Thomas was born in Longlands, Bolsover on January 25th 1892. He was one of 9 children. His parents were Thomas [born 1859] and Mary A Redfern née Wagstaff [born 1868]. Mary and Thomas married on March 15th 1886 in Bolsover. Thomas’s siblings were Allan G Redfern [born 1887], Florence B Redfern [born 1889], Lillie Redfern [born 1891], Ivy Redfern [born 1896], Frederick Redfern [born 1898], Benjamin Redfern [born 1900], Norman Redfern [born 1902] and Zena Redfern [born 1907].

Thomas’s father, Thomas, had been born in Burton on Trent and was a brick maker. His father was George Redfern [born 1837], his mother was Elizabeth Kirk [born 1837]. Sadly Elizabeth died soon after the birth of her second child, Thomas, around 1860. In 1865 George married again to a woman named Martha Taylor [born 1847]. They went on to have 10 children, making the total 12 with Thomas and his elder brother George [born 1856]. George Redfern was an engine maker in Yorkshire. The family lived in Swadlincote when Thomas (senior) was young. Thomas’s great-grandfather, also called Thomas, was also a brick-maker. Thomas’s Mother, Mary Wagstaff, had been born in London.

Before joining the navy, Thomas was employed as a rope hand in a coal mine.

In 1910 Thomas signed up to be a Stoker 2nd Class in the Royal Navy and was recorded in that year as living in barracks in Portsmouth with other Stokers and some Cook’s Mates. The first ship he served upon was the Victory II in March 1911, then the Renown from April 1911, from the Renown he returned to the Victory II, then onto the Jupiter in October 1911 before returning to the Victory from March 1912. Thomas then went to a ship named the Black Prince which he served upon from May 1912 to June 1915, during which time he was promoted to Stoker 1st Class and was also put in detention for 50 days for absence.

Thomas then returned to the Victory II in July 1915 and then went onto the HMS Hampshire. While serving on the Hampshire Thomas was again held in detention for 7 days. In June 1916, the HMS Hampshire took part in the Battle of Jutland. After the battle, the ship was taking Lord Kitchener to Russia when it was destroyed by mines off the coast of Orkney after going ahead of the destroyers which were protecting it. Thomas lost his life along with all the rest of the crew and Lord Kitchener.

Naval punishments were very harsh for the slightest of crimes; this was also heightened by the pressures of the war. Although overall Thomas’s character was noted as fair and satisfactory and he continually returned to the Navy, he was heavily punished for his unauthorized absences. It may be that Thomas had not anticipated that he would be swept up in the War when he signed up in 1911 and struggled to return when he was given a leave of absence. Perhaps the conditions aboard the ships were unbearable, or he could not return on time to his ship for any number of reasons. These questions are left unanswered in the naval documents.  

Thomas was recorded as being 5 ft 7 in with dark-brown hair, brown eyes and a fresh complexion, he had no wounds, scars or marks. He never married as he was constantly in the Navy from the age of 19.

By 1911 Thomas’s family had moved to Scarcliffe. Thomas’s brother Allan became a Coal Miner in his 20’s. His sister Florence married James Everett on the 4th of January 1911. James was also a Coal Miner like Florence’s brother.