Hello Christopher
In 1989 when I was still trying to confirm my Gt. Grandfather William's origins, I saw a declared interest in the Looney family in one of the Family Tree magazines. I wrote to the researcher and gave him my family details. Initially I thought that my William might have been a son of Thomas Looney and Betsey Eelbeck born in 1840 at Harrington, and therefore a brother of the John Thomas born in 1836, also at Harrington. This latter John Thomas was a boot and shoe manufacturer, and he features in the electoral rolls for S. Shields which I examined at South Shields library. I always meant to go back and pursue my investigation, but the very next day I found a buyer for my house ( I was then living in Redcar, does that ring any bells?), and within a fortnight had moved away from the area!

One bit of very interesting information for you, if indeed you are of this family, and that is that John Thomas b. c.1871 was a schoolmaster. It was he who wrote a book postulating that Shakespeare was not the author of all of Shakespeare's works. It was the first suggestion that this was the case. The book was published c. 1920. From time to time when the debate about Shakespeare resurfaces you may see a reference to John Thomas and his ideas in the book review sections of the Sunday papers?

Regards
Bob Linden