Thomas Jessop was born on Blast Lane, Sheffield, the son of William Jessop (1772–1835) and Rebecca Taylor (1770–1859), who had 3 other sons and 4 daughters.
[1][2] He married Frances Yates Hope in 1848 and they had 5 daughters and one son, William (1856–1905).
[3][1] William Jessop was a steelmaker and the father and sons jointly built up the business to be one of the largest steel makers in Sheffield.
[4] He died at his home, Endcliffe Grange, Sheffield on 30 November 1887,[5] and was interred at Ecclesall Church on 3 December, following a great funeral procession led by 700 workers from the steelworks, and with carriages including the Mayor and Master Cutler.
[6] There are three known portraits of Jessop, each by Hugh Ford Crighton: two in his role as mayor, one hanging at Sheffield Town Hall, one in Sheffield Museum; a third in his role as hospital founder hangs at the Sheffield Teaching Hospital.