thomas(1899) ever mentioning her but on searching I have found a record of Ellen Ann Cunningham being born in Huddersfield in 1894 and Helen Ann Cunningham dying in Huddersfield in 1901. By the time Thomas was born the family lived at 37 High Street, Paddock, Huddersfield.   Joseph married Kathleen. They lived at Fartown in Huddersfield. They had one son, Desmond, who emigrated to Canada with his Spanish wife.   Mary married Albert Stockdale. They lived in Paddock all their married life but had no children.
 Thomas (Snr.) died in 1933 age 77: Mary (Snr.) died in 1936 age 69.

Thomas worked as a Lather Boy in a Barbers Shop when he left school aged about 13. He then worked at a wholesale grocer’s and later worked for Jacksons, a chain of Furniture Stores. He became Manager and worked at Huddersfield, Worcester, Bradford and Halifax. On leaving Jacksons in the late 1940s, when the company was taken over by Great Universal Stores, he went into partnership and eventually became sole owner of a furniture shop in Gibbet Street, Halifax and remained there until his death in 1959. Thomas was born with a heart complaint and was rejected from the forces of both world wars. He served with the ARP in Halifax during the second war. He was a keen bowls player and enjoyed a presidential year at Greenroyd Bowling Club, Halifax. Thomas was born into a catholic family but was married in the Church of England. He returned to the Catholic Church later in life and is buried at the Catholic Cemetery at Blacker Road, Huddersfield. Thomas and Amy had two children.
 Shirley born 18.02.1936 and Heather born 26.09.1938.

To the left is a photgraph taken at Thomas and Amy's  silver wedding celebration held at 8 Dry Clough Lane, Halifax, West Yorkshire. 
Front seated Left to Right :- Hilda Eastwood, good friend of Amy Lillie, Mary Stockdale, sister of Thomas,  Myrtle Gilby, cousin of Amy Lillie, Doris May Bottomley nee Schofield, Amy Lillie.
Rear standing Left to Right :-  Joseph Cunninghm, brother of Thomas, Albert Stockdale, husband of Mary, Thomas Cunningham, Reg Gilby, husband of Myrtle, Heather Cunningham, Daughter of Thomas & Amy, Michael Bottomley fiance of Heather.