One of Henry (I)'s younger sons Tom (II) (1828–1885), known as 'Old Tom' is the first of the family whom we know much about. He was resident in Newsham, and hired as a sinker when the Cowpen "C", or "Isabella" pit was sunk in 1849, and gave his occupation as pitman when he married in 1850. He was also, nearer the end of his life, after the pit where he worked was laid idle, the landlord of The Willow Tree, then the only public house in Newsham. A hornpipe, The Willow Tree, by Tom (II), is still widely played among pipers. Tom (II) learned the pipes, not from his father, but from George Nicholson, of Blyth, and from Thomas Hair. In later life he won several competitions, in particular those organised by the Society of Antiquaries in Newcastle Town Hall in 1877, 1878 and 1879 – the first prize in these was the substantial sum of 10 guineas. After his third victory, he won, outright, a fine silver cup which is now in the Morpeth Chantry Museum. He was debarred from competing subsequently, but continued to attend and play. He died in June 1885, and had a substantial obituary, of one and a half columns, in the following week's Morpeth Herald. This confirms that he was a sinker of pit shafts, as others of the family are believed to have been, and lists his piping achievements, as well stating that he won trophies and cash prizes (£50 on one occasion) for shooting. The family must have been affluent at this time, as his grave is marked with a fine Cheviot granite tombstone, which still stands.