Hi Cindy and Sarah,
I think they are 2 different families.
Cindy's Thomas Budd was born in 1852 to Mary Shea.
Thomas Budds who went to Croydon married Ellen (sometimes written Helen) - I dont have her last name. They are together in several census' in England. As Thomas died in 1933 aged 84 per FreeBMD, I assume he was born around 1851, so he could not be the same one born to Mary Shea.
I have also found a book on google where Thos Budds was a member of the Young Mens Christian assoc and lived in Parsonstown in 1868 when he was 17 years old. He got 2nd in Arithmetic and 3rd in bookkeeping. The book is searchable and is called "Journal of the Society of Arts" the entry is on page 536, June 12 1868. As the Thos Budds in England was an Inland Revenue Officer, math skills would have been handy.
A Thomas Budds went to England where he was when his brother Ben arrived in America in 1923. I know this because Benjamin Budds went through Ellis Island Oct 1st 1923, and these records say he had a relative in England who was T. Budds living at: 55 Buckland Ave, Thornton Heath, West Croydon.ENGLAND
So if the Thomas Budds in Croydon, who was married to Ellen, lived at this same address, then he is definitely the brother of the Benjamin who went to America.
This Benjamin Budds was born c1854 in Kings County, and was the Workhouse Master at Birr in Kings County. The family is on the Irish 1901 census.
I am not positive on their parents, but I have found a William Budds(1844-1926) was born in Cadamstown, Kings Co, he came to Australia. His marriage details (on familysearch) say he was was the son of Richard Budds and Mary Ann Osborne. I have found deaths for a Richard and Mary Budds in Parsonstown, Kings - these would match the right age for William's parents.
So I think they may all be brothers - Thomas, Benjamin and William.
Sarah, I dont know if you have any records that can help with who Thomas Budds of Croydon parents were,perhaps they are not not related to the William in Aust, but it is such a close fit. At least though you now have a brother for Thomas in Benjamin, assuming Thomas was the one in Buckland Ave.
Rosemary :)